Stranger Than Paradise

2011-03-25T09:48:00.004-04:00

Wild Flag Live @ SXSWPhysical State: coughyMental State: foggyMusic: Jonny - s/tFashion sense: jeans, brown t-shirtMy favourite new all-girl group is this supergroup made up of Carrie Brownstein(Sleater-Kinney, Portlandia), Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Quasi), Mary Timony (Helium)and Rebecca Cole (Minders). These girls rock! Their album release will be huge when it comes out later this year (

2011-03-07T12:50:00.005-05:00

ISO50 / Scott Hansen playlistsPhysical State: chillyMental State: sleepyMusic: Scott Hansen (Tycho) - Playlist 11Fashion sense: jeans, grey sweatshirtScott Hansen (aka musician Tycho) has added another great playlist to his ISO50 blog this week with new tracks from Cut Copy, Beach Fossils and Radiohead. Be sure to check out his great music too (I am a huge fan of his album "Past Is Prologue").

2011-02-21T13:36:00.011-05:00

Oh, Yuck!Physical State: coldMental State: foggyMusic: Yuck - s/tFashion sense: jeans, t-shirtYeah this is pretty good. The sound of 2011 is shaping up to be a lot like 1991. Eat your heart out Ira Kaplan. Warning NSFW: gratuitous slasher movie vibe at end with nudity.

2010-12-30T15:39:00.083-05:00

The Top 20 of 2010 (with videos)Physical State: over-chocolatedMental State: hazyMusic: Baths - CeruleanFashion sense: jeans, polar fleeceSecond year in a row I have decided to let you guys in on my Top 20 picks for the year. I added videos for the artists as well. Here are some releases that stood out for me in 2010 (in no particular order). Enjoy!01. The Arcade Fire - The Suburbs - Ready To

2010-11-25T17:27:00.009-05:00

Fear of sound or is silence golden?Physical State: coldMental State: agitatedMusic: The Boats - Sleepy Insect MusicFashion sense: jeans, black long sleeve shirt.Today I was sitting at the local Starbucks listening to the newest episode of the Spark podcast from CBC and the beginning part got me to thinking. Nora interviewed Julian Treasure in Surrey, England who has written a book called Sound

2010-11-17T10:16:00.014-05:00

When brand loyality seems misplaced.Physical State: creakyMental State: hazyMusic: Deerhunter - Halcyon DigestFashion sense: jeans, blue polar fleece.This week there are two brand activities that I have to comment on. Actions that can change the way we feel about a company and our loyality to it.Last week Joe Fresh, the fashion line of the Loblaws group, had this lovely statement on their blog

2010-11-02T12:57:00.004-04:00

Grouper for a cold Tuesday.Physical State: leadenMental State: snoozyMusic: Grouper - Dragging A Dead Deer Up A HillFashion sense: jeans, blue polar fleece.Can I just say that this lady's voice sounds like a dream. Beautiful stuff. That is all.

2010-10-25T16:00:00.005-04:00

Can't wait for House/Hausu Criterion releasePhysical State: acheyMental State: lukewarmMusic: Low Light Mixes - DriftageFashion sense: jeans, black t-shirtOh yeah! House (Hausu) a Japanese film from 1977 is coming to Criterion this week (two great tastes that go great together: Japanese film + Criterion). You know that they are gonna blow out all the stops on this one with some amazing extras (

2010-10-06T14:14:00.006-04:00

Still resonant.Physical State: shiveryMental State: draggyMusic: Alarm Will Sound - AcousticaFashion sense: jeans, black t-shirt"I believe that you are sincere and good at heart. If you do not attain happiness, always remember that you are on a good path, and try not to leave it. Above all, avoid lies, all lies, especially the lie to yourself. Keep watch on your own lie and examine it every hour,

2010-07-08T09:43:00.014-04:00

Hot and BotheredPhysical State: sweatyMental State: bad-temperedMusic: Manual - AscendFashion sense: jeans, brown t-shirtHeat is pretty bad in Toronto this week. I always forget how bad it can really get with the humidity. I am longing for summers in Calgary again (it seemed hot there too but a lot more reasonable). So I decided to go back on the blog after many MANY months of not posting because

2010-03-09T11:01:00.005-05:00

Loving the new Pantha du Prince!Physical State: leadenMental State: mistyMusic: Pantha Du Prince - Black NoiseFashion sense: jeans, blue t-shirtI am loving the sounds of the newest release Black Noise from Pantha du Prince. Got a nice German tech-house groove to it and mostly instrumental (except for a cameo from Panda Bear on "Stick To My Side" and a couple others). Karin you will love this.

2010-01-18T12:47:00.014-05:00

The funny, and at times too close to home "Stuff White People Like."Physical State: sludgeyMental State: foggyMusic: Asobi Seksu - HushFashion sense: sweats, black long sleeve shirtThis book is something I saw last week in the book store as I was walking around. I thought the title sounded funny so I picked it up. Inside are 150 things that Christian Lander thinks are hilarious about White People

2009-12-28T18:13:00.043-05:00

The Top 20 of 2009 (with videos)Physical State: chillyMental State: spaceyMusic: Ulrich Schnauss - Far Away Trains Passing ByFashion sense: jeans, polar fleeceAs is the custom on a lot of blogs, in magazines and in the newspapers this time of year, here are 20 releases that made a difference to me in 2009. I have included links to youtube videos for the standout tracks below to add another

2009-12-28T13:38:00.005-05:00

The Sleepbot Environmental BroadcastThe godfather of ambient, Brian Eno / a still from Kim Ki-Duk's "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, SpringPhysical State: draggyMental State: cloudyMusic: Sleepbot Environmental BroadcastFashion sense: jeans, black Coachella concert t-shirtI discovered this online ambient internet radio station which can also be accessed through i-tunes, called Sleepbot

2009-12-25T15:48:00.008-05:00

The strange case of the flashing Christmas angel ornamentPhysical State: sleepyMental State: noggyMusic: No Love For Ned - Christmas 2005 compilationFashion sense: pajamas pants @ 4pm (whoo hoo!), grey sweatshirtFor many years my family would decorate our Christmas tree and we had one traditional angel that would go on the tree every year. This angel was on our family's tree before I was even

2009-12-09T09:35:00.008-05:00

The sad but sublime Polytechnique (and the day I borrowed it)Physical State: leadenMental State: foggyMusic: Mono - Hymn To The Immortal WindFashion sense: jeans, black t-shirtThis past Sunday I had been at the library looking up some books and ventured over to the dvd section to see if anything new was in. I ran across a dvd copy of a Quebecois film from earlier this year, the excellent

2009-12-06T18:41:00.011-05:00

The Pocketology ProjectOne of the many reasons why I love Toronto."What has it got in its pocketses,my precious?!!"Physical State: COLD!Mental State: happyMusic: Girls - AlbumFashion sense: jeans, black long-sleeve shirtI was meeting up with a friend for a Sunday afternoon beer at one of my old haunts in Parkdale, the sister to Mitzi's cafe, Mitz's Sister (which confusingly still has the sign out

2009-11-22T14:30:00.006-05:00

Nothing doingPhysical State: acheyMental State: anxiousMusic: Yann Tiersen - L'AbsenteFashion sense: jeans, grey t-shirtOk so I've been back from Ottawa since Wednesday and still haven't found out whether I got this job or not and it is driving me crazy. I figure if you got it then they would call right away but then I think maybe they need to check references and that is why it is taking so long

2009-09-18T11:51:00.003-04:00

10 films in 10 Days: Day 2/3 - Synecdoche, New York and Vicky Christina Barcelona (coming)Physical State: acheyMental State: sleepyMusic: The Antlers - HospiceFashion sense: jeans, black t-shirtOff to a great start with the reviews, ha ha. Day 2/3 and I'm already slipping, nice. I will post reviews of this film above and Vicky Christina Barcelona later today. Slight diversion to "Forgetting Sarah

2009-09-16T14:49:00.026-04:00

10 films in 10 Days: Day 1 - Tokyo!Ayako Fujitani & Ryo Kase in Michel Gondry's "Interior Design"Physical State: slouchyMental State: boredMusic: Chihei Hatakeyama - SaunterFashion sense: jeans, grey t-shirtLast week I had started thinking about how much I really wanted to go to this year's 2009 Toronto Film Festival but also realizing that I had left it too late and a lot of what I wanted to see

2009-06-10T21:55:00.003-04:00

Piana: English TranslationsPhysical State: acheyMental State: stressedMusic:Point Juncture, WA - Heart To ElkFashion sense: jeans, brown shirtEarlier this week I had mentioned about rediscovering music by Piana (Naoko Sasaki). Well after some poking around on her website I came across a selection of English translations of her album Ephemeral which the previous post had a video for. The

2009-06-08T14:33:00.013-04:00

Piana: Something's LostPhysical State: slouchyMental State: sleepyMusic: Piana - EphemeralFashion sense: jeans, blue shirtI was going through my itunes library and reordering some of my tracks when I came across this great song by Japanese electronic artist Piana (aka Naoko Sasaki). I thought the song is so relaxing and sure enough there's a beautiful video to accompany it. Her voice reminds me

2009-06-05T12:27:00.003-04:00

I <3 Tokidoki!Physical State: headacheyMental State: slowMusic: Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur CoatFashion sense: jeans, black t-shirtI just discovered the amazing graphic work of Simone Legno of Italy now living in the US. But you could swear that he is Japanese from his work with his company Tokidoki. He has designed everything from ipod skins to Onitsuka Tiger shoes to t-shirts

2009-05-30T16:47:00.004-04:00

Harley Hell, The Wire, Sled Island and WirePhysical State: sunburned!Mental State: lukewarmMusic: The Books - The Lemon of PinkFashion sense: jeans, grey t-shirtOk what is it about Beltline being ground zero for weekend Harley heads. I open the windows to finally get a nice summer breeze and all I can hear all day is the 3 block radius sound of "burruhhhhhhhh!" I guess Harley's are one of those

2009-05-24T12:49:00.005-04:00

Chris Ware, graphic novel geniusPhysical State: acheyMental State: reflectiveMusic: Colleen - Golden Morning BreaksFashion sense: pajama pants, black t-shirtAfter seeing a recent Quimby The Mouse cartoon that Chris Ware did as part of the This American Life "live" performance (I didn't see it because the show wasn't beamed into Calgary), I have recently revisited his classic debut, the

2009-04-27T11:53:00.005-04:00

Zone Out, StumbleUpon and Pixies box setPhysical State: creakyMental State: neutralMusic: Radio Dept. - Pet GriefFashion sense: blue t-shirt, jeansLately I've been noticing that when I get on the computer and do some web-surfing that a lot of time has passed and I don't know how it went by. Case in point, this morning I looked at the clock, 9am...seems fine. Get on the computer, check my email,

2009-04-20T17:46:00.002-04:00

New Bat For Lashes...new album sounds amazingPhysical State: sleepyMental State: spottyMusic: Bat For Lashes - Two SunsFashion sense: white t-shirt, jeansThis is going to be a runaway for the Mercury Prize this year. Really liking her new album. If you don't know Natasha, then you're missing out on something cool. Is it just me or do I hear a lot of Cat Power gene-spliced to Kate Bush in her

2009-04-18T18:10:00.009-04:00

Back once again: The blog name, Calgary Artists and Tatsumi Physical State: achey muscles, gymMental State: encouragedMusic: Pains of Being Pure at Heart - s/tFashion sense: blue t-shirt, jeansOk after some consideration and a need to do more writing on a daily basis, I figure back to the blog is a good start. I mean I was doing this thing for a long time and the last two (count 'em) years I

2008-08-28T12:17:00.003-04:00

Soundtrack To Your LifePhysical State: slouchyMental State: inspiredMusic: Spoon - Kill The MoonlightFashion sense: black t-shirt, pajama pantsOkay after a long hiatus, and some prodding from a friend, I am starting this blog back up again. Going to be baby steps at first, but after doing it for 5 years I think I owe it more respect than the past year has yielded, so we shall see.This is

2008-02-16T14:36:00.003-05:00

Watch This SpacePhysical State: acheyMental State: neutralMusic: Cat Power - JukeboxFashion sense: brown t-shirt, jeansIt's been a long time but I will be back soon. this will be year 5 for this blog so it feels like I owe it more attention than it's been getting. So keep watching this space.

2007-07-08T11:27:00.001-04:00

Yellowknife City Where The Grass Ain't Green But The Girls Are PrettyTony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers)Physical State: tiredMental State: dozeyMusic: Great Lake Swimmers - OngiaraFashion sense: green t-shirt, pajama pantsOk yes it's been months since I wrote anything on this blog. A lot has happened as you may recall from April. I moved to Yellowknife, NWT to work at a radio station and I have

2007-04-25T22:40:00.000-04:00

North of 60Physical State: acheyMental State: stressedMusic: Stars of The Lid - And Their Refinement of the DeclineFashion sense: blue polo shirt, blue jeansWell I haven't added to this blog in awhile but I think this might be my last for a few weeks in May. As of May 10 I am leaving Toronto and GTA area to join a radio station in Yellowknife, NT. Yep a long way from home but it's going to be an

2007-03-21T13:45:00.000-04:00

It'll Cost YaCaptain Chaotic with Henry Phillips (video)Physical State: creakyMental State: murkyMusic: Loscil - PlumeFashion sense: black polo top, blue jeansThis video on YouTube made me laugh. So typical of radio experiences. When you want to say the right thing...

2007-03-15T14:27:00.000-04:00

Am I "Mittyesque"?Bat For Lashes - Prescilla (video)Physical State: lumberingMental State: foggyMusic: Bat For Lashes - Fur and GoldFashion sense: grey sweatshirt, blue jeansFor the past few days I have had the name Walter Mitty coming up in dreams and when I'm walking around during the day. You know like when you get a jingle from a commercial or some obscure name that you keep repeating over

2007-03-13T11:07:00.000-04:00

The Cinematics: Glasgow Strikes AgainThe Cinematics - Keep Forgetting (video)Physical State: headacheyMental State: cloudyMusic: Luxuria Music (internet station)Fashion sense: blue fleece, brown shirt, blue jeansThe next Franz Ferdinand meets Interpol are about to be unleashed on North America and they go by the name, The Cinematics. I love the look of this video (reminiscent of Godard and

2007-03-02T15:00:00.003-05:00

Obsessed with Lee Hazlewood's "Some Velvet Morning"Physical State: sleepyMental State: druggyMusic: Lee Hazlewood - The Best of Nancy and LeeFashion sense: black hoodie, blue jeansI heard this Lee Hazlewood song again on Coast To Coast AM over the weekend when Art Bell was hosting and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since then. What a truly perfect song. My friend Blair talked about

2007-02-03T11:14:00.002-05:00

Thank you for 23 great years, Brave New Waves. I will miss you!BNW's Augusta Lapaix, Brent Bambury & Patti SchmidtPhysical State: creakyMental State: bobblehead-ishMusic: Lee Hazlewood - Cowboy In SwedenFashion sense: black hoodie, blue pjsIt is with a bit of sadness that I read this article on Montreal's The Hour newspaper about Brave New Waves. If the show would continue it would have been 23

2007-02-02T12:30:00.000-05:00

Peter Bjorn and John my #1 "missed the bus in 2006" momentPeter Bjorn & John - Young Folks (video)Physical State: acheyMental State: sludgeyMusic: Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's BlockFashion sense: blue fleece jacket, blue jeanYet another album that seemed to pass me by in 2006 but that I've recently discovered is Peter Bjorn and John's Writer's Block. "Young Folks" has to be the coolest

2007-01-31T21:59:00.001-05:00

I've posted a new show for February 2007 over at RadioSteven @ Live365 (can you believe it's already February?). Lots of new stuff for 2007, some greats from 2006 and also some classics for you to enjoy. Over 7 hours of music.Send me an email. Keep respecting the rock and thanks for listening!

2007-01-20T12:51:00.000-05:00

Sibylle Baier's "Colour Green", a folkmasterpiece 33 years late.Physical State: hunchyMental State: leadenMusic: Sibylle Baier - Colour GreenFashion sense: black hoodie, blue pjsAn album that seemed to pass me by in 2006 but that I've recently discovered was actually recorded in 1973. But it wasn't until 2004 that J Mascis heard a tape copy that there were any chances for the world to hear it.

2007-01-11T10:14:00.000-05:00

Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power)on The Hour tonightPhysical State: aching back (thanks gym)Mental State: feltyMusic: Asobi Seksu - CitrusFashion sense: black hoodie, blue pjsCBC's The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos has the amazing Cat Power on his show tonight (Thursday Jan.11). It goes without saying that I love this artist (I've been managing a fan mailing list since the late 90s). Be sure to

2006-12-29T14:33:00.000-05:00

Life On Mars Rocks!Physical State: gym achesMental State: lazyMusic: CBC Radio 3Fashion sense: black sweatshirt, blue sweatsLife On Mars is my newest British show to check out. I have been faithfully watching every episode on Showcase here in Canada since it debuted. I think it is a really great show and I can't wait for some dvd action as well.Life on Mars is a cop drama with a twist. Manchester

2006-12-13T10:56:00.000-05:00

My Top 40 of 2006Physical State: coldMental State: groovyMusic: RadioSteven on Live365Fashion sense: black hoodie, blue sweatsAfter much deliberation, constant listening, fevered whittling down and many hours of rearranging I have finally posted my favourite albums of 2006 at Live 365 (link above). In this show you'll hear two tracks from each of my favourite 40 albums of 2006. This is followed

2006-12-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

RadioSteven #4: Nov. 25 - Dec. 12 PlaylistHere is my previous playlist for December for my station over at Live365. Check out the list above for what will appear in the new show (not in the order it's displayed).Live365/stations/radio_Steven - Nov.25/2006Track - Artist - AlbumMusic To Watch Space Girls By - Leonard Nimoy OrchestraFuture Resident - DJ Me DJ You - L'âge D'or De TricatelTwiggy

2006-11-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

"Veronique" Now on dvd finallyPhysical State: headacheyMental State: lazyMusic: CBC Radio 3Fashion sense: black hoodie, blue sweatsAfter many years of being denied a dvd transfer and upgrade, one of my favourite films is finally seeing a re-release (and on Criterion to boot). This is great news for fans of Kieslowski and it is one of Irene Jacob's best film portrayals ever. Criterion dvds cater

2006-11-16T10:34:00.000-05:00

Some people have asked me, so here is my previous playlist for November for my station over at Live365. Of course I can't publish the show list for the show that is up now but be sure to check back if you were wondering what got played last time. Sorry for the informality of the list (itunes hasn't developed a way of exporting the playlist as an swanky html...maybe in version 8 perhaps). I also

2006-11-09T10:46:00.000-05:00

Adrienne Shelley murderedPhysical State: acheyMental State: lukewarmMusic: AToG on Live 365Fashion sense: black t-shirt, jeansTo update the story from last week of Adrienne Shelley passing away it appears that her death was sadly a callous murder brought on by a noise complaint. This is truly sad news.From the Guardian:Construction worker: I killed Adrienne ShellyA teenage Ecuadorean construction

2006-11-03T12:58:00.000-05:00

Adrienne Shelley R.I.P.Physical State: acheyMental State: coastingMusic: AToG on Live 365Fashion sense: black fleece top, jeansThis from CBC Arts News:***Actress Adrienne Shelly, best known for her roles in American independent films of the early 1990s, has died.The 40-year-old actress was found dead in her New York office, her agent said Thursday. Shelly's husband made the discovery Wednesday

2006-10-29T13:03:00.000-05:00

New show up at RadioSteven - up to 8 hours nowPhysical State: coldishMental State: rested (thank you Daylight savings time)Reading: Simon Reynolds - Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978-1984Fashion sense: black fleece top, jeansHi there music fans! Steven here, or rather RadioSteven now I guess. Well I have added my third show so far in about a month on Live365 - RadioSteven. While you can't

2006-09-24T12:38:00.000-04:00

The Spirit of Radio Archives + Marsden + RadioSteven on the airPhysical State: creakyMental State: sleepyMusic: Dave Marsden - Spirit of Radio on Pulver Radio (Sundays)Fashion sense: blue t-shirt, sweatsI've discovered a couple of cool things for the fan of great radio. Toronto's CFNY was once the venerable home of all great British, new wave and esoteric music (a commercial station that was run

2006-09-11T10:42:00.000-04:00

Finally a new post + WOXY R.I.P.Physical State: acheyMental State: drowsyMusic: Boards of Canada - Trans Canada Highway epFashion sense: black t-shirt, sweatsAnother great indie music voice seems to be going silent as of this Friday. The venerable WOXY of Cincinnati, Ohio due to lack of funds, like so many great indie rock radio stations on the net, can't afford to keep it up. Barring some

2006-05-09T18:59:00.000-04:00

DJing Wavelength May 21Physical State: acheyMental State: sleepyMusic: Isan - Lucky CatFashion sense: tan khakis, blue golf shirtRIP Grant McLennan, what will the Go-Betweens be without you?***I am djing another Wavelength on May 21 (Victoria Day Weekend...yes!). Be sure to come out and check out the tunes that I spin in between these great bands at Sneaky Dee's: 12am - 100% WoOL -

2006-04-13T20:13:00.000-04:00

Rock On, Lisa!Physical State: lumberyMental State: bitchyMusic: Boards of Canada - The Campfire HeadphaseFashion sense: blue t-shirt, jeansWord(s) of the daylugubrious (because Robert mentioned it in his presentation in reference to Q107)adj. Mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree.***Lisa Pereira (whose name I just learned today) is in this week's My Style

2006-04-06T00:30:00.000-04:00

Carmen Elle will be famousPhysical State: acheyMental State: whinge-yMusic: Carmen Elle - demoFashion sense: black t-shirt, jeansWord(s) of the daymiss marcelizev. to be liked as a friend only by a member of the opposite sex after persuing them in a romantic way (especially after mistakenly perceiving a relationship that was going to flourish after patience). A misunderstanding between two people

2006-03-21T18:55:00.000-05:00

The Future Sound of JukeboxesPhysical State: bendyMental State: foggyMusic: Ladytron - Witching Hour - ("International Dateline" my favourite new single)Fashion sense: grey t-shirt, jeansWord of the daykvetchn. A chronic, whining complainer.A nagging complaint: “a rambling kvetch against the system” (Leonard Ross).***Ironically I have nothing to complain about today unless you can count the

2006-03-14T15:04:00.000-05:00

InnocencePhysical State: acheyMental State: boomerangyMusic: Efterklang - Tripper - YES STILLFashion sense: black t-shirt, jeansWord of the dayslothn. Aversion to work or exertion; laziness; indolence.Any of various slow-moving, arboreal, edentate mammals of the family Bradypodidae of South and Central America, having long hooklike claws by which they hang upside down from tree branches and

2006-03-13T16:13:00.000-05:00

The perpetually non-updated blogPhysical State:lurchyMental State:tepidMusic: Efterklang - TripperFashion sense: grey t-shirt, jeansWord of the daycircumlocution1. The use of unnecessarily wordy and indirect language.2. Evasion in speech or writing.3. A roundabout expression.***Yeah so where you been, man? The common question these days that seems to be on some friend's lips. Well my college is

2005-12-30T04:36:00.000-05:00

My Top 40 of 2005Physical State:insomniacMental State: awakeMusic: Eluvium - Talk Amongst The TreesFashion sense: grey t-shirt, pajama bottomsWord of the dayinsomnian : an inability to sleep; chronic sleeplessness [ant: hypersomnia]***Ok it's 4am and I am fighting off both insomnia after many days of sleeping eratically and a slight heartburn from the mixed vegetable indian roti I had last night.

2005-12-20T17:12:00.000-05:00

Only Little Boys Wear Bowties(F)(T)ucker Carlson vs CanadaPhysical State: creakyMental State: firedMusic: Bell Orchestre - Recording a Tape The Colour of LightFashion sense: green t-shirt, jeansWord of the dayignoramusn : an ignorant person [syn: know nothing, uneducated person]***Words of Wisdumb from south of the border:"Anybody with any ambition at all, or intelligence, has left Canada and is

2005-12-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

Best of Britcoms (the ongoing search)Why I Loved "Spaced".Physical State: acheyMental State: lumpyMusic: Last.fm (need to know what unknown bands you'd like? Here's the place for recommendations)Fashion sense: blue t-shirt, grey sweatsWord of the dayprescientadj : perceiving the significance of events before they occur; "extroardinarily prescient memoranda on the probable course of postwar

2005-12-03T14:26:00.000-05:00

Google Satellite MapsPhysical State: acheyMental State: tepidMusic: Dawn and Drew ShowFashion sense: blue t-shirt, jeansWord of the daydisingenuousNot straightforward or candid; insincere or calculating; Pretending to be unaware or unsophisticated; faux-naïf. Usage Problem. Unaware or uninformed; naive.***Ok this blog isn't being updated and people are getting unimpressed (all 3 of you...ok 2 of

2005-11-16T12:46:00.000-05:00

"What's all this shouting? We'll have no trouble here."The League of Gentlemen are downright bizarre.Physical State: coughyMental State: sludgeyMusic: Static - Flavour Has No NameFashion sense: white t-shirt, jeansWord of the day (a new feature)portmanteaun 1: a new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings; "`smog' is a blend of `smoke' and `fog'"; "`motel' is a portmanteau

2005-11-08T06:08:00.000-05:00

'Ello, 'ello. Back from London, mate!Physical State: jetlaggedMental State: foggyMusic: Brent's AtlantacastFashion sense: black t-shirt, pajama bottomYes it has been "donkey's years" (to coin a phrase of my friend Claire) since I wrote anything to this blog. I am still here and I've finally returned from a two week holiday in London. So it is 5am and since the time change has f**ked me up it

2005-08-01T12:53:00.000-04:00

Claire Kember Leaving Totally RadioPhysical State: sluggishMental State: hazeyMusic: The Daily Show with Claire KemberFashion sense: white t-shirt, black shortsThis today on the front page of clairekember.co.uk and also on the Daily Show page at Totally Radio:After almost 5 years at Totallyradio Towers, I have given in my notice and decided to move on. My last show overall is Totallywired on 7th

2005-07-22T13:18:00.000-04:00

EuCan Be Free (aka the turd on Roncesvalles)Physical State: wearyMental State: sludgeyMusic: Notwist - Neon GoldenFashion sense: white t-shirt, tan shortsBigger than a newspaper box, more irritating than a TV commercial and able to block whole sidewalks in a single move—it's the all-new, never-before-seen Eucan trash/recycling bin!Yep on one of the smoggiest and oppressive days this week I

2005-07-20T17:48:00.000-04:00

I want to complainPhysical State: sweatyMental State: frustratedFashion sense: brown t-shirt, tan shortsI want to complain about:- the way that car insurance is way out of control in this province- $1.00 litres of gas and jacking up prices on a Friday afternoon (it's time for the govt to step in and regulate this mofo)- air conditioners that jack your hydro bill up because the building you live

2005-06-23T11:48:00.000-04:00

Emma Pollock Signs to 4AD & Lovely LesliePhysical State: weakMental State: loopyMusic: Feist - Live on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic (in Real Video)Fashion sense: white t-shirt, tan shortsThe voice of The Delgados for me was always Emma Pollock, so I was quite disappointed when they announced their breakup early this year. But thankfully Emma will go on as a solo artist it appears. She has now

2005-06-13T11:16:00.000-04:00

NXNE: Post-Craziness Kicking it live: The Grates (top) and Montreal's Pony Up! Physical State: hot, Hot, HOT!Mental State: sluggishMusic: Black Mountain - s/t (damn awesome!)Fashion sense: white t-shirt, black shortsThis year's NXNE (North By Northeast) Music Festival was a bit lacklustre for me with a few exceptions. Mostly I spent time in lines trying to get to see bands rather than seeing them

2005-05-25T11:38:00.000-04:00

Djing For The Pungent Bros, June 2 @ Stones PlacePhysical State: acheyMental State: crabbyMusic: New Order - Blue Monday at the same time as Depeche Mode - Get The Balance Right (practicing my beatmatching again)Fashion sense: white t-shirt, jeansYes it's no cover, nada, FREE! Come check out the Pungent Bros and The Slime Dogs and hear me spinning some tunes before, between and after. Stones

2005-05-14T12:52:00.000-04:00

Mommy and Daddy, Y'er SweetPhysical State: sore throatMental State: sludgeyMusic: Mommy and Daddy - Fighting Style Killer Panda ep Fashion sense: white t-shirt, jeansI saw these guys last night at the Drake Underground and they turned out such a sweet show of electropunk to the VERY small crowd that was there. What up people, these guys rock where were ye?Be sure to catch them as they go to

2005-05-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

Sister Sue Kicks AssPhysical State: acheyMental State: whippyMusic: Caribou - Milk of Human KindnessFashion sense: blue t-shirt, sweatsBeen a very long time I know. But here I am again back with more fun and frivolity. I was working at a studio for the first few months of this year and it was quite a steady thing. But as these freelance gigs sometimes go, new people come into a company and want

2005-03-25T14:09:00.000-05:00

2005-02-16T10:21:00.000-05:00

Mi Vida LocasPhysical State: headacheyMental State: rubberyMusic: Jolie Holland - EscondidaFashion sense: green t-shirt, sweatsAnyone who missed the Love and Rockets bandwagon in the 80s can finally catch up with this exhaustive 700+pg release from Fantagraphics. One of the best comics ever created (and still worthy of an onscreen version...still waiting for Terry Zwigoff to say yes to this).

2005-02-15T12:13:00.000-05:00

Rants vs Raves: Why Tomine Rocks and HMV sucks and internet dating is lukewarmPhysical State: acheyMental State: sludgeyMusic: Fiery Furnaces - epFashion sense: black hooded sweatshirt, jeansMore ruminations from your Harvey Pekar in training. From my ivory tower, more of the drama you've been craving.This blog is sorely lacking in updates and contributions and I'm sorry about that. You see

2005-02-03T17:17:00.000-05:00

Addicted to "The Wire" Physical State: hunchy Mental State: felty Music: Futureheads - s/t Fashion sense: black sweatshirt, jeans I am now officially hooked on HBO's The Wire, the Peabody-winning series (now into it's third season). After watching the pilot debut for Season One, I ended up (much like Six Feet Under) watching the entire first season in a span of a few days. The show follows in

2005-01-11T11:08:00.000-05:00

My 40 favourite albums of 2004 Physical State: bouncy Mental State: loopy Music: Karate Cowgirl - s/t ep Fashion sense: blue t-shirt, jeans As some of you who regularly check out my internet radio show at radioindierock.com might have noticed I have my best of 2004 show up. I decided to publish some of my thoughts about the 40 releases this year that I thought were worth checking out. So here

2005-01-04T01:29:00.000-05:00

Bill Lumbergh or David Brent. Who would you rather have as a boss? Discuss. Physical State: achey Mental State: foggy Music: Komeda - What Makes It Go? Fashion sense: white t-shirt, jeans Happy New Year! It's been a long time since I posted to this blog but I thought I would again to start out the new year. I was recently rewatching a classic of office oppression movies, Office Space, directed

2004-12-06T09:11:00.000-05:00

Wes Anderson Back Again Physical State: creaky Mental State: foggy Music: Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans Fashion sense: black sweatshirt, grey sweats Oh yes. The man responsible for the amazing Bottle Rocket and Rushmore has teamed up once again with Bill Murray for the new movie "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou". This promises to be another hilarious movie. I saw a magazine yesterday with the

2004-11-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

Icelandic Wunderkinder In Concert Physical State: lumbering Mental State: icey Music: Múm - Live in Toronto, Jun 25/04 @ JustConcerts.com Fashion sense: black sweatshirt, blue sweats There are very magical and beautiful noises in this world and one of the most impressive is the band Múm from Iceland. For those of you who have not had the opportunity to catch them live or have only a passing

2004-11-04T14:22:00.000-05:00

2004-11-02T19:35:00.000-05:00

Speaking For Trees Physical State: springy Mental State: loopy Music: Cat Power - Speaking For Trees Fashion sense: black longsleeve shirt, jeans As one of the most devoted Cat Power fans (as most of my friends know) I was really looking forward to the release of this new DVD project, Speaking For Trees. Well let me say that there ain't much to it but it is very wonderful. The 2 hour DVD is one

2004-10-31T09:08:00.000-05:00

Farewell Mr. Peel Physical State: achey Mental State: leaden Music: Stars of The Lid - The Tired Sounds of... Fashion sense: black t-shirt, grey sweats It goes without saying that a true era in music has ended with the recent passing of John Peel. I listened to John's BBC show on the internet as often as I could and I was never disappointed by anything I would ever hear on it. His show was like

2004-10-23T10:17:00.000-04:00

The as of yet non-DVD'ed Double Life of Veronique Physical State: achey Mental State: circular Music: The Vinyl Cafe on CBC Radio2 with Stuart McLean (am I the only one who think his show sounds unmistakeably like Garrison Keillor's radio show, really weird) Fashion sense: blue t-shirt, blue sweats I smell a crusade here, so it's business as usual for me I guess. I would like to comment on one

2004-10-21T15:03:00.000-04:00

Ever have a word that pops into your head and you all of a sudden have a whole song to go with it? Maybe it's called Weird Al syndrome or something I dunno but this has been in my head all day: Ennui and apathy (sung to Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney's "Ebony & Ivory") Ennui and apathy, live together in perfect harmony Side by side on my unswept floorboard, oh lord, can this be? We all know

2004-10-18T14:09:00.000-04:00

Mmmm...Funniest Book, Ever! Physical State: cold cold COLD Mental State: 10 km/ph Music: Schroeder on RadioIndieRock Fashion sense: black sweatshirt, blue sweats Here you thought I was gone for good but the good news is that I am still here (and now able to tip you off to even more cool stuff and useless information to amaze and delight your friends and enemies). One thing that is definitely

2004-08-13T11:04:00.000-04:00

Olympic-sized event for diminutive Icelandic pop star Physical State: sleepy Mental State: sluggish Music: Pascalle's show on RadioIndieRock Fashion sense: green shirt, black shorts Yes its true. For the Olympics this year we'll see none other than my Madonna, Icelandic experimental pop queen Bjork, performing for the opening ceremonies. A great coup for her and another demonstration that

2004-08-05T20:47:00.000-04:00

Of stuff and nonsense. One musical wank away from a total piece of crap Physical State: weary Mental State: annoyed Music: The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat Fashion sense: brown shirt, tan shorts Have you ever heard the phrase "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". Well that pretty well sums up my impression of the new album from Brooklyn's Fiery Furnaces. After a wonderful and

2004-07-05T21:25:00.000-04:00

Of Love and Labyrinthitis Physical State: weary Mental State: taffy Music: Brian Bonz - The Sunday Theory ep Fashion sense: grey polo shirt, blue jeans Can I declare (in a Homer Simpson kind of way) that I am in love with a beer? Yes the dark beauty that goes by the name of St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout from Montreal. McAuslan is one of the best microbrewers in Canada and this beer just kicks ass (

2004-07-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

Discovering Julie Doucet Physical State: achey Mental State: leaden Music: Magnetic Fields - Get Lost Fashion sense: white t-shirt, blue jeans Happy Canada Day! In keeping with all things Canada I've also reread (for like the third time this week) an illustrated graphic novel by Montrealer Julie Doucet called My New York Diary. Julie has long been a stable artist for Drawn and Quarterly with her

2004-06-17T20:10:00.000-04:00

Hartley to redeem himself? Physical State: heavy Mental State: neutral Music: Denise James - It's Not Enough To Love Fashion sense: white t-shirt, blue jeans Yes a new Hal Hartley movie is in post-production. Here's hoping. I'm still here not to worry. So yes indeed what a week so far. Never been busier and I have had a few interviews as well. I've had to play an interesting balancing act

2004-05-14T09:04:00.000-04:00

Múm's RandomSummer site Launches Physical State: creaky Mental State: sludgey Music:Animal Collective - Sung Tongs Fashion sense: blue shirt, blue jeans Icelandic wunderkinder Múm have launched a new website that is quite beautiful and you can get lost in for hours. Just click on on the link in the previous sentence to connect to it. They will be touring through Canada and the US in June and

2004-05-02T09:18:00.000-04:00

Venus you keep rockin'! Physical State: achey Mental State: felty Music:The Organ - Grab That Gun Fashion sense: grey shirt, blue jeans Not sure if you read a lot of music magazines but I'd like to draw your attention to the increasingly cool Venus magazine. A magazine that has some lovely design and a leaning towards the wonderful women who make indie rock. This magazine has also, along with

2004-04-29T12:57:00.000-04:00

Ta Da! It's a new label Physical State: sludgey Mental State: 10 watts Music: air conditioning (no music in this office I'm in today) Fashion sense: grey shirt, blue jeans Brave New Waves' high priestess of cool (and a personal hero of mine) Ms. Patti Schmidt has launched her own new indie label called Ta Da! along with Jeff Waye from Ninja Tune. The first release from this label is the debut

2004-04-20T06:02:00.000-04:00

Out To Lunch at "The Office" Physical State: insomniac Mental State: fuzzy Music: Labradford - Mi Media Naranja Fashion sense: black t-shirt, grey sweats Ok I want to complain (yeah buddy what else is new?). This is a Wavelength review in development I suppose so bear with me. Recently I watched the first season of the BBC's The Office on DVD and thoroughly loved it. The creation of Stephen

2004-04-05T11:57:00.001-04:00

Lali Puna, backatcha! Physical State: leaden Mental State: shiny Music: Gary's show @ RadioIndieRock.com Fashion sense: black t-shirt, blue jeans Lali Puna, one of my favourite bands have relauched their website to coincide with the release of their new album "Faking The Books" out on April 19. Worth checking out, very lovely. You can also check out the video for Micronomic at their site done

2004-04-01T22:07:00.000-05:00

Meow Mix 2: Kittin Came Back Physical State: groovy Mental State: hopeful Music: Miss Kittin Spring Mix 2004 Fashion sense: black hoodie, black shirt, blue jeans Yes just a week ago I had mentioned that Miss Kittin (aka Caroline Herve) now in Berlin (where all the best djs are based, it seems) had a Fall Mix up at her site. Well she has also added a new Spring Mix as well. So just like the other

2004-03-29T08:43:00.000-05:00

Living the dream? Ya me neither Physical State: congested Mental State: sluggish Music: Tie Reds - Live at CBGBs (cdr recording) Fashion sense: black sweatshirt, grey sweats So ok. For Boston Liz and all those other people out there who are wondering what I'm up to, I'm here to say that I'm still around. Things have gotten a bit weird of late as my work prospects have really dropped off in a

2004-03-22T12:59:00.000-05:00

A recent Miss Kittin mix called "Cult Songs" is up to listen to. Just copy and paste this URL below into your Winamp and enjoy: http://www.misskittin.com:8000/content/www.misskittin.com_10-2003_newmix_-_CULT_SONGS_AUTUMN.pls Happy listening!

2004-03-21T01:39:00.000-05:00

Hope you are doing well Dad. and... Thank you Patti!

2004-02-26T09:08:00.000-05:00

Why Clear Channel and the FCC suck (again) Physical State: achey Mental State: muddy Music: Kim Hiyorthoy - Hei Fashion sense: grey shirt, blue jeans What is wrong with the USA, Chapter whatever...Six Clear Channel stations suspended their broadcasting of the Howard Stern show due to unsavoury content and what they deemed was a conflict with the rules of broadcasting laid out by the FCC. While