A few months ago, Craig over @ songsillinois.net started a 'finger pointing, pass the buck session' amongst a few Canadian bloggers that enjoy the roots music. "Sure, I might have missed out on Cam Penner, but so did X, Y and Z! And they live closer to him!"

Since that time, it's been nice to see Cam's record - Trouble & Mercy (review) - show up on some best of lists and really shine a light on the amazing Alberta roots/country scene, but more importantly it's made me recalibrate my daily searches to include significantly more Albertans. Specifically - fearing another scolding - whenever I get a request from Calgary, I scan the details like an old fashioned detective, complete with magnifying glass, pipe and oddly constructed hat.

The latest artist to cross my path is PEI transplant and Calgary resident, Scott MacLeod. A seasoned story teller and song writer, Old Soul may only be Scott's second full length, but it takes on the aura of a veteran musician that is completely comfortable with his style and sound, and plays music with his friends because it's all he's ever wanted. MacLeod is lucky enough to have some extremely talented friends - Lorrie Matheson produced and played on the record, as did Cam Penner and Brooke Wylie (and many others) - but he manages to fuse the unique collection of voices and textures into a seamless tapestry without losing control of the songs.

Old Soul, like the title indicates, takes the listener back to simpler times. Whether it's the vivid image we all have of coal mines, the romantic feel of watching the world fly by your window on a long train trip or painful memories his family past down of the 1940's flood, MacLeod's voice is like an aural time machine. Remarkably though, he doesn't let the burden of nostalgia drag down the listener, often adding bursts of electric (Grain Elevators, Standing Still), group sing-alongs (on the terrific Drank the Ocean Dry and the fun closer Day by Day), beautiful harmonies or effortless shifts from full band arrangements to more stripped down confessionals.

MacLeod is never going to be a name that dominates the blog world - right now there is exactly 0 posts on hypem.com with featuring his music - or find a home among the blindly loyal country fans that simply want to sing along to country pop anthems, but he's a roots artist that will still be writing songs long after the popular sound stops including lap steel. Gritty songs like Let You Down fit nicely alongside more traditional numbers and show that MacLeod can write albums that fit your mood, whether it's simply for a casual listen, a tear-in-your -beer evening after love runs you over once again or when you and your friends just want to hoist some drinks and laugh.

MP3:: Scott MacLeod - Drank the Ocean Dry
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/scottmacleod
WEB:: http://www.scottmacleod.ca/

Labels: Alberta, Calgary, Cam Penner, Reviews, Roots, Scott MacLeod

The Dojo Workhorse is the solo project of Dan Vacon, frontman of Calgary rock & roll heroes The Dudes. Now my feelings on The Dudes are well-documented: I like them. You might have your own feelings about The Dudes, but cast those aside because we're talking about The Dojo Workhorse here. Specifically we're talking about Weapons Grade Romantic, the DW's debut album, which I think you should listen to. I have five reasons for this, and they are as follows:

1. The Name. Dojo Workhorse is simply a great name, and I will ruthlessly sweep the leg of anyone who disagrees.

2. These things have happened to Dan:

Two days before heading out on tour lead singer/guitarist Dan Vacon’s white BMX took him down the highway of hurt resulting in 12 staples to the head and a broken collarbone.

Most recently Vacon crashed into a tree skiing at Lake Louise and broke the other side of his collarbone. Again two days before leaving out on tour.

So yeah, short of buying him a new, non-cursed BMX or paying for a skiing safety course, it's the least you can do for him.

3. The lyrical excellence:

"Nobody cry, and nobody get hurt, except me, and possibly her"

"Oh girl let's misbehave, fuck what your girlfriends say, let them pay for tomorrow,
their time is borrowed give me today"

"And kindness she's a two-way street, now don't it feel good not to be a total asshole"

"Oh my sweet angel, if you're near me, spread your wings and get us the F out of here...and take me to Cleveland, I hear it's lovely"

"I'll not blame my heart, he is my partner and he's smarter than I am. Sometimes we disagree, on what to do with our body"

4. It's perfect as a Christmas gift (there's even a song called New Years Eve!). It is described as the "emotional counterpoint to Vacon's work in the dudes", which sounds fancy-dan, but one must remember that the Dudes write songs about: drinking, ladies who ruin an intimate liason by talking too much, getting busted by their girlfriends when drinking with their buddies, chicks, and drinking. As such, this album is chock-a-block full of similar songs, albeit of a much softer bent, and therefore it's a perfect gift for that boyfriend who would never listen to wussy love songs, or that girlfriend who busted you when you were out drinking with your buddies.

5. The whole thing really sounds quite good. I've always enjoyed Dan's soul-influenced vocal stylings, and musically the album is really very impressive - I guess 50-some folks involved in the Calgary music scene have lent their time to the Dojo Workhorse at some point, and it shows. Lovely picked guitar, vocal harmonies, horns, strings are an unlikely match for Vacon's roguish charm, but the pairing works and is also a lot of fun in my humble.

MP3:: Dojo Workhorse - I Got Life
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/dojoworkhorse

Labels: Calgary, Dojo Workhorse, Quick Hitters, The Dudes

Today marks the start of Pop Explosion, so naturally a lot of our time and effort on the hill will be focused towards the influx of talent our city is seeing over the next 5 days. Chances are, if you are a music fan you are getting ready for the big Crystal Antlers show tonight – congrats to Joshua Crew for his most informative and inspired winning entry – but on the off chance you are killing time at work waiting until the shows start, here's a Calgary band you really need to check out.

I was sent a random tip about Friendo, and have to admit I wish I stumbled upon them myself. Basically, the poppy trio is the vessel for Women drummer Michael Wallace to get his voice heard and step out from behind the kit. Naturally, the songs are still lo-fi, but their debut tape shows a warmth and unexpected flair for melody. Counter/Time may start with an effective, low key drone, but it’s the playful, spacey shimmer and bouncing riff that fill out the outro groove that lets the band sink their hooks into you.

Liner starts with the same basic building blocks, but it’s the warming fuzz the trio adds that makes the song purr. In an almost Ginsberg like way, they add an oddly beautiful shine to the gritty sound without ruining the simple, honest feel of the track, but even with the strength of the two opening jams my personal fav has to be Velvets inspired Callers. The beautiful, icy melody comes to life thanks to Nicole’s reverbed vocals. The 5-minute jam chugs along, refusing to stray too far from the simple riff that birthed it, heightening the mood with each passing note.

I know this is a three-song tape release, but it's fantastic. If this was 1993, I'd be letting the songs auto-reverse over and over again on the ole Walkmen (well, except when I needed my fix of Kid N' Play or EPMD). With the other commitments these guys have, I have no idea what is going to happen next for Friendo, but I'm 100% waiting impatiently for any new songs or shows.

MP3:: Friendo - Callers

MP3:: Friendo - Counter/Time
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/friendomusic

Labels: Best-of '09, Calgary, Cassette Tape, EP, Friendo, Music, Quick Hitters

The Girl police are coming over
comb your hair and pretend you're sober
Andy lock the stash in the bottom drawer...

...the woman fuzz are coming for us
they're hardened by drawn-out divorces...
...averse to our verses, deplore the chorus
- The Dudes, "Girl Police"





Oh The Dudes, you're great - don't you ever change. I mean that. All smarm aside, we'll always have a soft spot for these raucous Calgarians here at the hill, and that's mainly due to their show at HPX a couple years ago. It was as hyped a crowd as I've seen here in Halifax:

The Dudes set had just gotten underway, and man, the crowd was eating out of their hands like some newly drinking age evangelicals at one of those huge glass tv churches.

And to top it off, they were signing autographs after the show, which was, and remains, a first for any show I've seen here in Halifax. But I should also make the point that I like The Dudes from a musical point of view as well. Arty they are not, and I'm fully aware that they might not float the hipster boat for many of our readers, but they have something far too few folks in indie music have: fun. Well, that, and they can certainly play. Dan Vacon is a charismatic frontman with a great voice, Scott Ross is a mustachioed wildman on the drums, and Brady Kirchner & Bob Quaschnick hold down their ends of the guitar-shaped fun wagon The Dudes pull with them wherever they go.

Like Brains.Heart.Guitar before it, Blood Guts Bruises Cuts is full of chunky, ear-gouging riffs, and contagious choruses that not only encourage audience accompanyment, but pretty much demand it. Whether it's the un-abashed party rock of the aforementioned Girl Police, Connected, and Ever Been To Taiwan? or exploring far-from-perfect relationships on songs like Honest Mistake, Pretty Lies, Not S'Pose To Call, or Mr. Someone Else (which, I should add, is like The Other Man's lovably loudmouthed cousin), these Dudes once again prove they know how to write some pretty damn catchy rock & roll songs. Even when they slow things down to get serious for a minute, like on the bluesy trip down memory lane that is Ghost We're Buried On, they still do it with a wink and a swig of beer that lets you know that even though they are certainly serious about what they do, they don't take themselves too seriously.

On the off chance you need a bit more proof about that not taking themselves too seriously stuff, check them out on CBC R3 as well as their new video for Girl Police (Pirates cake hats forever!):

VIDEO:: CBC R3 - Dudeversity


VIDEO:: CBC R3 - Dudeversity Outakes


VIDEO:: The Dudes - Girl Police

MP3:: The Dudes - Girl Police
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/wearethedudes

Labels: Calgary, Moustaches, Quick Hitters, The Dudes