UPDATE - all 5 copies are now gone. Thanks for entering.

It's not surprising that an artist making the long, lonely trek up North would search his inner soul for inspiration. The thing is, when it comes to The Burning Hell's front man Mathias Kom, I'm not sure he's ever held anything back from his audience. He had long since found alienation and loneliness so instead of a collection of songs offering up a glimpse into his most personal thoughts and fears, Kom's trip to Whitehorse just provided him new subject matter and settings.

What did change is how the songs were delivered. The Burning Hell has just released a tour only 12" (or downloadable record) - This Charmed Life - but instead of standing alone with his uke or with the support of his rollicking band of noisemakers, the record is Kom, his uke, the wonderful cello work of Darcy McCord, and the subtle electronics of Walter Bloodway.

Obviously, the journey affected Kom. The songs were born from random road signs and town names, cold nights and bus trips (including three moody, cinematic instrumentals written as he traveled up North) but it's the interesting arrangements that really make you sit up and take notice. Kom has always had a knack for using his sad baritone to draw you into the most bizarre lyrics, and of course that doesn't change (the record's opening line is "Robert, you're such an idiot", which sung by almost anyone else would leave even the biggest fan a bit suspicious), but the way he presents his thoughts certainly does.

Instead of uke picking, the opening number Robert's Bad End really builds from Darcy's slow bowed strings. It's a subtle shift, but gets you ready for bigger changes. The second track - Don't Let Your Guard Down - is where things get interesting. Walter adds a pulsing heartbeat to the song and Kom's staccato delivery suits it perfectly. His backbeat transforms the oddly summery riff of Last Winter into a head nodding, windows down car ready ditty that I didn't think Kom had in him. The rest of the record is equally as enjoyable and surprising. Northern Life uses a darker, almost ominous electronics and string arrangement to push Kom's trademark word play and wit into the shadows. Honestly, Kom's clever metaphors and deprecating humor benefit from the modern textures his friends add to the mix, and make this EP/LP a necessity for fans of the band.

So, how can you get a copy? Well, we have 5 - that's right 5 - digital copies up for grabs and we will make this easy. The first 5 people to email us (herohill AT gmail DOT COM) or leave their email in the comments section below will get a nice download code from zunior in return. Not a bad deal there folks, so make with the entering.

MP3:: The Burning Hell - Last Winter
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/mathiaskom
LABEL:: http://www.weewerk.com/

Labels: Canada, Music, Reviews, The Burning Hell, Weewerk

It's a slow day here on the hill. Last night we were treated to two stellar sets; one from Basia Bulat and one from Owen Pallett and as a result, the review I had slated for today will be up tomorrow.

Obviously, we will add some more detailed coverage and poor quality MP3s later, but the dichotomy of the two acts fit the venue perfectly. Basia, playing with instruments and songs that could have been as old as the walls of the church, filled the room with her powerful voice. Owen on the other hand used modern loops and equipment to defiantly challenge the structure of the space. If rail thin, white dudes wearing ugly sweaters were the barometer, his set was off the chain.

Anyway.

Got some absolutely great news yesterday. Postdata - aka, Paul Murphy from Wintersleep - is playing two intimate shows - March 7th & 8th @ the Sonic Temple. Not only that, he's bringing Brian Borcherdt and herohill's favorite tweeter, Julie Fader to help him out. If you can't get down to that my friends, you simply can't get down.

Check out this terrific video of Paul and Christoph Schmidt playing Tobias Grey.

MP3:: Postdata - In Chemicals
WEB:: http://postdatamusic.com

Another great show coming our way is The Burning Hell, Shotgun Jimmie and Construction & Destruction on Feb. 27th. Honestly, it would be worth it to see any of those bands so getting a three-pack is certainly worth the measly $5 it will cost you to get into Gus' Pub.

So to whet your whistle, here's a nice unreleased gem from C & D, a take on Neil Young's Mr. Soul that could have been so wrong, but actually works out pretty nicely.

MP3:: Construction & Destruction - Mr. Soul (Neil Young)
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/davidtrenaman

Labels: Concerts, Construction and Destruction, Julie Fader, Postdata, shotgun jimmie, The Burning Hell

We've talked about The Burning Hell until we are blue in the face here on herohill. Although Mr. Kom is usually given the credit for the tracks - deservedly so - his traveling collection of rogues transform ukulele tracks from whimsical, witty treasures into smoking romps that get even the most strict of video lotto machine player at Gus' Pub to shake their ass quarters cup.

One of those essential cogs is Mike Duguay. You might know him from countless other projects as well (Evening Hymns, Weird Weather) but Michael is also a prolific song writer and right now you can grab his debut EP for free over at Zunior.

It's a quick hitting three-song treat - essentially an amuse bouche to pique your interest for his debut full-length - but don't let the price tag cheapen the affair. Lion's Share kicks off with the rollicking, electric guitar and keys heavy anthem, Not My Party. The 5-minute jam builds off a simple guitar riff and some nice keyboard work, but slowly gains confidence and swagger. The last-two minutes finds Duguay cranking up the guitar and keys, throwing in some great group vocals, horns and a bouncing bass line that gets you moving. It's a more complete effort than anyone has the right to expect from a solo, songwriter EP and shows the talent the young Peterborough stable possesses.

What really grabs me about this EP is that even though Duguay obviously crafts these songs on his own and the core of the tracks form the foundation, he never shies away from stepping layers into the mix. The title track starts like a tender, coffee shop affair but blossoms into a fleshed out track that has you straining to hear each and every subtle texture that's introduced as you nod along to the hook. On the final track, The Kettle Black, Duguay proves he's a convincing story teller. The two-minute folk nugget never moves faster than a leisurely walk, but Duguay's voice keeps you listening.

Basically, Lion's Share EP does exactly what it sets out to accomplish. Duguay gets his name out there, and proves he can be the center of attention, not just a key supporting player. I'm already looking forward to the full length, and I think after a couple of listens, I think you will be too.

PS - Head over to his myspace and take a listen to his electro Xmas duet with Evening Hymns. He sets the bar quite high for Ricardo and his Oldfolks Christmas project that we will be revealing soon.

MP3:: Mike Duguay - Not My Party

MP3:: Mike Duguay - The Kettle Black
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/mikeduguay
BUY:: Download at Zunior

Labels: Canada, Mike Duguay, Music, Ontario, Peterborough, Quick Hitters, The Burning Hell