Well now, it's the 23rd of December, who wouldn't want more Christmas music? Well I'm sure there are plenty of people that don't, but it's pretty much all I have for you today. But don't despair, as you might expect, it's not your average Christmas music. Today we've got an original Christmas song from The Dudes called Don't Diss Christmas, a take on the beloved Fairy Tale of New York from beloved Haligonian acts In-Flight Safety and Jenn Grant, and a version of the ubiquitous Macca classic Wonderful Christmas Time from Saint John, NB's Penny Blacks. So grab some 'nog pump these up and get festive.

MP3:: The Dudes - Don't Diss Christmas
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/wearethedudes

MP3:: In-Flight Safety & Jenn Grant - Fairy Tale Of New York
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/inflightsafety

MP3:: Penny Blacks - Wonderful Christmas Time
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/penny_blacks

Labels: Christmas Party, Inflight Safety, Jenn Grant, Penny Blacks, The Dudes

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

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