Islands Disappear by Said The Whale

To say Said The Whale has had a good year would be an understatement. Not only winning awards and selling out shows, they also released Islands Disappear, their second full length (or first depending on how anal you are). The majority of the album was recorded live off the floor; which I fully admit, I am a sucker for. It almost always gives the album a more warm and spontaneous feel to it, and Islands Disappear is no exception. The album revels in enthusiasm that would have no doubt been lost if it wasn't recorded as such.
While their previous Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia was, as its title might suggest, more about Vancouver, this album takes a broader look at Canada, and is no doubt influenced by their trips from coast to coast touring.

The short and mellow "Dear Elkhorn" is a perfect intro track, easing the listener in before launching into the gang vocals of "Out on the Shield", which races to its climax, and is the first of many undeniably catchy songs on the album. Next up is one of my favourites off the album, "B.C. Orienteering", which is an almost acoustic duet with friend of the band, Hannah Georgas about the perils of, well, orienteering in BC.
"Camilo (The Magician)", arguable their most popular & "breakthrough" single, brings everything together for what is quite possibly a perfect power pop piece, and where it leaves off, "Emerald Lake, AB" picks up. The tempo slows a bit, but the unbridled enthusiasm keeps soaring, until the title track, "Islands Disappear" kicks in with its moody drums and crashing cymbals, which segues perfectly into "Black Day in December", which builds in intensity til its end.
The layered, and slightly self-deprecating, "Gentleman" proves that not every musician is the clichéd swaggering arrogant, and manages to bare some insecurities, announcing "I'm an uncool Canadian kid / awed and inspired by all the popular guys" who "need[s] a small-town girl to follow me home and teach me how to be a real man." Another couple mostly acoustic songs follow, "False Creek Change" exploring the changes of the city since Expo '86 (and I can't help wonder if there will ever be an equivalent song regarding the Olympics) and "A Cold Night Close to the End" delving more into the bands more romantic side.
"The Gift of a Black Heart" shows the band at their musical best, starting simple then building layer upon complex layer until the grand and nearly epic finale. It flows nicely into "Goodnight Moon", a song I've already raved about, and my love for it has grown even more since then. Starting slow and calm and lullaby-esque, just when you think it's about to end, the band launches in and the gang vocals start for the most raucous, joyous and energetic ending. It's songs like this that are strongly improved by recording live off the floor; no way would it have worked without that pure enthusiasm that is more than apparent. Closing out the album, "Holly, Ontario" is a perfect bookend to "Dear Elkhorn", both musically and thematically, and encapsulates the album as an individual experience and story, rather than just a random collection of songs.
As well, the band has managed to amass some of the cream of Vancouver's crop to help out on the album. The album include folks from bands like Hey Ocean!, The Zolas, Dan Mangan, Shane Nelken and even CBCR3 DJ Lana Gay, and that's just for the gang vocals on both "Out On The Shield" and "Goodnight Moon".

While it may be too early in Said The Whale's life to call this a "career defining" album, it is definitely worthy of a place on anyones "best of '09" list. There is a subtle restraint to the album, with a noted focus on substance over style, and that would have been the downfall of a lesser band. But with Islands Disappear, Said The Whale gives an excellent album that proves they have what it takes.


Download Out On The Shield


Download BC Orienteering


Download The Gift of a Black Heart

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Vancouver by Matthew Good

I am not going to lie, I have sort of been dreading doing my write up/review/whatever for this album. Most people who know me, or regular readers (both of you) know what Matthew Good is my favourite musician, so I was worried that I would come across as bias (at best) or a gushing fanboy (at worst). But here we go, I'll give it a shot.
His eighth full length album (counting back to the Band) is, as you can probably tell from the title, about Vancouver. Though it is not the theme of the album, but more the backdrop. It is both a love letter and a critique; as someone who has lived here his entire life, Good doesn't shy away from what is wrong with the city, but it is also clear that he cares about its ills because he loves it so.

First single "Last Parade" kicks the album off, and all ready you can tell it is going to be a bit more grandiose than the last few albums; more in line with his first solo outing, Avalanche. It also kind of introduces the theme of the album, when he spits out "It feels like time to fuck or leave" but then assures us with the chorus line "Baby, ain't it good to be back home?" It transitions nicely into "The Boy Who Could Explode", which builds from an almost haunting beginning to a soaring chorus, and even though it runs just over seven minutes, it manages not to get to boring or repetitive. Which actually happens a few times in the album, as it's only ten songs but just shy of an hour long. "Great Whales of the Sea" starts ominously, and appropriately, enough with some thunder, rain and soft whale-sounding calls before the song creeps in, for a very muted first half. The whales return mid-song before exploding into a climactic and energetic finish. I only wish it were longer; it is packed with great songwriting, yet somehow manages to be the shortest song of the album (and the only one under four minutes). Next up is "Us Remains Impossible", one of the more catchy tracks that could easily be the next single. "On Nights Like Tonight" is a bit moodier, and incredibly powerful & heartbreaking. You can feel the raw emotion as the song almost grinds to a halt for the pleading "just sit tight and I'll make my way to you" followed by the chorus "If I'm not on time / Remember that I tried". It all culminates with a beautiful swell of strings. The atmospheric "Volcanoes" follows, another slow build to a soaring chorus and is followed by "A Silent Army In The Trees", quite possibly the most powerful song on the album. It presents the disillusioned soldier who does not at all resemble the heroic fantasies of youth, lamenting "Never thought I'd live to see see the day, I'd be / Afraid of little kids playing in the streets". And the fantastic rise and fall of the music does nothing but add to the tragic beauty. "Fought To Fight It" is the most high energy and balls-out-rock song of the album, with a harshness to the music and Good spitting the lyrics through grit teeth for the verses, but ringing out with unparallelled confidence in the chorus. The album draws to a close with two absolutely epic songs. "The Vancouver National Anthem" times in at almost seven minutes, and is, as you may expect, the probably the only song "about" Vancouver, with lines like "We all live downtown / We all die downtown / Step over ourselves" evoking certain areas of the city. It is also, again as you would expect, very anthemic and grand. The incredibly ambitious "Empty's Theme Park" brings the album to an amazing close. With it's raw emotion, magnificent strings and subdued energy which is always just bubbling at the top, it does more with it's nine and a half minutes than many bands do in a whole album.
"Tell me will I dream?
And tell me will it be serene?
Or tell me will I stay
With my feet in exactly the same place?"

As with a lot of his work, Good's lyrics are still his best asset. From vague & intriguing to poignant and everywhere in between, that is the lynch pin of the album. Which is, of course, not to say that the music isn't top notch as well. It is still identifiable as Matthew Good, but he hasn't stopped taking leaps. It may sound reminiscent, but never repetitive.
Do I think of Vancouver so highly because I am such a Matthew Good fan? Or am I such a Matthew Good fan because of albums like this, which I am going to go out on a limb and call my favourite of the year? I would like to think that because I am so enamoured with his music, that gives me a much more critical ear to it. All I know for sure is, I can't wait to see what is next.


Download Great Whales of the Sea

Download On Nights Like Tonight

Download A Silent Army in the Trees

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Monsters of Folk by Monsters of Folk

The term "super group" seems to be thrown around a lot, especially as of late. And more often than not, they end up being a disappointment; a group of big name musicians banding together, then falling far short than the sum of its parts. Maybe the group members just don't "click", maybe the arrangement leaves something to be desired, but it's almost gotten to the point where "super group" is no longer a draw, but a buzz word. Maybe that's why most super groups now have the customary "don't call us a 'super group'" statement.
So when Jim James (of My Morning Jacket, using his alter ego Yim Yames), M. Ward (of She & Him and, uh, M. Ward) and Conor Oberst & Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes) joined forces for Monsters of Folk, I was more than a bit skeptical. Especially since I love My Morning Jacket so much, but especially because I have never really cared for Bright Eyes. Sure, these artists all have similar musical backgrounds, but they are all distinct enough that you might not expect them to mix.

The self titled album starts out with "Dear God (sincerely M.O.F.)", which features each member taking parts of the song solo, which is the only time on the album you'll hear a division of their voices this blatant. First single "Say Please" sees Oberst up front in a catchy and upbeat tune, and the first time you hear them all together, any and all worries you may have had just melt away. Each song features either Ward, Oberst or Yames as lead vocals and the other two as backup vocals (Mogis sticks behind the scenes, as it were), and Ward's first track is the infectious alt-country "Whole Lotta Losin'". Oberst's "Temazcal" brings it down a with a song that lives up to its name, but things pick right back up a little with the jaunty "The Right Place", Yames' first "spotlight" song, and Ward's "Baby Boomer", a song that is nigh-impossible not to clap along to. One of my favourites off the album is, surprisingly, an Oberst song: "Man Named Truth", another fast paced and catchy song. "Goodway" is probably the most Ward influenced, though could have done without Oberst doing the spoken word outro, however he redeems himself with "Ahead of the Curve", a rich song which, again, features a great blending of vocals. Which is then almost perfected in Ward's gorgeous "Slow Down Jo". "Losin' Yo' Head" with its energetic country-funk, is the most blatantly Yames song, but then he brings it back down for the mellow "Magic Marker". "Map of the World" is another surprisingly good Oberst song -- not to pick on him or anything, but as I said, I was never really an Oberst fan prior to this album. "The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me" is Ward's great climax which finally perfects the harmonies. The perfected blend of vocals go on to end the album excellently with "His Master's Voice" -- featuring Yames, in a nice bit of symmetry.

The thing I love most about Monsters of Folk is how they all trade off duties. No one member does a specific job for the whole album, but rather everyone does everything at various times. It creates a more eclectic sound, rather than just being something like "Oh, drummer from band-x is playing with guitarist from band-y". Everything seems to flow much more naturally. There are still definitely influences from each band in the tracks, but their various sounds end up blending together so perfectly that it seems more like a band that has been together for years rather than a first-time collaboration.
And I touched on it briefly, but perhaps the most amazing thing this album does is to turn my complete and total apathy of Conor Oberst into somewhat of a liking. I am probably not going to run out and get all the Bright Eyes and Mystic Valley Band I can get my hands on, but I certainly like the man more than I previously did.


Download Man Named Truth

Download Slow Down Jo

Download His Master's Voice

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In A Quiet World by We Are The City

I was so sure that, through The Peak Performance Project, the only band I would care about winning would be Bend Sinister, being a fan of them for a while now. But then another Kelownian band, We Are The City, came along and... wow. Suddenly I had two favourites in the competition. (Luckily, both bands ended up in the top three.) With Cayne McKenzie on vocals and keys, David Menzel on guitar, and Andy Huculiak on the drums, they find no need for bass (insert bassist joke here) and create a sound that seems much bigger than just the three of them. I've met them all, and they are incredibly nice guys (hopefully that won't be seen as a bias in the review) as well as fantastically talented young musicians. Their debut album, In A Quiet World was released last May, but it is being re-released this week for any unlucky enough to have missed it.

The aptly titled "Intro" sets the mood for the entire album and flows perfectly into "Feel Is A Word", which draws you in and builds to a grand climax. "There Are Very Tiny Beasts In The Ground" and "There Are Very, Very Big Lights In The Sky" are two of my favourite titles of the year. Both tracks manage to weave cohesively through vastly different sounds, and with a lesser band that could have ended up a muddied mess. "Time, Wasted" brings things down with some soft piano and leads into "You’re A Good Man" which again starts slow then builds to an energetic finish. "My Old Friend" is filled with nostalgia, which seems like it may be a recurring theme through the album.
"Astronomers" was always my favourite track off the album, even before the awesome video (which I had the fantastic opportunity to help with). Starting off with a calm piano and emotional lyrics, it then just launches to an epic climax and a magnificent finale. "April" is another strong song, nostalgic and emotional, while "Peso Loving Squid" has a world-y flavour to it. Both songs again showing the bands unwillingness to be contained by a singular sound. The album draws to a close with "Now For The Rest", mirroring the Intro -- both in apropos titles and mood -- to a near perfect ending.

One of my favourite things about this album is how exceptionally well it flows together. I love listening to albums in full, and when they are this cohesive -- not just a collection of songs -- it always makes them that much stronger. Even without being a concept album, you can almost draw a narrative from it; musically if not lyrically. The band also does a great job of shifting tones and genres without ever sounding like it is trying too hard. Everything comes so completely naturally, it's hard to believe this is a debut album from a band so young.


Download There Are Very Tiny Beasts In The Ground

Download There Are Very, Very Big Lights In The Sky

Download April

(look for the blond zombie!)

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Irrational Anthems by Ryan Dahle

Even if you don't know the name Ryan Dahle, there is a good chance you have heard something he had been a part of. Damn near everyone who was around in Vancouver in the 90s knows Age of Electric and/or Limblifter; or at the very least have heard a song or two from either. Both were seminal bands in the Vancouver scene and produced a multitude of hits. The common element to both bands were brothers Kurt and Ryan Dahle. With AoE breaking up in '99, the brothers put out one more Limblifter album together before Kurt went on to play with a little group you may have heard of... The New Pornographers. Since then, Ryan has released another Limblifter album in '04 with a new band, including Megan Bradfield & Patrick Steward, along with a multitude of different projects to keep busy. Collaborating with and backing for Matthew Good, playing with Jason Zumpano's Attics & Cellars and producing for bands like Hot Hot Heat (but we won't hold that against him, heh) and The Manvils. After years of more behind the scenes things, Ryan is ready to step back into the spotlight with the release of his first solo album, Irrational Anthems. He's joined by some other fine musicians, including Bradfield on bass & sometimes-vocals and brother Kurt on percussion.

The album opens with lead single "Chop Chop", which is instantly infectious and draws you in immediately. "Windmilling" and "Target Practice" both bring in the strings and start to show you the depth of the album. It continues with the mellow and somewhat minimalistic "Hya", which builds to a grand finish. "Shutdown" may be the most similar to the Limblifter of yore, as it brings the energy back up again with an almost erratic quality to it. "Sixes & Sevens" keeps up the energy before "Awfulizing", perhaps the most influenced by current music. It is the best showcase of Bradfield's vocals on the album and contains one of my favourite lines, "I spoke to my habits and they agreed to be hobbies"
"Agoraphobe" is a rerecording of a song he collaborated on with Matt Good, put out as a demo under Jack Pillowhead. I was slightly disappointed that Good was not on the album version, but every other aspect is a vast improvement, to make what is my favourite song of the album, Good or no Good. The gentle, sweeping songs continue with "Beta King Stilts", starting piano-y before building into a sweetly melodic number. "Eek, It's Hallowe'en" is whimsical and, yes, haunting, and leads into the musically beautiful -- and lyrically intriguing -- "Lion Piano", which ends the album with Dahle hinting at his lyrical depth by asking us "take my jokes seriously / don’t take my jokes seriously."

All of the best aspects of Dahle are on showcase here. His knack for both catchy hooks and sweeping songs; his ability to draw you in; and his great way with words & wordplay -- which has always been one of my favourite things about his songs. Irrational Anthems gives you a sense of familiarity, but not by sacrificing it's currency. Even though it still sounds like Ryan Dahle we all know & love, he's not just going to rest on the past, but keep exploring. People who are looking for a rehash of the 90s will probably be turned off by it (perhaps they should check out Crash Karma for some people stuck in their 90s phase). But fans of the band, or good songwriting in general, will be struck by this, and while it may take a few spins to really appreciate it, the album is definitely worth your time.


Download Awfulizing


Download Agoraphobe


Download Lion Piano

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