Funny man can sing?

Every musician wants to be a comedian and every comedian wants to be a
musician. This saying exists merely to poke fun at comedians who can't
play guitar and at musicians who tell stupid jokes during their sets.
French-Canadian, Jon Lajoie has been creating a name for himself by
singing jokes on Youtube. It's a very similar story to that of our
homegrown, deep-toned, Tay Zonday, who performed live last spring to
less-than-rave reviews at First-Ave following the viral video success
that was "Chocolate Rain." Lajoie's music video "Everyday Normal Guy,"
a parody of the excesses of hip-hop, has garnered him a worldwide
audience and much acclaim, but as we saw with Tay's performance, an
Internet sensation doesn't always do well in the crossover to touring
artist.
Musical talent and sharp-wit rarely go hand-in-hand and for Jon
Lajoie's numerous catalogue of Youtube videos, it's hit and miss. One
thing is true of his good-songs, they're cringe worthy web-culture
references worth e-mailing around the office. The "2 Girls, 1 Cup love
song" is a prime example of this, while strumming an acoustic guitar,
Lajoie croons; "Some people like to kiss, some people like to hug,
some lesbians like eatin' each others shit out of a cup." Lajoie is
clearly talented and comparisons can be made to Adam Sandler's "Guitar
Man" from SNL.

Obama, Yeah Yeah We Can

I needed a pick-me-up today after what was a surreal evening last night. Crazy partying last night left me in a somber low key mood today. It seemed the rest of the city shared my sentiments as if everyone was asking, "did it really happen?" The feeling this morning was one of relief, but also one of withdrawal, we won, but now what? Is this it, why all of a sudden does it seem to have come so easily, no, that can't be right, there must be something bad thats going to happen, the good guys never win. I think Matt and Kim and Flosstradamus make the best argument. 

The Greatest Generation

It was dark when he finally woke up. Understandable considering winter was coming and the sun had started to set early. He had not heard his alarm go off, he had not heard the siren from the ambulance, nor had he heard the knock on his door. He had taken a sleeping pill to ensure the sounds of the city would not waken him. It had been a long night in the studio and he needed the rest before going back to work the next evening.

He was a part-time bartender, part-time deejay, and full-time night owl. His appearance reflected the life he lived. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror he examined the face he had doused with cold water, drops still hanging from his eyebrows and beard. He scratched at the short black ingrown hairs just above his adam’s apple. His eyes, set deep in their sockets, looked worn and tired, the puffiness of his lower eyelids had not gone away with the shock from the cold water. He opened his mouth and grinned to show his teeth. They had been straightened by braces when he was younger and created a welcoming smile, they were strong and not prone to cavities, for that matter he could not remember the last time he had one, the only thing he disliked about them was their pale yellow color. He shifted his gaze to his chest and shoulders, blue viens could be seen through the plain white skin, spiderwebbing down to his stomach and out to his shoulders and into his arms. His chest rarely saw the sun, his hands, arms, and face had some color, but every other part of his body was pale white. A line of black hair extended from his groin in a narrow trail wrapping around his belly button and spreading apart between his nipples. He turned to the toilet and lifted the seat to pee. A stiff yellow stream arched into the bowl. A thin layer of dust lined the base of the wall behind the toilet.

He walked out into his bedroom, which was also his living room, which was also his studio. The cheap Ikea light illuminated the room with a harsh glare that forced awkward shadows into hiding. He grabbed his phone and looked at the time. He was running late. He hurriedly put on the jeans he had worn yesterday, belt still in the loops. He grabbed a black dress shirt from his closet, buttoned up and tucked in, he put on a grey zip up hoodie which had been sitting on a chair by his desk, over that went a tattered jean jacket with holes in the elbows. He made sure his keys were in the pocket while putting on his beat up black chuck’s, a grey checkered scarf was tossed around his neck as he moved toward the door. Down the stairs and out into the street, he grabbed his bike, unlocking it from the stop sign. He raced through the intersection with his sideburns still damp. It was 8:10 p.m. Monday.

The cold wind stung his face and water welled up in his eyes. He sniffed his nose as snot tried to escape. He pedaled hard, through the stop signs of his neighborhood and onto the avenue with its red-lights. With deft agility he dodged cars and pedestrians and smiled when he could feel his heart pounding hard against his chest. This was really the only exercise he got. He was skinny, because of his lifestyle, but when naked it was easy to tell his lack of fitness. His stomach was paunchy and his biceps lacked definition. Only his legs and thighs had the tone of being regularly put to use.

Leaves swirled at the foot of the door, some would make it inside only to get caught on the mat in the entryway. His feet brushed along as he entered the dimly lit bar. It was small, one room, narrow, but deep. The bar followed one wall, from just in front of the door all the way to the back, where the bathrooms were. Across from the entryway ramp, which lifted patrons up above the sidewalk by mere inches, was the stage, in front of big blacked out windows, neon beer signs hung behind the curtain, shining out onto the street. The stage had tables on it when it was not in use, tonight there was a band on tour from somewhere out West, so the tables were down and packed away. A group of four sat at in front of the stage, their faces illuminated by a single flickering candle in a ball glass at the center. Onstage a local band was setting up their gear, they were probably friends with the touring band and would be offering the out-of-towners a place to stay later in the evening. Once he had taken off his scarf and opened up his coat he began to feel the warmth of being inside.

Photo courtesy of Minneapoline.

Swedish Hip-Hop?

It's the rhythm of the night. Alexis Weak's Rytmen av Natten is classic big rave, with a dash of happy hardcore, and a stiff pour of angry hip-hop. 

Here's where the sample came from.

Find That Sample

I think Lo-Fi-Fnk are great. I especially like the song Want U  with the exception that it was done before.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Lykke Li and Bon Iver

Amazing, I want to hear more from them.

I remember...

When I hear Lost Coastlines by Okkervil River I can't help thinking where have I heard this song before?

With some help I figured it out.



This also happened with Sufjan Stevens' Chicago.

I hummed the melody until I began repeating the words turn, turn, turn.

All things go ... a time to be born, a time to die.

Cheesy Brit Pop - Oi!!!

After seeing the Ting-tings tonight I have realized two things:

1. The Brits love their vocal harmonies and props to them for that, but please leave your pre-packaged pop crap where it belongs. In Wales. If you take back the Ting-Tings we'll take back Soulja Boy. Deal?

The Ting Tings

2. I'm glad I didn't pay to watch two people fuck around on loop peddles, come on, how hard is it to get a full band. Same goes for the opening act Solid Gold. I saw them at the Camel Loft a few months ago and really liked it, but please find a live drummer, pre-programmed loop boxes suck, it's like your playing to a metronome oh wait thats right you are. Drums, bass, guitar, thats everything you need, at least Dosh plays all of them himself and sequences as he goes. Impressive.

DOSH

Go Canada!!

We are Wolves and Broken Social Scene in Minneapolis

We are Wolves @ the Triple Rock September 21st

Broken Social Scene @ First Ave. October 13th

Listen to my interview with We are Wolves from the last time they came through town in January (or was it February) right here.

We are Wolves interview w/ Justin Flower at 7th St. Entry (zshare)

We are Wolves - Magique

BSS - Anthems for a 17-year-old girl

Not that kind of "War on Drugs"

Fuck!



This is The War on Drugs.













"Taking the Farm" - The War on Drugs.

This Philadelphia three piece has just recently released their debut album Wagonwheel Blues and after rave reviews they're now preparing for a European tour. 'Taking the farm' is the obvious 'poppy' single on the blues and rock inspired record. The song is fast paced with long melodic guitar chords, similar to M83, and surrounded by a simple vocal chorus from the band sounding like "ohh ohh ohh" from the Klaxons, lastly lead singer Adam Granduciel's voice rolls over "Taking the Farm" with a twang like Dylan and a rhythm like Jay Reatard.

Wiley - If you're going out

I have been playing this new Wiley tune on repeat non-stop for the last several days. Addictive.

Here's the track,  zshare.

Wiley - If you're going out I'm going out too

Here's a crap video for another one of his songs, called "Wearing my rolex."

SXSW can lick my knob! In other news: spanking new music.

A single song's lyrics succinctly explain why I did not go to SXSW this year, that song is...

Timbaland - The Way I Are (Terror Dactel RMX)

Fuck SXSW, the coolest bands were the ones not playing the main stages, the coolest bands were playing free shows at small, indescript bars and restaurants. Bands like Vampire Hands from Minneapolis. They are playing a tour send off party this Friday, April 4th at the Turf club. This is a picture of their show at Big V's last September. Thanks to Morecowbell.net for that.

Vampire Hands - Orpheum Typhoon

Delorean is an electronic band from spain, They played at SXSW and they are one of the band's I would have loved to have seen. As I said Fuck SXSW, but do check out this song by Delorean, it's a remix done right.

Delorean - As Time Breaks off (Requesters Remix)

Plants & Animals & Furry Little Creatues

Like a mixture of Queen and David Bowie, "Bye Bye Bye" one of the more popular singles off Montreal band Plants and Animals' new album "Parc Avenue" is catchy with it's use of vocal harmonies, swooning lyrics, thick piano chords, and strumming rhythm guitar.

The other song I posted "Mercy" was recorded live at a show in Kingston, Ontario last October.

"Parc Avenue" made its stateside debut yesterday.

They are coming to Minneapolis for a show at the 7th St. Entry next Wednesday, April 2nd. 

Plants and Animals - Bye Bye Bye

Plants and Animals - Mercy

Lights and Music

Cut Copy, the three piece indie-dance band from Melbourne, has been blowing up with the help of some really cool remixes, the one below for instance, which have have been getting played at clubs everywhere. They are coming to Minneapolis on May 6th, playing in the tiny 7th street entry. I predict this show will be packed and hopefully worth the $15 cover. Lately, I have been disappointed by the live performances of some indie-dance acts, including Crystal Castles and Peter Bjorn and John. Brooklyn's Mobius Band is the opening act.

Here is a remix of Cut Copy by German producer, Moulinex. He also has another good electro house tune called "Breakchops".

Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Moulinex Remix)

New Music, New Movies, Cold as always

It's been brutal the last few days to say the least. Let the partying begin. Cold weather has not slowed things down, although watching movies has been a very appealing past-time as of late.
We dj'ed a house party. Mixed reviews and mixed attire. The theme was drag and only a quater of the party goers, myself included, dressed up, this really put a damper on things from the get-go. Still, We had a blast and saw some smiling faces. Here are a couple tunes I've been jamming too as of late.

Yelle - "Ce Jeu" (Cool Kids can't die rmx)

Diplo - Shake it Up (Twist and Shout)

Also went to a few shows. I saw We Are Wolves at 7th street entry. It was a good show, I got to talk with them a little bit, really nice guys, and if you like dance rock you will dig their new album Total Magique. Similar to Shout Out Out Out Out. Here is one of the new songs off their album plus a remix they did of a Ghislain Poirier tune.

We Are Wolves - Fight and Kiss

Ghislain Poirier - Diaspora (We Are Wolves rmx)

As I was saying it was movie watching weather so I went and saw "Let There Be Blood" and was blown away. Danial Day Lewis plays the meanest asshole that you will grow to love. Conviction is one thing that his character has in leaps and bounds, unswaying , unfaltering, even un-nerving, conviction, and I was enormously impressed by that aspect of his character. Better than "No Country for Old Men."

Currently, slowly, reading Puddin' Wilson and the Great Gatsby.

The Yellow Door

Their door was yellow. Ours was pink. They were all color coded on that side of the street and on each of them the paint was peeling. The three and a half story brick buildings showed their age inside and out. Within our apartment it was easy to tell they had been hastily built and for bottom dollar, upkeep over the years had been minimal with the owners favoring to cover up minor problems, and only fix the major ones after months of harassing from the tenants. Instead of fixing the sinking foundation below the back wall of our apartment the owners decided it better to simply re-hang two windows and the back-door, smaller of course, to fit within their crooked frames. This was all done before I or the roommates I had recently acquired had moved into the place, I merely made a mental note that our kitchen had a low side. That back door would turn out to be a son-of-a-bitch later that winter when snow accumulated on the balcony would melt then freeze to it as ice keeping the outermost storm door from fully closing. We could shut the inside door and it would still be a bit drafty in the apartment, but we were never cold. We didn’t have to pay for heat and we didn’t have a thermostat, but the landlord must have kept the radiators going full blast because even on the coldest days it was always toasty. Rent was cheap, it was a great location, and everything I needed was in walking distance. So who was I to complain? Better yet, my new roommate whom I had met only a few days ago seemed laidback and didn’t have a problem with me moving in straight away. She was the first woman I had ever lived with, besides my mom, and I was kind of excited. Her name was Karmyn and she spoke Ukrainian. She also spoke English, a lot. She was witty and loved to talk. She would talk like she had years of experience as the ‘person-to-know’ in social circles. And she did, she was older but didn’t look-it and as soon as I arrived I had achieved a nickname. I was ‘the Kid’. Karmyn was the kind of girl everyone wanted at a party, she had great stories, spoke her mind honestly, tactful when sober, when drinking as she liked to put it, brought the shit-show. I had not yet met Pierre, our other room-mate, but he, being two years older than I took to calling me by my new nickname after returning from vacation in Mexico.

I met Elise the first time I washed laundry in our new neighborhood. The Laundromat was three doors up from our apartment, across the street, facing the yellow door. She was smoking on her balcony, the uppermost of the three and a half story building, in a knee length parka, with fur trim around the hood. I was looking at her through the Laundromat’s large picture window which was being visibly encroached upon from all sides by frost. Frosty windows, I would soon find, are a regular occurrence during Montreal’s winters. She waved and I waved back, and then returned to her apartment. At the time I figured she was just smoking a cigarette, and it could have been, but now I doubt it.

I finished my laundry and returned home. I had picked up a six pack of beer when I went out for groceries earlier in the day. It chilled in my fridge waiting for a moment like this. So far, I only knew my roommates, and I figured having a few beers in the house would be a good offering should I bring over new acquaintances. I grabbed them out of the fridge and headed three doors up the sidewalk, stopping in front of the yellow one. I turned and entered the entryway, pushing the buzzer for apartment seven.

I knew her apartment was number seven, because our apartment was number seven. They were all the same on that side of the street. Her balcony was our balcony, with the exception that our balcony was empty of everything but snow, while hers had a chair, a few planters, and was three doors up the block.

“Allo?” came the reply from the intercom.

“Salut, Ca Va? I am the guy you waved at across the street. I was wondering if you would like to share a beer?” I said, sounding nervous, and thinking to myself maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. My nervousness receded rather quickly when the intercom emitted a joyous laugh followed by a reply in perfect English.

“Come on up, come on up.” She said while continuing to laugh. In the background I could hear others talking and laughing.

The door buzzed and I walked into the stairwell and up the stairs, I reached their apartment to be met by Kristina’s shining face. She had rosy cheeks, like mine, a few freckles, and a smile that made me feel instantly at home. We embraced and kissed hello, once on each cheek.

“Welcome!” She said ushering me into their apartment. I took off my shoes and coat and we headed into the kitchen where Elise and Linda were sitting. We exchanged greetings and sat down, I passed around the beers and we all had a drink. I instantly felt relaxed and comfortable. They had turned their dingy apartment into a beautiful home; the kitchen was bright and colorful, the walls alternated lime green, canary yellow, and a muted shade of red closer to burgundy than brick. To call it crimson would be to overlook its importance. On the wall opposite the kitchen sink, an aeronautical map of Quebec was posted, it was half my height and held coordinates for every airport in the province.

At the time we listened to postal service, lemon-jelly, aphex twin, and franz ferdinand, while back at home Karmyn would belt out a few bright eyes tunes at 3:30 in the morning. I was also playing Original Pirate Material on repeat during that time. Here are a few songs that remind me of the winter of 2005.

1. Franz Ferdinand - All my friends(LCD Soundsystem cover)

2. Postal Service - Sleeping In

3. Aphex Twin - Flim

4. Bright Eyes - Train Under Water

5. Lemon Jelly - Nervous Tension

Daft Punk - loved by everyone for a long time

These days Daft Punk has never been cooler in the good ol' U.S. of A or at least not since 1996. If you were old enough and into the midwest scene in those days, you know exactly what I am talking about. If you were there, these days, you are scoffing at the younger generation of party goers supporting DJ's you were losing your shit to when everyone of todays' indie scenesters was losing their baby teeth. Check out this link from Even Further an event hosted in Wisconsin in 1996. Listen for the screams and the rave whistles, you thought that warehouse party a couple weeks ago was cool, but you have no idea the midwest party scene you were a decade late for.

In the link you can hear Daft Punk playing at a Even Further, this is when raves were big in the midwest, when people would support in the thousands. A time when European DJ's would look to record labels like the Drop Bass Network in Milwaukee and want to know what's the next acid house record from the midwest. A year later Daft Punk would play on the essential mix on BBC Radio 1. The midwest knows how to party and I feel a lot of people forget or don't know about this history. To see how things have come full circle, from a time of Daft Punk being underground in the United State, to today where you see them playing in only the largest stadiums I shall illustrate with a countdown list.

In the beginning there was acid house music. A prime example would be Higher State of Consciousness by Josh Wink. Do check out the original, but to keep things fresh I am going to offer a pretty bangin' remix by Dirty South and TV Rock. This remix was done in 2007. Wink a producer and DJ from Philadelphia released the original track in 1995. HSoC has undergone many, many remixes since then, and to hear one more in 2007 can really attest to how much of a classic this song really is.

1. Josh Wink, "Higher State of Consciousness (Dirty South and TV Rock remix)"

Next We have Daft Punk's, One More Time. A classic that really pushed dance music into the mainstream in the U.S. One More Time released in 2000 has been reworked by Daft Punk themselves for their Alive 2007 release, here is the reworked version. I have also included Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. Originally released in 2001, I have the link for the reworked version on their Alive 2007 album.

2. Daft Punk, "One More Time/Aerodynamic"

3. Daft Punk,  "Around The World/Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger"

This song is the deathblow to dance music as it was and Ushers in a new generation of clubbing in the United States, where hip-hop and dance tracks side by side become the norm.

The song is Usher's - Yeah, featuring Lil Jon and Ludicris. You know the song I am talking about. Released in 2005, the video, packed full of lasers, and the song, with heavy synths, fat basses, and heavy beats, is prime example of the Bling-Bling era and Club oriented hip-hop.

You've heard the original, so I am going to post a cool mash-up I found, featuring the theme from the movie "Beverly Hills Cop".

4. Usher, "Yeah! (Axel F mash-up)"

Finally, we come full circle, where major dance acts and major hip-hop acts are coming together harmoniously to make everyone dance. Hopefully you have already figured out where I am going with this. That's right. It's Kanye West's "Stronger". What I like about this song, besides the Daft Punk samples is how observant Kanye West is. He was in Europe, he watched his video get beat by Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." He recognized dance music's resurgence in the clubs. He created a Club Banger, just when Daft Punk was cooler than shit, promoting them, and himself. The song has huge crossover potential between dance and hip-hop which is exactly why it has seen the success it has in today's hip-hop, dance music, mash-up club scene. Yes it is mainstream, but I don't claim to be above that, nor it to be too cheesy. Why, because, when you are getting trashed with friends, dancing a jig, it doesn't matter what comes out of the speakers if the song bangs and fits the moment. This song bangs and in the hands of any competent DJ will set the dance-floor on fire.

5. Kanye West, "Stronger"