Pharis and Jason Romero -- A Passing Glimpse

Horsefly folk!  Living my dream, I might add.

Also worth a look, their webpage, where you'll find some of the purtiest goddamn banjos you ever seen: Romero Banjos

John Carroll and The Epic Proportions -- Everybody Smokes in Hell

New record from my former roommate, co-worker, bandmate, lover and dance partner, John 'Hoss' Carroll. Ain't he swell?

S.A.M. -- Zero Tolerance

Zipp Gunn and Cretin

Grayson Walker + Canned Hamm = Christmas Spirits

MERRY SHITMIX!

Grayson Walker -- Christmas Alcoholic

 

Canned Hamm -- Rum And Eggnog

The Pesky Alders -- Heavy Meadow

A group of miscreants, mendicants, and malcontents hailing from the Isle of Pender.

Old timey goodness.

Little Guitar Army -- Can't Fix Stupid

The Cal Dick Experience - Neckbeard/Crown Land

Cal Dick is a mysterious hermit who lives in the legendary Humboldt Valley Convent, with his army of macabre animated garden gnomes and several feral french poodles.  When not bending his abominable bansai sequoia/redwood forest to his indomitable will, he spends his time creating lavish audio recordings in his upscale basement tower.  Defying description, they create an indescribable sensation that can only be described as difficult to describe.  Now available for free download.  Fill your boots, you freeloaders!

 

Great Aunt Ida -- Nuclearize Me

Here's a link to Great Aunt Ida (aka Ida Nilsen) 's brand spankin' new album, Nuclearize Me. I'm listening to the first track for the first time as we speak, so I can't really tell you anything about it, but she's always been good to me in the past.  And she's related to people from my remote village home.  Why, her uncle and I once had a fued.  That makes her good people.  And she makes good music.  Here, check it out.  Also, check out her crappy website.  She promises to make it better soon.

I think her next album should be titled Great Aunt Shmilsen.

Slow - Have Not Been The Same

 

 The band that ruined Expo!  Also, they were responsible for the heartbreak of psoriasis.

Keep Tidy - Basement Mold EP

I heart this shit.

Keep Tidy / Slam Dunk

Crace Mountain, August 12, 2011

Keep Tidy

As I arrived too late to see Babysitter/whatever else was playing, Keep Tidy was the first band I got to see. Their energy was so explosive and intense that I felt like I was experiencing a moment in time that could only be expressed as A Moment In Time. The drummer, a maniacal dervish, literally* bounced off the walls. The lead singer was a hyperkinetic marionette with strings manipulated by the rest of the band who erected a wall of sound that held her up while threatening to bring down the house. Even through such classic adversities as broken strings, ensuing tuning troubles, and volume that drowned out the vocals nearly completely (at least, where I was sitting), this band impressed me more than anything I've seen in some time. Not hearing the singing was a disappointment, but the frontwoman was so fun to watch it helped make up for it.

Christopher Arruda - The SWAIN EP

This guy's dad was my teacher in about grade 7.  He was one of the best teachers I ever had and he turned me on to the benefits of cranking classical music on a really good stereo.  Then he blew the speakers on the school stereo.

Slam Dunk - The Shivers

BettySoo and Doug Cox - Across the Borderline

Acoustic Folk/Blues awesomeness. 

Daddy's Hands - Welcome Kings!

Daddy's Hands - Intelligent and Powerful

Second album by one of Victoria's all time best bands.

Daddy's Hands - Daddy's Hands

                                        RIP Dave Wenger

High Arctic - Man Hair

                                                  Free! Free! Free!

Seaweedhead - Pleasure Yourself

                                     Download this album free!

Chollapalazza II

I have no real idea how to spell the name of this event, but as I think they made it up, I don't think it really matters. The main thing is, it was fun. Sunday lived up to its name, as it turns out; the sun shone down onto China Steps as though it were meant to be. Tens of people crowded the square to observe the spectacle as Lindsay Anna, The Apollo Ghosts, David Thee King Elmhurst, Kristjanne Jasper, and a conspicuously absent Angelo Spencer took to the stage. Or didn't, in the case of Spencer, who was detained at the border. I assume he was presumed to be a threat to national security, as his name sounds kind of foreign. Also, there may have been more acts to see but I was forced to leave prematurely. Everyone who played seemed a little rough around the edges, presumably due to a late night at Crace Mountain the night before, but I thought it helped to create a relaxed, casual, almost homey atmosphere.