Unfair

OK, so I was wrong. His name is Trevor Hall, I think he is about 20 years old and he is ridiculously amazing, more evidence that life is so not fair. Everyone should go out and buy 'Trevor Hall Live' Geffen 2005. If the album version of this particular track (You Find Me) does not make you cry you are a heartless human being with no soul and I want you to leave my blog right now. No, really. Go. The door is to the left. See ya.

Cuz they were soooo much more than THAT song

It appears I am tracing my musical roots this week. I guess that means if we are following chronology, Bob is up next and then Metallica? Guess we'll see!!

Let it snow????

OK, so the first thing you need to know is that I fucking hate snow with a passion. Having said that, I had an almost apocolyptic snowy experience yesterday. This past weekend I was reminded again how much I adore classical music after listening to nothing but all weekend. The power, the synchronicity, the crescendos, the bell tones, the percussion (something else you need to know about me - I have a severe percussion fetish). . . it's the stuff dreams are made of.
I was standing on the street listening to Finlandia (Sibelius) and huge fluffy snowflakes were falling on me and it felt almost like I was in another place - it made me smile this ridiculously giddy smile I don't think I've smiled since when I played the beautiful flute solo in that very piece of music about 20 years ago. As I continually tell people - music is magical and can transport you to another time . . . another place. As I stood in the fluffy snow listening to all of my favourite classical music (all pieces I have played at one point or another in my childhood), I was reminded of what it was exactly that made me fall in love with music when I was 10, and I decided to walk all the way home to prolong the magic. It even has me wishing that it snows again soon! There really is nothing more incredible than being able to pick up a piece of metal or wood and create something beautiful, and I was truly inspired to do just that when I got home. Again I was reminded of how much I owe a certain music teacher who created the person that I have become and I am eternally grateful that our paths crossed and that he took the time to set me on this path.
A bell tone and a fluffy snowflake . . . who knew!! It's the little things.

Oh, and then I found this very a propos video of snowy Sibelius . . .

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

This is what it sounds like in my brain when I am not listening to music . . . somehow, I have this on an internal loop. Fantastic.

A day 5 years in the making!!!

Had to share my momentous news. After raving about BSS for 5 years now to everyone I know/meet, and because I am strongly against forcing my choices in music (no matter how superior they may in fact be) without solicitation upon less musically intelligent individuals - I never share music with people unless they ask for it. To my utter and extreme surprise and amazement - after 5 years - my sister finally asked me for a mix of what I would consider 'The Definitive BSS'. Little does she know she asked for 1 CD and she will indeed be getting 5 (can't be done in less), but I actually cackled I was so unbelievably happy. She has NO idea what she has gotten herself into . . .

So I took a break from listening to Untitled 33 on a loop (I cracked play # 300 in less than 3 days early this afternoon - clearly I have issues . . .) to watch this again. Every time I feel completely uninspired, I watch this. This kind of brilliance is exactly what musical instruments were made for - it is an exercise in true beauty. As a result, I will be breaking out an instrument or two when I go home to try and do something that comes close to this. I will fail miserably, but I will feel better having made an attemp, no matter how pathetic and unworthy. I wish I could sit in the middle of this amazing circle of individuals . . .

WELCOME

So this is my first post, if anyone is reading this - hello stranger! You will find I have what can only be referred to as a one track mind. That track is music. More specifically, music released by Arts and Crafts Records. Even more specifically, music by Broken Social Scene. Most specifically, the music of Kevin Drew. I am addicted to music and have been for my entire life - I play a few instruments, but none well enough to actually make a living through music. In an alternate universe I would have a cool job somehow involved in the music industry, but alas, no such luck. As such, I predict most of my posts will be musically inclined, probably mostly of a BSS nature - but we'll see.

2007 musically speaking was a bit of a sleeper for me. The one of course notable exception being Kev's album which officially dropped in Sept, but that I got back in June. It was fantastic. In the age of 'the single' and 'the hit', it truly is refreshing to see an artist who is not only capable, but more importantly fully committed to providing a solid full on album. Each song seems like a part of the preceeding and following song. It's like a book unfolding in chapters. The production was amazing - no shock there either though. Stand out tracks for me were Big Love (very Do Make-ish) - huge sound and great vocals, Gang Bang Suicide - again, great vocals, best song to wake up to since Guilty Cubicles (that's saying a lot coming from me), Broke Me Up - awesome instrumentation, phenomenal horns and of course, Backed out on the - J has cornered the market on the most raw guitar sound going. Leaps and bounds above any other music to hit the streets this year if not longer. Say what you want about the whole "Is it BSS", "Isn't is BSS" debate - it's great songwriting played by excellent musicians - that should be enough for any true music fan. I still urge anyone who wants to experience something truly inspirational to give it a try - you won't be disappointed.

Other honourable mentions this year - The Reminder(Feist), National Anthem of Nowhere(Apostle of Hustle), Neon Bible(Arcade Fire), You, You're a History in Rust(Do Make Say Think) and Cease to Begin(Band of Horses).

The other major musical development in my year was that I fell in love with Amy Millan and Jason Collett this year. I have always appreciated both of them as members of BSS, and also always liked Stars, but this year during what was a really tough time, Amy's voice and Jason's words were like lights to me in a field of darkness.

I am very excited and inspired by recent discussions of a post Brendan tour BSS album that Kev has said he would like to see out before the end of 2008. I gotta say - this hiatus was a bit rough on me and I was skeptical about the future but recent comments as well as a phenomenal show a few weeks ago have me feeling like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Anyway, I don't know how often I am going to post or even if anyone is going to read this, but if you do - welcome to the madness that eats my brain!!

I leave you with something beautiful . . .