Secretely Canadian

Though I live less than four hours from the border with our neighbors to the North, I'd never made the trip up to Canada until last week, spending four days in the beautiful city of Montreal. Given that they speak French there, I wondered if the town would have a European feel to it. And while there are certainly some things there that resemble the cities of Europe, it did not feel European. That said, it definitely did not feel American either. It was quite something to travel a few hundred miles and discover a place that felt foreign, despite the fact that most Americans look upon the country as little more than the 51st state. 

I have to admit that I absolutely loved the city. It had an extremely welcoming vibe that instantly made me comfortable. There wasn't a moment when I didn't feel completely at ease. I always judge a place on whether or not I could see myself living there, and when it comes to Montreal, I could imagine myself taking up residence.

The Dangers of Flying

Air travel certainly ain't what it once was. Flying used to be elegant and civil, now it's a voluntary exercise in misery. Personal electronic devices can only make one forget that they are riding in a cattle car with tacky tourists for so long before the reality of the situation sinks in. Eventually you'll get fed up with the walrus sitting next to you who is taking up your arm rest simply because they cannot fit within the confines of their own seat, or the inconsiderate sloth who insists on reclining their seat all the way back, shrinking your precious leg room to less than you'd get in a coffin. 

Of course, all of that is after you get on the plane. There are thousands of aggravations before you even reach that point. There is the ridiculous security measures with their silly rules. For no apparent reason, children under 12 and adults over 75 don't have to take off their shoes, because obviously a terrorist wouldn't take advantage of that. Then there are those controversial x-ray machines, which now they are phasing out just as people stopped complaining about them. But one rule that never changes is the one about leaving your bag unattended. That one has been around forever.

While in the airport the other day, as I approached my gate, there were several TSA agents standing around a blue suitcase sitting by itself on a chair. Ten minutes later, a moron walks over to it, sipping on a freshly purchased drink. 

"Sir, is this your bag?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You can't leave your bag unattended."

"Oh...really?"

Seriously, has this person never flown before? And even if he didn't know that, would you want to leave it unattended, or do you not care if it gets stolen? The bag had wheels. He could easily have wheeled it with him to buy his soft drink. Instead, he had to wait around while three officers questioned him as his bag was swept for explosives.

Then it's on to the plane where every idiot brings a suitcase-sized carry-on since the airline charges to check any bag on domestic flights. The overhead compartments fill up immediately and tensions rise while flight attendants urge everyone to take their seats quickly, which would be a lot easier if they boarded from the back of the plane to the front instead of the other way around so that every one has to wait while the person ahead of them goes through their crap before stowing their bag. 

Air travel...just another necessary evil of the modern world.

Weekend Music Roundup

Last weekend I was away, and though I tried, I missed the chance to post a new music update due to spotty wi-fi reception at where I spent my weekend. But I'm back, and I'm still going through the record haul from the west coast trip. I'm still really thrilled so far with the finds I made out there. I'm about half-way through listening to them and have yet to be truly disappointed. Here's another week's worth to share with you...next week I will take a break from the road trip vinyl and review some current releases. Enjoy.

Jack White - Blunderbuss: The first solo album from arguably the most influential figure in rock over the past decade. After fronting three bands that all posted bestselling albums, it's about time that Jack White released something that was from him and only him. Upon first listen, the album is solid, though it boasts no real surprises. I'm not sure that's the album's fault or just due to the fact that we've heard Jack do just about everything over the past 12 years or so. Well, I shouldn't say no surprises, because he does incorporate a rockabilly feel to some songs that up until now he's only really favored in songs by others which he has produced. After the initial listen, I finally let myself get caught up in the songs and truly love this record more and more each time I hear it. There's a joy in the making of the music that somehow seems to have been missing for some time. Great stuff.

Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminal Starvation League - From the End of Your Leash: I picked up this record at a small store in Eureka. I'm quite a fan of Bobby Bare Jr and had this album on mp3 prior. The reason I picked it up was because I don't figure to ever see it again on vinyl and Bobby has a great vinyl kind of voice. I wasn't wrong either. Having liked, but not loved this album on mp3, I can say that it is vastly better on vinyl. Funny how that can happy. As for the music, Bobby to me is what Elliott Smith would sound like had he grown up in Nashville. They have a similar sense of melody and veiled gloom that can found on Elliott's XO album.

Dogs - Turn Against This Land: Definitely one of the more under appreciated bands of the mid 2000's this London band plays rock with social and political awareness. This is their 2005 debut that I happened to find randomly in Portland, in a store that had no business really having it. Though I enjoy their 2007 follow-up better, this album is still a great blend of pub punk and there was no way I was going to pass this up, knowing this record will rarely show up stateside, you can't even find them here on CD, let alone vinyl.

Beefeater - Plays for Lovers: Easily one of the treasures from the journey, this is the original Dischord #17 debut EP in mint condition, with lyric sheet, for only $9.00. As one of the earliest Dischord bands, Beefeater really stood out as something different. They weren't really a hardcore band like Minor Threat and they like, but rather one of the first Post-Punk bands around. When I was 15, I bought the CD compilation of their two EPs and one 7" and it was one of my favorite albums as a teen...and still is. At a store in Seattle, they had both the bands EPs and I had to get them. I listened to this again, enjoying every second of their fiery criticism of Reagan and the Far Right, all of which still applies today...and I thought to myself "Who the hell would sell these?" Whoever it was, it was obvious they had held onto them for years and kept great care of them. I can't imagine what the tipping point was that finally made them part with this record, but I'm sure glad they did.

The Nocturnes - Aokigahara: The amazing cover is really attracted me to this 2011 album. I looked at it and there was a note from the store saying it was "Red Sparowes" related, and having been sort of familiar with them, I asked the guy at the store to put it on for me so I could hear it. It didn't take long before I knew I'd purchase it. This is such a beautiful record. It reminds me a little of Slowdive's Pygmalion meets Appendix Out, very low key and with a storytelling vibe. It's one of those perfect summer dusk albums to listen to as the sun goes down all around you. Truly loving this record. It's available for Free Download at The Nocturnes bandcamp.com page.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Uncle Charlie: This 1970 album is the only one in the band's career that I'm really familiar with, so I can't speak for them as a whole, all I can say is that this album is pretty great. I've it for quite some time on mp3 and consider it one of the finest country folk rock albums of the period, on level with Gram Parsons and others. I found this in a 99¢ bin and knew I couldn't go wrong.

George Harrison - Living in the Material World: This is the Dark Horse's 1973 follow-up to 1970's masterpiece All Things Must Past. Though not nearly up to the level of that album (though not much is, considering it's one of the 10 best albums ever made in my opinion), this album is still quite good and easily his second best solo effort. The songs are mired in tales of the quibbling Beatles post-breakup, highlighted by the stellar "Sue Me, Sue You Blues." I actually never owned this on CD because instead I have a bootleg called "Living in the Alternative World" which features alternate takes of all the songs.

Weekend Music Roundup

Well the road trip is finally over, the shopping spree finally ended, and it's time to get back to sharing my thoughts on albums I've listened to over the past week or so. For the road, I had uploaded a whole mess of CDs that I hadn't listened to in years, which made for a very nice drive. But since coming home, I've mostly been listening to the records I bought on the trip. Some of them I've heard before, having them either digitally or on CD, but most of the records I bought were new to me. It's a pretty broad mix of sounds, hopefully something for everyone. Enjoy.

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - La Carotte Bleue: The debut 2010 EP from Sean Lennon's latest project was released around the same time as the stellar LP. It contains some of the same of songs, though on the LP the songs are acoustic. The arrangements are slightly different here, and it benefits some of the songs, while others I prefer the LP version. There are also a few songs on here that don't appear on the album. A fine listen, their voices really work well together and Sean continues to grow as a songwriter.

Bill Ryder-Jones - If...: The 2011 debut LP from The Coral guitarist is mostly instrumental, but utterly lovely music. He'd done a bunch of demos that I heard over a year ago, which were brilliant and certainly prompted me to buy this. While the demos were bare home recordings in the style of a reclusive singer-songwriter, this album is much bigger in scope and production with classical music influences. A wonderful early morning album, or something to listen to while driving through the Redwoods as I did last week.

The Black Keys - Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough: Released in 2006, before The Black Keys became one of the saviors of rock, this EP is the two piece band at their barest and best. Consisting of six Junior Kimbrough covers, this is a fiery blues masterpiece. I've had this digitally for years, but really wanted it on vinyl. I was glad to have found it in L.A. and it was one of the first to be listened to out of the 60+ albums I brought back with me.

The Rolling Stones - Metamorphosis: This was an impulse buy, having found it in the recent arrivals bin for $8 in Portland. It's far from being a classic Stones album, it's actually more of a compilation than an LP, featuring songs from different eras and alternate takes. But it contains some my favorite Stones songs, including "Out of Time," "Jiving Sister Fanny," "Heart of Stone," and the under appreciated "Family." It's certainly a quality record with guests galore, even if the version of "Memo for Turner" is disappointing.

Nirvana - Rise and Fall: So it's started...the Nirvana bootleg vinyl buying. I guess that's not exactly true either though since I have 3 bootleg Nirvana 7" records from back in the day. But anyone that follows here regularly knows I have an extensive Nirvana bootleg collection on CD. It's primarily where my spare money went back in college. 2nd Avenue Records in Portland had a great selection of vinyl bootlegs, and I would have resisted this except the track listing was apparently made by my fan double. It contains many of my favorite rare songs, including Kurt's home demo of "Old Age" which I'd only had on mp3 before, so that was a steal. Fantastic and worth every penny.

The Kinks - Kinks-Size: I almost never see early Kinks vinyl for sale, only their 70's work, of which I'm not a fan. But their early stuff puts them as the third best British Invasion band in my opinion (just behind the Beatles and the Stones). This 1965 US release compiles some of the earliest EPs and therefore contains a stunning set list. The album is in fair condition, and for $7 there was no way I was going to leave it behind. Blistering garage/pop brilliance, including "All Day and All of the Night," "I Gotta Go Now," and "Tired of Waiting for You."

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown: For a mere $10 in Portland, I was able to acquire this 1968 masterpiece, which I nearly paid $40 for last summer. Arthur Brown is considered the first "shock rocker" often appearing on stage in insane psychedelic outfits and make up, sometimes on fire, and always on acid. But none of that would matter without the fantastic music, heavier than most anything at the time. "Fire" and "I Put a Spell on You" are the best known, but the Goblin Market inspired "Come and Buy" is just as excellent.

Violent Femmes - Children of the Revolution: This 1986 12" single features the title track, a cover of the T Rex classic. The band does a very nice job with it, sticking close to the original, but easily making it identifiable as a Violent Femmes song. The B-side includes two classic Femmes tracks, "Heartache" and "Good Feeling." The cover was certainly what attracted me to this, the Statue of Liberty overlooking the bodies of children in Vietnam, all over shadowed by the screened pistol. This is the cover of the Spain release...the US release was decidedly more tame.

Weekend Music Round Up (Traveling Edition 2)

So the road trip continues for a few more days. Since the last Roundup, I've done way too much record shopping, hitting stores in every town and flipping through the bins searching for deals, steals, and everything else that might catch my eye. Literally. It's getting to the point that my second carry-on is nearly too full of records...but somehow I'm sure I'll manage to get them back home. 

For the first stop, I went to Amoeba in San Fran. Though it shares a name with the store in L.A., the vibe there is very different, as is the selection. I bought a bunch of records here, almost none of which were available in the L.A. store. If ever on the West Coast, these are stores you have to check out. There is just a great music lovers vibe inside of them....not to mention the goods.

Here's the records I got there Some rare and wonderfully priced stuff. Of course this pile has since tripled since visiting Portland and now Seattle. I have photos, but the uploader is too slow today. So you'll have to wait until I review them. It could take a while. Not sure how long it will actually be before I get to listen to them all, but it's a task I look forward to undertaking.

West Coast Highway

My travels continue. Since my last post, I've rolled through L.A., up to San Fran, made a pit stop in Eureka and am now in Portland. I love how vastly different the west coast is from the east coast. It's amazing that we share the same country and culture (for the most part). 

Driving through the Redwoods was incredible. It's always nice to visit Endor. The ideas flowed fast and furious in those parts. One of the strange things about the way I work is my incessant need to stay in one place to work, coupled with me need for new scenery in order to recharge the batteries. 

Sometimes I think we writers have a tendency to over think a thing or two. Not everything has to be so complicated. Some things just are what they are. Like the photo above, simple and direct can be just as a amazing.

(artwork by Ina, unknown date, hanging in the Museum of Contemporary Craft guest wall in Portland)

Weekend Music Roundup (Hollywood Edition)

Since I'm on the road this week and the next, I don't really have the time for a list of reviews. Instead, the next two weeks will be more of a journal of my record shopping experiences. One of things on the top of my list for every trip is record shopping. On this west coast swing, there are a number of amazing locations that I plan on visiting. 

The first stop in L.A. is home to one of my favorite record stores, Amoeba on Sunset. A trip there was the very first thing on my list upon venturing into the city. The last time I was in L.A. was before I was buying vinyl, so I didn't spend much of any time looking through the amazing vinyl collection they have to offer. This time it was the complete opposite...I spent the entire two plus hours digging through the stacks.

By the time I finished, I had a pile under my arm that was too much to carry. Choices had to be made. Selections had to be put back. In the end, this is what I ended up with. The true prizes being The Soft Machine's debut album, which I've had three dreams in the past couple years where I'd been searching for that album. Another was Appendix Out's first album for $7.99, which I own on CD but which is easily among my twenty five favorite albums of all time. Another was the Dwarves colored vinyl version of Fake I.D., limited to 1000 copies. Of course, they all have wait until later next week before I can listen to them, but what a week that will be. 

Next stop San Fran and another Amoeba and then onto Portland and Seattle...both prime record shopping cities. And the great thing is that the albums one finds on this coast vary a lot from the ones found on my coast. It's certainly going to be happy hunting.

A Traveling Mind

I'm currently traveling overseas for the holidays, but I feel my mind has been traveling for weeks. Being tormented by goblins everyday, as my newest main character is, will do that to you.

Traveling is always good and bad for the writing process. While placing yourself in new environs opens the imagination to new paths, being away from the comfort of your workspace makes it difficult to get much accomplished. Writing is very much about routine and habit. Disrupt it and the results are something like trying to cook in someone else's kitchen. Here's to hoping whatever I bake still tastes pretty good.