Music Trader's Liner Notes

2010-05-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

While the 1980 Flash Gordon may be the greatest pulp-influenced piece of science fiction
to ever POP(!) on a screen (Star Wars is great and all, but give me Flash Gordon's hyper-active vortex of a take on Alex Raymond's all-out adventure stories any day), also blasting out (in this author's opinion) the greatest soundtrack EVER ("Flash!!! AAAAHHH-AAAAHHH! Saviour of the the Universe!" (with Phantom of the Paradise as a close soundtrack second), when I think of long lost Epic mags found on the bottom of piles on the floor of used bookstores, there's one band (just a bit beyond Zolar X) who stands out above all.

From their space-folk beginnings through the amazing launching pad to worlds beyond of the Lemmy Years all into the shimmering robot-Orwell-cold-war-new-wave-steel-walls-of-synth of the late 70's stuff (Quark Strangeness and Charm, 25 Years On, PXR 5....) and into the olden-day Future of the Eighties, the label Atomhenge has been LOVINGLY re-issuing long lost Hawkwind treasures while braving black-hole horizons to pack them with stunning bonus tracks and liner-notes.

I'd be far from the first person to say that Hawkwind hooks me right in and takes my imagination to places past this solar system, but I gotta tell ya from the bottom of my heart, near so many stories began by Asimov and into the upside-down worlds maybe inspired by Agent of Chaos (whether a hundred or so other writers know it or not) to Megacities and Cursed Earths, where late at night Rod Serling serves snacks and the fight for heart and humanity sits at the edge of The Quiet Earth and all inbetween and above-with the silver sheen perfection of a reflection off of Gort, Hawkwind is pure Sciene-Fiction listening perfection, with guts and brains and wildness and most of all finding that singularity between harrowing massive expansiveness and lighting-in-a-bottle-of-a-moment SPARK. (Now if only some label would re-issue the first Inner City Unit album!)

Space-helmets off to Atomhenge for their incredible dedication to the back-catalogue of mid-period Hawkwind!!!

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/atomhenge/main.php

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE "FORGIVENESS ROCK RECORD"

2010-03-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

okay, so i just heard the new BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE record, in it's entirety and i think it's really good. FORGIVENESS ROCK RECORD was produced by john mcentire of tortoise and it definitely has glimpses of the tortoise sound - which is not a bad thing! the toronto collective is scaled down this time around with guest appearances by the usual suspects (feist, metric's emily haines and members of montreal's stars). it's a fresh new take on one of canada's finest exports. get it may 4th, get it?

GONJASUFI IS DOPE!

2010-03-11T17:42:00.000-08:00

dope... did i say that right?

GONJASUFI sings, raps, dj's and teaches yoga in San Diego, California. enter the GASLAMP KILLER and FLYING LOTUS and you have "A SUFI AND A KILLER" brought to you by the fine folks at WARP RECORDS.

this is the record BECK should have made. check it out! gah!

even the kids are singing it

2010-02-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

i know you've heard this song, like everywhere, but it's stuck in my head like a bullet from an east-side drive-by. seriously, when alicia keys comes in, it's all over. if that chorus doesn't lift you up like the hand of kong, you are dead to this world. even the kids are singing it from their car seats when we roll in the volvo.

Winnipeg Cat

2009-12-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

Well, apparently if you want to pelt a hipster with a snowball, we're the place to do it. Or so says Winnipeg Cat.

KING MIDAS SOUND

2009-12-13T20:11:00.000-08:00

London-based dub-stepper Kevin Martin (THE BUG) has a new project called KING MIDAS SOUND which includes poet Roger Robinson and vocalist Hitomi. The new full-length album "Waiting for you..." released on the Hyperdub imprint is a chilled-out, updated version of the Bristol sound of the mid-1990's. Check it out!

CFCF gets an A

2009-12-01T12:59:00.001-08:00

While the video below has been out since March, CFCF's debut album on Paper Bag Records, Continent, was just recently released. Pester the folks at the counter to order you in a copy if you like what you hear (and YOU WILL like what you hear).

PENS ARE RAD!

2009-11-26T23:44:00.000-08:00

UK band PENS are the best. unapologetically lo-fi, "HEY FRIEND, WHAT YOU DOING?" is out on minneapolis' destijl records. you're gonna need a helmet for this one. goodnight karen asher, wherever you are.

WHITE DENIM'S "FITS" JUST RIPPED MY FACE OFF

2009-10-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

"FITS" by Austin TX's WHITE DENIM just ripped my face off.

i remember reading about them a few months ago in Dazed & Confused magazine, about how they self-record their brand of psychedelic-garage-experimental-acid blues-soul in an old trailer on the outskirts of town.

very few first listens, freak me out so bad like this one. the first track "radio milk - how can you stand it" hit me like a runaway milk truck and each track that followed had me riveted. bounding with energy, "FITS" is a beautifully schizophrenic album that is recorded perfectly, capturing what ever the hell it is that's going on here.

let's recap:

psychedelia
damaged blues
free-form/experimental
acid country
post-punk
soul/funk
classic rock

yep, not generally my favorite things, but in this case undeniable. get it and freak yourself out!

Band Names To Seriously Consider

2009-10-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

Starting a band? Any of these names could be yours (but Music Trader employees will get a 25% commission). Potential 1st album titles are beside.

Sigourney Fever
Organ Boner / Hard Times Coming
Slug Leather
Bumflag / Hoist 'er Up!
The Ripples
Weasels On Ice
Scarf / Scarf It Down
Where's Your Chalice / The Macaroni Affair
Slugs In Love / Snail's Trail
Laser-Falcon
Loogie Toes
Chewy Caboose
Pork Open Face
Gabba Gabba Hay: The Bluegrass Ramones Tribute Band
Greasy Goggles
Litebrite / Never Been Poked
Dr. Bootygrabber / Booty Motivator
Ghost Cat Freaky!
Stinkship
Andy Onassis
Andy Oh, No! Dragons!!!
Fart Sap
Poo Blast
Butt Munch
Shark Blimp
Secret Paka
Mucas Rollercoaster
A Hat Pond
Teenage Owls
Ninja Squirrels
Bonus Mucas
Cake Hawk
Horrisey
Liquid Goop
Wolf Punch!
My Friend Gail (Genre: Oprahcore)
Avian Liquor, Yo
The Second Sniff
Claw Pinky
Robot Baby
Black Geese
The Devil's Monkey
Vegetable Ambulance
Squid Ass
Hatebreath
Bolts
Moose Warning!
Renegade Ass Crayon
Scratch n' Sniff
Pingque Phloyd
Muffin Stump
Gator Wagon
Poverty Lunch
Forklift Annihilation
Blood Cork
The Consistent Pillows
Gator Aids

The Metal Band Name Game: You think of an awful word and match it with a pleasant word. Examples:

Flesh Necklace
Gonorrhea Napkin
Bacteria Puppy
Execution Summer
Holocaust Rainbow
Jerry Garcia Feces

Anagram band name: Take an existing band name and put it into an anagram generator:

Coldplay = Lady Clop
Beatles = Eel Bats
Weakerthans = Sneaker Thaw
Beastie Boys = Set Yo Babies
My Bloody Valentine = Yo, Mandible Novelty!
U2 = 2U

Feel free to add your own.

Mayer Hawthorne "A Strange Arrangement"

2009-10-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

could this be the first great "indie" soul/r&b record of the millenium? and by "indie" i mean true in spirit, as this 29 year old singer, producer, songwriter, arranger, audio engineer, dj, rapper and multi-instrumentalist from Ann Arbor, Michigan channels Smokey Robinson, Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield without the unnecessary over-production of most contemporary soul/r&b records or the vomit-inducing vocal gymnastics that plague the American Idle TV series. Mayer Hawthorne's debut on the Stones Throw imprint is a sexy album that will have you dancing and swooning without leaving you feeling dirty like an R Kelly record. check out "just ain't gonna work out":

What's the good word? Thirty-three and a third...

2009-09-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

If you've been in the store recently, you may have noticed that our selection of vinyl is expanding. Where it used to just be in the bunks below the magazines, there are now crates at the back where the used compilations and soundtrack sections could be found in the past.

We've been stocking the expanded vinyl section with all sorts of fantastic new records including the hot titles like Grizzly Bear and Japandroids, but we're also bringing in some classic titles in soul, jazz, dub, reggae and more. Our most recent shipment is just going out for sale and I wanted to spotlight a few records that may be old but are new to the store and may be new to you as well.

THE METERS - LOOK A PY PY

A double-shot of funk from the finest New Orleans had to offer. Look A Py Py was originally released in 1970 and Rejuvenation followed in 1974 and the latter was produced by the legendary Allen Toussaint and features the funk staple "Hey Pocky A-Way." Out of control good.

THE METERS - REJUVENATION

BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS - CRIMINAL MINDED
More recent than the Meters, but still over twenty years old, this is what the kids call 'old school hip-hop.' Scott La Rock provided the beats and KRS-ONE the hard-hitting, thoughtful and thought-provoking lyrics. Kids be forewarned, this one's got some cuss words.

DONALD BYRD - STREET LADY
This here is some straight-up classic soul jazz from one of Blue Note's finest hornsmen, Donald Byrd. Opener "Lansana's Priestess" is a particular highlight but things don't let up from there.

DONNY HATHAWAY - DONNY HATHAWAY
This sophomore, self-titled record from sweet soul crooner Donny Hathaway finds him covering all sorts of then-contemporary pop hits including "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." Hathaway takes them and makes them his own.

THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS - THE TIME HAS COME
Drawing comparisons to Sly & The Family Stone for their multi-racial funk, this was The Chambers Brothers first studio album after a pair of successful live records and unreleased studio sessions with Bob Dylan. Blending psychedelia with r&b, The Time Has Come features a mix of well-chosen covers and originals.

So, these albums (and more) are available now at the store and are bargain priced to boot. Get 'em while they're here or special order your own copy!

Tegan and Sara, Sainthood (not Thainthood)

2009-08-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

i love tegan and sara.

i mean, i wasn't even remotely interested until 2007's The Con (starring Death Cab For Cutie, Matt Sharp and Hunter Burgan).

in retrospect, i probably would have liked 2004's So Jealous but in a weird twist of fate i watched the enhanced cd part first and was turned off by how vicious the making of that record was. it left me wondering why they would have chosen to include such footage and so i just wasn't interested in listening. little did i realize this process is part of their modus operandi, once again revealed in The Con DVD, included in The Con deluxe edition (nikki, where's my tegan and sara DVD?).

i love The Con.

anyways, here we are, 2009 and a new Tegan and Sara record is upon us. Chris Walla and Jason McGerr of Death Cab For Cutie are back and the record will be called Sainthood. the release date is set for Oct.27th so set the alarm on your blackberries or whatever all y'all are busy texting each other with.

Sainthood (not Thainthood) from Tegan and Sara on Vimeo.

Bermuda, Bahahas, C'mon Pretty Mama...

2009-07-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

Did you go to Folk Fest this year?
If so, you're probably one of the people talking my ear off about how dreamy Sam Beam's beard was and how Elvis Costello pulled off the creepy-mustache thing with stylish aplomb. When not jabber-jawing about grooming, you've also been raving about a new act called Bahamas.

You're right to rave - Pink Strat is a great rock record and your friends down at Music Trader are loving it too. Jay Churko was overheard to say "yeah, that record's alright..." which is the equivalent of a ringing endorsement from the compliment-stingy Churkster. Out now on Nevado Records, we've got you covered over at 97 Osborne Street - copies are currently in stock (though hurry, they're moving quick like lightning). We've also got tickets for the October 18 Amy Millan show at the West End Cultural Centre.

Why am I mentioning Amy Millan? Because Bahamas is opening for Ms. Millan and for those looking to rekindle their Folk Fest memories or catch up on a buzz-band they missed, this is THE opportunity!

Here's some Bahamamian goodness if you need convincing this is an album you should buy and a show you should attend:

FYI, the photo credit goes to Mel Lemoine, host of Kablaamo! Thanks Mel!

Have fun with Tom Fun Orchestra

2009-07-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

Late breaking story on the CBC... a nation whispered we always knew that he'd go free.

Speaking of late breaking news and free:

Halifax's Tom Fun Orchestra will be dropping by Music Trader this Friday, July 17th to play a FREE in-store at 4pm.
What a way to start the weekend!! And just look at the forecast for Friday - it's supposed to be sunny so you've got no excuse not to come down.

Just look at the size of that orchestra - how could it not be fun? And crowded!! They don't even all fit on the page!
Check out the video of the band playing "Miles Davis" for proof positive that they can bring it live...

See you Friday!!

PS. Check out the Tom Fun Orchestra's website for more fun?

Your (Polaris) Prized Album?

2009-07-07T10:08:00.001-07:00

So the Polaris Prize shortlist (aka the FINAL 10) was announced earlier today and in the spirit of the prize Music Trader wants to spark the debate on Canadian indie music.

Here's what the 'experts' came up with:

Elliott Brood — Mountain Meadows
Fucked Up — The Chemistry Of Common Life
Great Lake Swimmers — Lost Channels
Hey Rosetta! — Into Your Lungs (And Around In Your Heart And On Through Your Blood)
K'Naan — Troubadour
Malajube — Labyrinthes
Metric — Fantasies
Joel Plaskett — Three
Chad VanGaalen — Soft Airplane
Patrick Watson — Wooden Arms

What say you? Leave your responses in the comments.

And if you're looking for one of the nominated albums come on down soon - they're sure to go quickly.

Hip-hop Heads

2009-06-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Outside of mentioning that the fantastic new record from Mos Def, The Ecstatic is out and available at the store, just wanted to post this video for your amusement.

Dog Day In-Store: Saturday June 20th at 8pm

2009-06-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars, set your watches and shine your shoes.
C'mon down to Music Trader this Saturday, June 20th at 8pm to see Haligonians (that's what they call the Halifax peeps, f'real) Dog Day perform a special in-store for all their favourite Winnipegonians...

They recently rocked the heck out of the Royal Albert, opening for Julie Doiron, but they're back on their own and this time it's free!!

Check out "Happiness" from their new album Concentration if you doubt whether or not you should come down for this!!

Bitte Orca

2009-06-04T13:59:00.000-07:00

Does it mean "ask whale"? Or "please whale"?
Whatever it means, the new album from Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca - is pretty solid. Though you wouldn't know it if you were just judging them on their opening slot for TV on the Radio at the Burton... Walker Theatre last Saturday. The sound was pretty terrible and it really did a disservice to folks who are unfamiliar with the band.

They closed with the lead-off single from the new album, "Stillness Is The Move" and the guitar line just pierced through the rest of the mix like a slasher-flick villain wielding a knife. On the album (where the mix is Baby-Bear-just-right) it sounds so frickin' good.

Check out the video below for proof:

The album comes out on Domino Records on June 9th so mark your calendar now.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

2009-06-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Have you picked up your copy of Veckatimest yet? The latest album from Brooklyn band Grizzly Bear is one of the most blogged about records of 2009 and has been rapturously reviewed by just about everyone. Even your mom.

Come on down to Music Trader and get one soon!

Even babies like this album:

Welcome to Music Trader's Liner Notes.

2009-06-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Hey hey - welcome to Music Trader's Liner Notes, the official blog of the staff of Osborne Village institution and your favourite place to get music.

While we have an official website with all the crucial details and info, this blog is where to come if you're looking for musings on New Releases and overlooked gems, updates on In-Stores, contests and all that over-the-counter chit-chat you know and love. Staff will be regularly posting updates, so be sure to hit that little RSS button or "Follow" along on Google Reader.