And the bass start rumbling....

I've started a new podcast site. I know that redesigning won't cure my laziness, but hopefully it will give me a good kick in the right direction.

When the Drums Kick In

To show my newfound dedication to the site, I've posted a new podcast on Hawaiian musician Izrael Kamakawiwo'ole with my mother as a guest host. Check it out!

2001 is stoked!

"Billboard is reporting on a new initiative by Univeral Music Group to cut CD prices across their entire lineup. Starting in the next quarter and for the rest of 2010, the company will test lower CD prices. Single CDs will have the suggested list prices of $10, $9, $8, $7 and $6. The label plans to release deluxe editions at a higher price point. With Universal the largest music company right now, the move is likely to push prices downwards at the other majors as well."

This isn't an initiative, its an antique clearance sale for coasters.

Band of the Week - Lowtalker

Misery Signals + Comeback Kid = Lowtalker

Lowtalker - People Worry About Everything (FC Records) from Casey Hjelmberg on Vimeo.

They already have 2 songs up on their Myspace page and I can't tell you how stoked I am for this.

New Podcast Posted

I've decided to jump-start my podcast! You can find it below.

Podcasts are the New Mixtape

Comedian of the Week 3

Alison Jutzi

Sandals

Good Enough

Social Utility

Some Canadian content this week! Al was razzing me for my last comedian calling it 'too easy' since Demetri Martin is famous now. Psh, it doesn't say indie comedian of the week, yeesh. But to shut him up, here's a gem from Toronto. While she's primarily an actress, her comedy folk is solid and 'Sandals' and 'Social Utility' are both songs I wish I had written instead, and the background voice in 'Good Enough' is comic gold. Did I pick her because she's pretty? Didn't hurt, but she can write a damn good tune.

Its funny things you run into at 3 in the morning while surfing CBC 3's website.

My First Podcast!

Here it is! The first podcast! While technically its something like the third of fourth, I wanted to upload it first because it was supposed to be for Asian Heritage Month but my mp3 encoder gave me problems.

Anyway, this episode is on Japanese underground music, and is co-hosted with my good friend Parker Mah. Just click on the link below to listen to it, or right-click and 'save as' to download it and throw it on your iPod.

Podcasts are the New Mixtape - Japanese Underground

As well, I decided to have a separate page for my podcasts which is here. While I'll probably cross-post, I like having things in good order.

Podcast Tracklist:

Song/ Artist/ Album

Mind Power (pts 1 & 2) - Osaka Monaurail - Thankful
Una Sera Di Tokyo - Takeshi Terauchi - Beat, Beat, Beat (Vol. 1 + 2)... Read More
Blah! Blah! Someswing - Gagle - Hidden Music Value
Manai - Ino Hidefumi - Living Message
Yellow Magic Orchestra - Firecracker - Yellow Magic Orchestra
Bisk - Waltz - Ticklish Matters
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with POLYSICS guitarist Hiroshi Hayashi
S.O.S. - Electric Eel Shock - Go Europe!
反吐、反吐、汽車 - Nanao Tabito - Heavenly Punk Adagio
Yamasuki - Yamasuki Singers - Le Monde Fabuleux des Yamasuki
Sakura - Elfin Saddle - Ringing for the Begin Again
Opening Theme of Mario - Tokyo CubaBoys Jr (Ashura Benimaru Itoh - Solo Guitar)

Steve Aoki talks about being Japanese American

I liked his line 'when you're under-represented you're often misprepresented." I'm gonna steal that brotha.

Some News

1) Manny Pacqiao destroyed Ricky Hatton. It was both amazing and anti-climactic at the same time. Either way, Pacqiao is unstoppable. I can't believe my dad actually bet against the future president of the Philippines. You heard it here first!

2) Dom Deluise passed away today. I still chuckle at his great voice acting in 'An American Tale' and he will be missed.

3) New Found Glory recently did a full set of Green Day cover songs...and man, it was amazing. The 'Time of Your Life' cover is a bit corny, but hey, they did cover of my all-time favorite GD songs, J.A.R. so I'm going to say all is forgiven.

Moreover, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that their version of 'Burnout' beats out Teenage Bottlerocket's cover from their split release a few months ago. Meh, either way, I love them both and any Green Day cover (especially pre-Dookie) will make me a very happy pop punk kid. All of this jumpy happy music is only getting me charged up for summer!

Build your own custom video playlist at embedr.com

Music to draw to...

This looks awesome and I feel I should promo it (plus I liked the apple juice line...). I think I`ll try to actually get some writing done here (or at least some marking)! Here`s the blurb...

Forget partying.... let's get some work done.

It's winter time in Montreal...
Are you slacking off on knitting that scarf you started in 2004? Maybe you've been trying to finish that third act of that play you've been writing...? How's that collection of Sonnets coming along? Are you still sketching out storyboards for that animated short you wanted to make?

Bring your sketchbook, yarn, or that lump of clay. Floor lamps, pens, knitting needles, and lap desks will be provided. Five bucks admission includes a free cup of hot chocolate or tea. Music will be provided by Kid Koala. Expect a full 5-hour set of some of his favorite quiet time records that he has collected on his travels around the world. Baked goods will be provided by Kid Koala's wife, Corinne, who dreams of someday opening a bakery in Montreal and would like to try some of her new creations first.

"I was working on the Space Cadet book and realized at 8 hours a page I would have to log another 800 hours of alone time before this book would see the light of day. It would be great if there was a place I could go be social and anti-social at the same time. Somewhere I could look up from my desk and see something other than the wall. I tried drawing in a couple of the neighborhood diners and coffee shops but they'd blast the radio, and the music and traffic reports kept throwing me out of the zone... plus they don't appreciate people who try to nurse one glass of apple juice for 8 hours."

Quiet people are invited. Bring something to work on. No dancing. Hope to see you there!

3 NIGHTS ONLY : 7pm until midnight :
March 2, 2009
March 9, 2009
March 16, 2009

Theatre St. Catherine: 264 St. Catherine E., Montreal, QC

Tunes in the key of LSAT

Now that LSATs are done I can come back to blogging. In studying the last few weeks I've taken the habit of listening to one song on repeat ad infinitum. For the first week it was Jimmy Eat World's "What Would I Say To You Now" and for the second week it was Ennio Morricone's amazing theme for 'The Good the Bad and the Ugly' played by the UK Ukelele Orchestra. Yeah, its awesome.

Concert Review: Hit the Lights and Cobra Starship

Hit the Lights, Forever the Sickest Kids and Cobra Starship

Okay I'm finally accepted that I'm too old for certain concerts. For example, I went to my last Vans Warped Tour two years ago and haven't really looked back, not only because of the steep price tag (whats it at now? 50 bucks?) but simply because I feel so divorced from the younger punk scene each year I get older.

Enter 'Hit the Lights' opening for 'Cobra Starship' alongside a ton of other young popular punk influenced bands (Gabe from 'Cobra Starship' for example used to play in 'Midtown'). I hesitate to say pop-punk because of my old-school belief that such a moniker is only entitled for bands like 'The Ramones' or more recently 'Broadway Calls.' But that's grandpa Rob talking, and in all fairness bands like 'Hit the Lights' fall into the same category as 'New Found Glory' (a guilty pleasure of mine) and 'Blink 182' -a newer, glitzier, more produced pop-punk...new-pop-punk? What a stupid name. Oh well, we'll roll with it. Nu-pop-punk.

The lyrical content of this new flashier version of pop-punk reminds me of my age. Gone are the days of singing with an ironic tongue-in-cheek sneer (see Dead Milkmen's 'Punk Rock Girl'), and instead are the days of singing about hanging out in the parking lot thinking about girls. Yeah, at 25 I'm kinda over that. I sit in my room drinking by myself thinking about girls instead (like that cute Ukranian girl from my French class). The vote's out on whether its an improvement or not.

A point should be made that I actually like a lot on nu-pop-punk bands. As a matter fact 'Hit the Lights' easily fall into this category. While I have difficulty connecting with the band on a lyrical level, its still catchy as hell and perfect feel-good music. I even had a chance to interview the band a few hours before doors opened and had a blast hanging out with them afterwards shopping around St. Catherines looking for Montreal t-shirts. Good times.

However, once I got some food and went back to the venue it was a culture shock for me. An ocean of teenagers (mostly girls) were screaming for the band onstage, a bunch of good looking boys playing keyboards, wearing overly tight pants, and dropping the F-bomb like it was going out of style and grandpa Rob in me was really upset that they thought swearing to 14 year olds made them cool and I was really worried that 'Hit the Lights' once they went onstage would pander to similar schtick to get the crowd going.

Thankfully, 'Hit the Lights' were much more composed and played a solid set with most songs coming off their newly released album. The band pogo'd onstage, talked about how cute Montreal girls were, and tried to get the crowd to sing along to their stuff...nothing really eye-rollingly corny, but nothing really awe-inspiring either. Just a straight up solid set, which I guess is what I came for.

Following their set, I quickly packed up and left, not even sticking around for the last few bands. Gabe from 'Cobra Starship' is a attention-seeking douche (see this story). I mean, really, who says "I'm so punk rock that I blah blah blah." Gabe man, I loved 'Midtown,' why you gotta turn out to be a total ass?

Anyway as I walked back home I began to reflect. I used to be that young. I used to love really cheesy bands ('Fenix TX' come to mind). I used to go to similar concerts in Vancouver and that's fine, for that age group. Looking onto that crowd of kids I realized that (like the mid-90s in Vancouver) most of those kids are only at the concert because they think its cool to be there. There's little love for the music and during 'Hit the Lights' I even saw some kids playing poker in the back (man, these boys came all the way from Ohio! Where's the love!).

However, a small portion of those kids are there because they love the music. Those are the kids who, in five years will be forming bands, writing zines, or putting on shows to promote local talent. Its so easy for us to laugh at the terrible fads teenagers cling onto as they gush over cute boys in bands, and screaming about over-the-top stage antics...but its where most of us started from. Moreover, it will be a handful of these kids who take over the local music scene in 5 to 10 years time. Which is great, and its even great that they're enjoying tonight's show. But for me, man I'm glad I'm no longer an akward 15 year old listening to major label pop. Its just so glossy and void of any grit or real substance. I'll take a local show in somebody's basement any day of the week. And maybe, someday, hopefully, so will some of these kids.

My Interview with 'Bomb the Music Industry!'

Okay so I finally finished editing the video footage for my interview with 'Bomb the Music Industry!' Not only is this my first edited video (I just started video editing about a month ago) its also my first YouTube post. After 12 hours of being up it already had 20 view which more or less got me all excited and happy. I also learned from a friend of mine (Kelly) that if I upload onto YouTube they own my work. While she was up in arms about the issue, I'm much more resigned to the fact that even if they do take my work, I'd be more inclined to feel impressed that they chose me and stoked about my work getting out than complain about how my video is being co-opted by the man. As well, I understand MySpace works in a very similar way and every major band and label are represented on both sites, are you telling me that YouTube or MySpace has the balls to go up against Universal or Sony? C'mon now. While they may reserve the right to use members' videos, I highly doubt they'd actually be able to do anything with it without getting in a world of shit. Either way, I'm just stoked to be there!

Gandhi's a 'Minor Threat'

Moreover, from all the videos I've watched on YouTube of 'Minor Threat' performing, Ian McKaye hardly ever sang...as seen in this video below. Check out 0:20. He's just standing there staring at the crowd. Oh and check out that mosh pit man. Ri-donk-ulous.

God hates pop punk

That's the only reasoning I can think of for the recent break up of 'The Ergs' and 'Chinese Telephones' - two of the best indie pop punk bands touring right now. If 'The Copyrights' fall apart this week as well I'm officially revoking my atheist stance and worshipping Satan.

Oh and it turns out both bands are playing 'The Fest 7' in Gainsville Florida for their final show. Taking up a collection now. Road trip anyone?

edit: OMG, 'Atom and His Package' are playing a one-off reunion show at the Fest as well. I'm serious now...start sending me them cheques...

CD Review: No Harm Done - Escape

No Harm Done - Escape

I'm generally not a fan of straight edge music. While I used to pretty adamantly champion straight edge beliefs, after a certain age you stop being a 'Straight Edger' and simply a 'dude who doesn't like to smoke, drink or do drugs'. Moreover, sXe music was rooted in East Coast hardcore which, growing up as a West Coast pop punker, never really resonated with me. Melodic hardcore, however, was always that happy medium that I could really get into.

Enter 'No Harm Done' who merge the bits of sXe hardcore that I loved (the anthemic chanting) and poppy melodic hardcore sensibilities. As other reviewers have noted, these guys sound something like 'post-reunion Lifetime' and I'd add that they falls into the same category as the first two Rise Against CDs (read: the good ones).

Moreover these young Florida kids (while I'm not exactly sure, they can't really be that much older than twenty) compose music as if they were much older. Already on their third CD, 'Escape' moves them is a very good direction and their travel roster is already pretty impressive. Musically, the layered riffs are catchy, the breakdowns are solid and the the songwriting is well done. From the beginning of the disc the listener is rewarded with chourusy chants, starting the CD off with 'This is my escape!' Throughout the rest of the CD we get similar sing-along mosh pit favorites like the chorus in the song 'Festivus Yes Bagels No' which chants 'Fuck your glory days!'

Moreover, songs like 'Throwing Bricks' win me over not only for its tight integration of songwriting and music ('Everything I know/Everything I love/Just comes and goes') but also because it ends with a 'Home Alone' quote, which admittedly had the potential of being pretty cheesy, actually fit really well into the song.

The CD isn't without it criticism though, and when listened to from top to bottom gets pretty monotonous and repetitive. The key, I found is to listen to them either as singles or mixed into a shuffle. On their own each song stands on its own, but ironically when put together just gets tired. However, these kids are young, really young, and if I was pumping out music as good as this I'd be pretty damn proud of myself, as these guys should be.

Moreover, their entire CD is posted at the link above. Since its free, you really don't have a reason not to try it out. Just hit play as you read your e-mail.

Concert Review - Kap Banbino

Dear Montreal,

I don't really know what you were doing the evening of August 8th. Perhaps you were re-watching the Olympic Opening ceremonies for the third time. Or perhaps you were watching 'Pineapple Express.' It doesn't matter. Where you should have been was at Zoobizzare where a small electro/punk outfit named Kap Bambino for a measly $5. Moreover, the room had about 50 people in it. Really Montreal, what were you thinking?

Unlike other bands in this genre ('Duchess Says' and 'Crystal Castles' come to mind) these two are far from being arrogant jerks (I've heard on several accounts that Crystal Castles are dicks, not to mention the fact that they bite chiptune artists without giving cred...just like Timbaland!). Anyway, they arrived early to the venue and hung out with the crowd, drinking, chatting, etc. Amanda got really excited because she actually got to talk to the guy in the band and tell him how great she thought they were and he just smiled and said 'merci'. Moreover, when the opening band took the stage, Quebec based Pedo Pedro et ses Enfant, the lead singer of 'Kap Bambino' was the first up to the front of the stage and was the only one dancing. Wait, a touring band taking the time to check out and dance to the local opener? Unheard of! Wow, we've already established that these two are really nice people, but what about their show?

While it took a long ass time for 'Kap Bambino' to take the stage after 'Pedo Pedro' left, it was totally worth the wait. Lead singer Caroline Martial took the stage dressed as Alex deLarge from 'A Clockwork Orange' and quickly began shaking erratically as the music got louder and louder. As the show began the energy the two brought to the venue was amazing as Martial screamed into the mic and pitched it at a wall, crawled on the ground, dived headfirst into the crowd, and forced the people around her to lift her high enough so she could walk on the roof. Really, I can't even make this stuff up. The crowd was ready and willing to bend to her whim and even though it was a small venue with a small crowd, everyone was dancing (well me and Amanda stood on chairs and watched in awe). At points the whole room felt like a mosh pit.

Stage antics aside, the music was solid. The DJ, Orion Bouvier was consistently on the ball and responded to Martial's antics by speeding up, slowing down or simply filling time as she jumped around and even danced on tables. In all fairness though the show did have a lot of technical difficulties as sound quality dipped and wavered throughout. At one point the sound just stopped entirely leaving the band onstage mouthing the words 'what the fuck' to the sound tech in the back as he scrambled to fix the issue, leaving us with a good 5 minutes of nothingness. All in all though, the show was beyond amazing and I was expecting a ton more people to show up. Moreover, I was kinda expecting the crowd to be filled with hipsters but instead was pleasantly surprised that instead we were rocking it out with fat dudes and balding men. Hipster free dancing means good times. It was so good infact that I'll probably go check them out in New York on the 16th. There'll probably be a ton more people at that show, filled with snooty fashionistas, but really, these guys totally deserve a jam-packed crowd and unquestioningly put on a great party.

CD Review - Teenage Bottlerocket - Warning Device

Teenage Bottlerocket

I'm kinda tired of writing movie reviews, so I figured I'd detour a bit and start a second phase of what I hope to make this blog into (stay tuned to see what else I have planned!). Moreover, I'm so damn stoked for the upcoming Teenage Bottlerocket tour that I figure I ought to start with them. In fact, I'm actually planning my vacation to New York a day early just to catch them in Toronto.


If you approach this CD hoping to get straightforward pop-punk, you get exactly what you wished for. No musical experimenting or exploration here folks, just the same old formula we've seen so many times in the past (The Ramones, Screeching Weasel and Mr. T Experience come to mind off hand). Except this time its done expertly well, filled with 3-chord buzzsaw guitars, 'whoa-oh' filled choruses, and snotty and snarky lyrics. Without any worry of over hyping them, this band easily summarizes all things that pop-punk is, and should be. And that's just on my first listen through!

Anyway, right off the bat you can hear the influence from singer Kody Templeman's previous band and (in all honesty) the songs in which he sings could pass as singles off a 'The Lillingtons' CD. However, the shared vocal responsibilities between him and bassist Ray Carlisle give the listener a nice change in pace. Right off the bat we are exposed to their difference in style with the first two songs on the CD (Bottlerocket and In the Basement) showing us just what this band is made of. With hooks as catchy as the flu a lot of these songs will burn themselves into your head, and even without the CD on my iPod I found myself humming songs like 'Anna's Song' on the way to the office overtop of whatever it was I was listening to. Certainly we're not embarking on MENSA territory here in terms of lyrics. Songs like 'Totally Stupid' and 'In the Nuthouse' talk about boredom and wasting time. In fact, the song 'She's not the One' is able to repeat the exact same line for three-quarters of the song. Amazingly however, songs like these are a testament to their skill and what they lack in lyrical originality, as they make up with tight songwriting and raw head-bopping catchiness. Most band's aren't able to make songs even half as good as these guys, and heck, Bottlerocket can do it with just four words. And without question the chorus for 'Pacemaker' is possibly the best of the year (yes I'm already calling it).

The pacing of the CD flows well and I can easily listen to it top to bottom without skipping a track, but it clocks in a bit short. Often when I leave it on while I'm working I'll go grab a drink and come back to find it already finished, but overall its just what I needed for the summer - an uplifting, easy to digest CD that sucks you in and keeps you listening and smiling for weeks. And in all honesty, who comes to pop-punk CD looking for anything more than that?

And with that in mind, if you live on the east coast be sure to check them out on their upcoming tour. You won't be wasting your money.