Yeezus Tour Concert Report

Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar at the Air Canada Centre Dec 12 and 13

Mountains, Jesus, fire and a special appearance by Drake made the final two nights of the Yeezus tour strange and spectacular. As I've mentioned before, Yeezus is one of my favorite albums of the year and I was excited to see how Kanye would translate the abrasive and alienating album live but past experiences with live hip hop had been hit and miss. Live hip hop can be problematic due to a heavy reliance on backing tracks as well as the difficulty in understanding lyrics for a storytelling-focused medium. Both artists dispelled some but not all of these negative preconceptions. I did my best to avoid too much press about the tour beforehand so that I would be going in to the concert relatively fresh, though I had heard about several of the elements of the show. Kanye's set was divided into five sections, titled "Fighting", "Rising", "Falling", "Searching" and "Finding". The songs and staging during these sections were connected to these titles. While I saw both nights of the tour, the set was largely the same, with some small changes, as he played many of his best songs over close to two and a half hours.

Kendrick Lamar opened with a powerful set that highlighted his strong rap skills. He was backed by a heavy rock band that gave all of his tracks a more aggressive edge. He played for over forty minutes, covering all his best tracks. Unfortunately, his excellent lyrics were rendered mainly unintelligible by the overly bass-heavy sound mixing. Surprisingly, the crowd knew the lyrics to almost all of the songs he played. The crowd responded best to "Swimming Pools" and "Backseat Freestyle". Videos projected behind him helped to reinforce many of the themes and concepts of his music.

While Kendrick was preceded by a selection of classic hip hop tracks over the P.A., Kanye was preceded by dark, droning electronic instrumentals. It was already clear from this that he was not going to have a typical hip hop show. The mountain was unveiled and a robotic female voice announced the name of the first section, "Falling", followed by a definition of sorts of the word. This was followed by the disjointed electronic intro of "On Sight".

From the first track onward, Kanye performed significantly altered versions of his tracks. For the most part, this enhanced the songs, though I felt that "Power" would have been more effective in its original form. He was backed up by a D.J., singer Tony Williams as well as guitarist and frequent collaborator Mike Dean. He played songs from all of his album, with Yeezus being played in its entirety. Oddly, Late Registration was completely ignored during the second show, with only "Diamonds Are Forever" played at the first show. The songs from the G.O.O.D. Music compilation seemed much better outside of that uneven album. "Cold" with its Foreigner-sampling intro was especially good. As I guessed would be the case, all of the tracks were heavily reliant on prerecorded elements though that didn't diminish the performance as much as I thought it would.

The staging of the show was very impressive though the overall concept was not entirely clear. It was only by the second show that I realized that the five words and definitions on-screen represented divisions of the show, a realization that clarified the concept somewhat. A red-eyed monster stalked the stage and the mountain for a large chunk of the show, seemingly looming over Kanye. A group of women, either wearing robes or skin-coloured bodysuits sauntered around the stage during many tracks performing several functions. They laid down in a circle around Kanye as he sang, they walked out of the opened mountain in an Orthodox Christian procession, they performed very subdued dance moves and finally held up flares during "All of the Lights". Finally, Jesus came out to anoint Kanye for "Jesus Walks", an odd and surreal moment.

A highlight (or lowlight, depending on your perspective) of both shows were his rants or "visionary streams of consciousness". During both shows, he delivered his views on life, himself and the music industry for about fifteen minutes per show, interspersed with auto-tuned singing. I found the second one more entertaining than the first but they were both fascinating and exhausting. During the second show, after about fifteen minutes of ranting, a section of the crowd began to chant "wrap it up!" Some choice quotes were "F*** you with the love" directed to the Grammys as well as "I am the worlds crazy cousin just out of prison".

During the second show, as he seemed to be wrapping up, he brought out Drake to perform briefly. They performed two Drake songs, "Forever" and "All Me". Normally I'm not a huge Drake fan but Kanye must have brought out the best in him as he performed skillfully, including an impressive section of a capella rapping. The finale for both shows included exuberant, crowd-pleasing renditions of "All of the Lights" and "Good Life" followed by the natural closer "Bound 2" as well as a short outtro replaying the interlude from "On Site" with Jesus on top of the mountain, standing below a video of sun coming through a cloudy sky. It was a triumphant and slightly confusing finale for a stunning show.

My Bloody Valentine Concert Report

My Bloody Valentine at the Koolhaus November 5

Last night, My Bloody Valentine made their mostly triumphant return to Toronto to a subdued but reverent crowd. This was their first show here since 2008 and only their second in the last twenty years. They are belatedly touring their excellent album MBV that came out early this year though only four tracks from that album were played. I suspect that this is because the band hasn't learned these new songs as the album was largely assembled by bandleader Kevin Shields whose guitar sounds are still the best and most innovative.

Earplugs were handed out at the door and proved to be very necessary as this was the loudest concert I have ever seen by a large margin. The earplugs likely contributed to the subdued crowd since it sounds quite odd to applaud loudly while wearing earplugs. The band played for over an hour and a half, offering a solid representation of their catalogue, including a number of non-album tracks. The album Loveless was the most represented, with seven songs from it played.

Opening song "Sometimes" is one of their mellower songs and was used to great effect in the film Lost in Translation. The song offered little indication of the onslaught to come. The new track "New You" was an early highlight with excellent singing from Belinda Butcher and some superb tremolo-laden guitar from Shields. Overall, the vocals were much stronger than I expected, having heard several of their bootlegs where the vocals were almost entirely inaudible. "Honey Power" was an excellent showcase of Colm O'Ciosoig's Keith Moon-like drumming skills and a good representation of their heavier side.. An attempt to play early b-side "Thorn" was a huge failure with three aborted attempts leading to them giving up on the song entirely. "Wonder 2" with looped jungle-ish drums and helicopter guitar was very impressive. "Only Shallow" was good but sounded a bit odd. Their signature song "Soon" was perfect, especially with its trance-like ending.

All this was lead up to their standard finale "You Made Me Realise", their first proper single which has now been extended with a ten minute noise interlude. This mammoth wall of sound emphasized the physicality of the band, with earthquake-like pulsations creating a unique tactile experience unlike anything I've ever experienced in a concert. When the band suddenly returned to the main song, there was a palpable feeling of release.

My Bloody Valentine produce a full sensory experience unlike any other band. Their psychedelic projections aided in the immersion. They combine consummate professionalism and amateurish anarchy in a completely unique way.  More than any other band I've seen, My Bloody Valentine in concert provide something that cannot be captured or represented in any other form.

Volcano Choir Concert Report

Volcano Choir at The Phoenix September 8

Volcano Choir, the side project of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, played in support of their excellent new album, Repave. Opening for them were Sylvan Esso, a band with a complicated connection to Justin Vernon. While both members of this duo are in folk bands, this project is definitely of the category of electronic dance music. Sylvan Esso presently only have one single out, "Hey Mami/Play it Right." They used a combination of layered vocals and bass-oriented electronics to create upbeat groove music. The crowd, who seemed to be mainly polite folk fans, were initially reticent but warmed up to the heavy grooves and singer Amelia Meath's (of Mountain Men) friendly banter and awkwardly enthusiastic dancing. Overall, a promising duo who got a better than average reception for an unknown opening act.

Volcano Choir immediately counteracted the friendly demeanor of Sylvan Esso by playing in almost total darkness for the entirety of the set. Fortunately, a nice backdrop of what may have been a winter forest and some very effective lighting provided some visual stimulation. The crowd seemed to mainly be Bon Iver fans looking to see Vernon in a smaller venue, so when his shadowy figure emerged onto the stage, the crowd freaked out. At six members, they were a fairly large group who created a varied array of sounds

The group mainly played songs from Repave. Bolstered by Vernon's powerful, unique voice as well as the tight but experimental band, the songs sounded even better than on record. "Byegone" was especially dramatic in this setting. They also played a few unreleased songs, which saw the group pursuing a more rock-oriented direction. One song especially was very reminiscent of the first Bloc Party album. Vernon's voice is amazingly versatile, easily moving between ballads, rock songs and meandering quasi-raps. They ended the first set with a rocked-out version of the Bon Iver song "Woods", renamed "Still" for Volcano Choir, which was very well received by the crowd. Generally, they offered a surprisingly exciting show, though some of the more experimental tracks meandered and it would have been nice to see the band.

Journey - A Heartbreaking Game of Staggering Genius

Journey on PS3

To date, I have kept this an exclusively music blog but Journey has compelled me to make an exception. This brief experience of an atavistic pilgrimage has changed the way I think about video gaming. With beautiful visuals, stunning music, smooth mechanics, perfect multiplayer and genuine emotional impact,  Journey provides an experience of absolute beauty and depth.

The visual style of the game is unique and supports the vagueness of the narrative. The protagonist appears to be dressed in religious garb on what seemed to me like a futuristic pilgrimage to Mecca. The protagonist intermittently interacts with a group of larger entities dressed similarly, except in all-white. The visual style and use of symbols suggests a fusion of Sumerian and futuristic elements. There is no concrete plot information provided. This creates a dream-like effect that allows the players to imbue the journey with their own narratives and meanings, led by the use of music and sound.

The use of music greatly enhances the emotional impact of the journey. Every significant moment or transition is accentuated by shifts in the score. This impact is most powerfully felt during the climax of the game where this shift corresponds to a shift in the player's state of mind. The music, while beautiful, is never distracting or overwhelming. In fact, the music would be hard to describe unless paying close attention, combining classical, ambient and middle-eastern motifs. Here is the end-credit song.  The sound effects are fairly minimal, with sounds of wind and various chimes. The simplicity of the music and sound effects is reflected in the game's mechanics.

The mechanics of the game are simple but effective. Much of the game is spent simply pushing forward. What interaction that is there is simple but effective, largely centred around jumping and flying. The mechanics are gradually opened up over the course of the journey. Most objects that you encounter serve to facilitate your progression and the level of challenge offered is fairly low. The only obstacle or antagonist is a mechanized dragon, which, while unnerving, doesn't significantly obstruct your progress. These mechanics are further enhanced by the multiplayer.

I am generally not a big fan of online multiplayer as I feel it can detract from the immersion that a game offers. For this game, the subtle use of multiplayer enhances the immersion. Other players slip in and out of the journey and, instead of introducing an element of competition, they allow you to share the emotions stirred by the journey. Players can only communicate with each other through blips of light and sound. The best interaction offered is that, through the blips of light, players can allow each other to briefly fly. Early on, coordinating this ability offers the only significant challenge of the game that, when mastered, offers a profound sense of satisfaction and togetherness. The climax of the game, which I won't spoil, increases its emotional impact through the presence of another person.

The emotions triggered by playing this game and sharing this experience are difficult to fully describe or comprehend. I felt a strong feeling of well-being and openness after finishing that is unlike anything I have ever felt from a video game.  As a work of art, Journey is uniquely powerful and could have great therapeutic value, even for those who would generally not enjoy gaming.

Depeche Mode Concert Report

Depeche Mode with Bat for Lashes at Molson Amphitheatre September 1

Depeche Mode killed it again! After having seen them in 1998 and 2001 and having heard their excellent new album Delta Machine, I was expecting a good show but Depeche Mode were in exceptionally good form for this concert. Their combination of amped-up renditions of their songs, over-the-top theatrics and crowd participation, combined with a perfectly curated setlist make them an unbeatable live experience.

Bat for Lashes provided a solid and atmospheric appetizer for the main course. Singer Natasha Khan's powerful voice carried throughout the amphitheatre, making her hard to ignore. Their band setup was interesting, with a cello and various unusual forms of percussion. They ended their set with their signature song, "Daniel". Overall, they were very good but their subtle songs and complex arrangements were not an ideal fit for an opening band in such a large venue. I would love to see them play as a headliner in a venue like Massey Hall.

Depeche Mode opened with two songs from Delta Machine and the crowd's reception to the new tracks was very positive. Behind me was a reasonably drunk guy who only seemed to know the new songs and was loudly singing along to the lyrics for only these tracks. It was immediately clear that the band's intensity has only grown in the past decade. Singer Dave Gahan began to disrobe fairly early on in the show and began to work his stripper moves, especially during excellent new track "Should Be Higher". This track ended with a very awkward failed attempt at a sing along. His voice has a booming quality that is ideally suited for a large venue but he has also developed the higher range of his voice recently.

The set continued with a perfect balance of classic tracks like "Walking in my Shoes" and "Black Celebration" with more recent tracks like "Precious" and "A Pain That I'm Used To". Martin Gore showed off his increased guitar skills, while the drummer punished his kit with a surprising number of drum solos.  As it started to rain, lead songwriter Martin Gore took the stage for a beautiful piano and voice rendition of "But Not Tonight" and new track "The Child Inside". While he is not as charismatic as Gahan, his voice is just as powerful with perhaps a greater range and the crowd responded well to his songs.

As the show progressed, the crowd participation increased. Dave Gahan gave the crowd the opportunity to sing the choruses for "A Question of Time", "Enjoy the Silence" and "I Feel You." At the end of Martin Gore's rendition of "Home", the crowd engaged in an impromptu singing of the coda to that song. For the final song, "Never Let Me Down Again", the crowd fully committed to the slightly ridiculous but awesome arm swinging that has become a signature for the song, leaving the crowd completely exhilarated after two hours of greatness.

Gogol Bordello Concert Report

Gogol Bordello at Danforth Music Hall August 19

Gogol Bordello returns to Canada following their solid sixth album Pura Vida Conspiracy. This was my third time seeing Gogol Bordello, the previous two times following their best album, Super Taranta. I was somewhat less enthusiastic about going this time since their last two albums, while good, seem to have toned down the crazy energy that characterized their earlier work. While the show was front-loaded with my favourite songs, Gogol still captivated the crowd for almost two hours.

This was my first concert at the Danforth Music Hall and I was impressed by the venue and the sound. It is larger inside than it initially seemed, offering good line of sight and crisp sound. The band opened with the excellent opening track from their new album, "We Rise Again". They followed with an amazing trio of songs: "Ultimate", "Not a Crime" and my favourite, "Wanderlust King". The crowd was going crazy pretty much right from the start, with intense moshing and a few crowd-surfers. They continued with a mix of new and old songs but the energy level never fully abated, even during the slower songs. They played their signature track, "Stop Wearing Purple", surprisingly early in the show. For the encore, they played four songs, ending with a furious rendition of Gypsy Punks' "Undestructable".

The band was in excellent form, despite a few lineup changes since I last saw them. They have a new drummer and accordionist, as well as losing one of their female backup singers. Singer Eugene Hutz seems entirely unchanged, yelling every line like his life depends on it and regaling the crowd with various anecdotes. Ecuadorian percussionist and rapper Pedro Erazo has a more prominent role in the band, adding raps and call-and-response interludes to a number of songs. Violinist Sergey Ryabtsev came across as an elderly but virile Russian punk rocker. His violin parts often provide the melodic anchor for the songs while his heavily-accented backing vocals add a unique character, especially for "Stop Wearing Purple". The only complaint I have is that they are a little too willing to drag out the climax for every song. Overall, while Gogol Bordello the studio band has lost some steam, Gogol Bordello the live band more than make up for it.

Akron/Family Concert Report

Akron/Family July 28 at Sonic Boom

This was the latest in Sonic Boom's series of excellent free concert. Over the years I have seen many artists perform at Sonic Boom, including Coeur de Pirate, Broken Social Scene, Thunderheist, Buck 65, Lioness and Courtney Taylor-Taylor from the Dandy Warhols. Typically, these are short, impromptu performances and are often acoustic. The mascot for the recent shows is a small baby who was rocking some stylish headphones to protect his ears from the onslaught. Akron/Family brought a full-on, jam-rock concert to Sonic Boom.

Akron/Family started a little late but delivered over an hour of psych-rock excellence. This was the longest, most complete concert that I have seen at Sonic Boom to date. As they were not playing a proper show in Toronto, they passed on the appetizer and moved straight into the main course. Based on my limited prior knowledge, I believed the band to be a freak-folk ensemble with at least eight members. Instead, this four-piece delivered focused, heavy psych reminiscent of Deep Purple and early King Crimson. While the bassist and guitarist both sang, the bassist Miles Seaton had the strongest voice and sang the best songs. The keyboardist alternated between Deep Purple-ish organ solos and experimental, free-form noise. Their songs mixed psych-rock standbys with loops and chanting to create a trance-like effect.

Despite commenting that they didn't have a chance to sound check, the band was very tight and the sound was loud, crisp and full-bodied. Akron/Family pushed the limits of Sonic Boom's sound system more than any other act I've seen, often reaching punishing volume.

Chico Trujillo Concert Report

Chico Trujillo at Harbourfront Centre July 5

We attended this concert largely on a whim and because it was free but ended up being surprisingly entertained. Chico Trujillo is a band from Chile who combine contemporary cumbia with elements of ska and progressive jazz, with vocals that have the intensity of hip-hop. They formed in 1999 and have gained a considerable following in South America as well as Europe. For a bit of a primer, check out this concert from Austin, Texas. While that show was more subdued than the Toronto one, it gives a good impression of what the band is about. The show brought out much of Toronto's large Chilean community with Chilean flags and jester hats visible throughout the crowd.

The concert was close to an hour and a half, ending as close to the 11pm curfew as physically possible. They played a range of songs, ranging from the traditional to the modern, often including lengthy improvisational passages. Their singer, known as "Macha", spent much of the show off-stage and would return wearing thick sunglasses and looking a bit wobbly. Despite his apparent intoxication (or because of it), he maintained total command of the crowd throughout the set. He would initiate numerous sing-alongs, clap-alongs and led the crowd in a motion that reminded me of pitching a softball. I was able to enjoy and appreciate most of the songs due to the strong melodies despite my extremely limited knowledge of Castilian. The band was extremely tight and was easily able to negotiate numerous time changes. The crowd was one of the best I have ever seen, singing along to the lyrics and awkwardly dancing throughout the set. At the end of the first set, the crowd seemed like they would not accept the absence of an encore, even when one of the organizers tried to speak. The combination of the excellent band, good songs and an amazing crowd made the show a great experience.

Savages Concert Report

Savages at Mod Club July 16, 2013

Savages brought their potent brand of post-punk intensity back to Toronto last night. This was their second visit to Toronto and my second Savages show, following their brief but punishing set at Lee's Palace for Canadian Music Week earlier this year. Savages are based in London while lead singer Jehnny Beth is a singer and occasional actress from France. They play a heavy version of late 70s post punk that sounds like a combination of Joy Division and early Siouxsie and the Banshees. Their debut album Silence Yourself effectively conveyed the power of their live sets and highlighted their songwriting skills. I didn't take any photos due to the band's desire for the crowd to keep their cellphones away.

At over an hour, last night's show was much longer than their CMW showcase. This allowed them to highlight some of their slower tracks as well as playing tracks that haven't been released yet. The best of the new tracks was a lengthy jam based on a simple and hypnotic groove. All of the tracks played emphasized the groups excellent musicianship. The bass in particular achieved throbbing prominence throughout the set while the guitar offered occasionally overpowering squalls of noise and the drums pushed the punishing rhythms. Jehnny Beth is an amazing performer with dance moves that combine the twitchy enthusiasm of Ian Curtis with the aggression of a boxer. Her singing voice is remarkable, reminiscent of Patti Smith or Siouxsie Sioux but more technically proficient than either.

The best songs on the album were, not surprisingly, also the best songs of the concert. While I enjoyed their album, the songs are really meant to be heard live. "I am here" had a bass line reminiscent of U2s "New Years Day" with a building intensity that culminated with some intense screaming from Beth. "Hit Me" was fast, ugly and almost unreasonably heavy. "Husbands" is their fastest and catchiest track. After claiming that they never play encores, they came back on stage for an excellent rendition of melodic highlight "She Will". While their sound is derivative, their approach is so powerful and convincing that their show feels like an entirely unique experience.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Concert Report

Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Echo Beach July 1 2013

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs were the perfect Canada Day celebration despite their somewhat short set and lack of Canadianness. They blew away the opening band, Maximum Hedrum, who were one of the worst bands I've ever seen. They are an electro-funk group headed by Spike Jonze's brother, Sam Spiegel, who produces the YYYs second album. Other than a slightly amusing song about hugs, their set was filled with lame, one-note jokes and bad songs. Also irritating were their attempts to get the audience hyped about their terrible music. Oh, nepotism!

After that, expectations were fairly low for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. While they have a good live reputation, their new record Mosquito was only so-so with a few really good songs. They opened with a track from that album "Under the Earth", which was a bit low key as an opener. The set improved dramatically with their second song "Black Tongue" where singer Karen O cut loose with her distinctive howl. They had a good mix of songs from their four albums, with the most songs coming from their first album. They played the two songs I most wanted to hear: "Heads Will Roll" and "Date with the Night." The latter song was extended considerably for their second encore. In total, they played sixteen songs, which was a bit brief but still satisfying.

The band was in good form musically. They played about half the songs as the core three-piece of Karen O, guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase. Nick Zinner is an excellent guitarist with a heavy and unique style while Brian Chase has a powerful drum sound. On the rest of the songs they were joined by David Pajo, formerly of Slint and Zwan. Karen O is a hugely charismatic and energetic performer, despite her limitations as a singer. She gave the mic to members of the crowd to sing along as well as at one point putting the mic in her mouth and down her pants. She wore a huge light on her head for the first few songs. In a subtle nod to Canada Day, she came on stage carrying a little Canadian flag.

2013 so far...

Hi,
Since it's about halfway through the year, it seemed appropriate to write about some of this year's best albums. This year has been notable for a number of great new records by artists that I had previously written off. Also, a few newer artists have impressed me this year with solid efforts. There will be more to come...

David Bowie - The Next Day

Bowie's announcement of his return from quasi-retirement came as a shock to everyone, most of all me. I've been listening to Bowie since before I could speak, so his ten-year absence was particularly baffling for me. In fact, I wasn't the only one who was concerned (check out Flaming Lips' "Is David Bowie Dying?"). When, on his 66th birthday, a new song was released and an album was announced, I was cautiously optimistic. The album, as it turns out, is stunning.

The title track is a powerful opening, with Bowie's rough growl of a vocal and strong apocalyptic imagery. The second track, "Dirty Boys", is a slow, dirty funk track with horns that evoke a junkyard. "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" offers an insightful commentary on celebrity culture. "Valentine's Day" offers a subtly strange narrative about a school shooter with "a tiny face" and "scrawny hands". The finale, "Heat", is an effective appropriate of latter-day Scott Walker's style with a unique spin and the mysterious mantra of "my father ran the prison..." The album has also spawned the two best music video of the year, for "The Stars are out Tonight" and "The Next Day". Prior to this album, Bowie had never gone more than three years without an album. Maybe the absence did him good. I hope it's not as long this time...

The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law

This Welsh trio's debut album, The Big Roar from 2011, was a pleasant surprise. They offered a potent and streamlined version of shoegaze that was heavy on riffs and hooks. While it was a very good album, it was overshadowed by its awesome single, "Whirring". Their second album doesn't have anything quite as stunning as that track but is much more consistent than their debut. The opener, "This Ladder Is Ours", has a great hook and creates a powerful momentum that is carried throughout the album. "Little Blimp" is their most punky and angular track to date. "Maw Maw Song" is huge and epic while parodying their own sense of scale. I saw them in April at the Phoenix and their energy was overwhelming and infectious. I predict further greatness.

My Bloody Valentine - MBV

I was sure this record would never come out and, if it did, that it would be terrible. I was happy to find that the album came out with only a few days warning and surpassed all expectations. Their 1991 album, "Loveless", is generally considered to be an untouchable classics, which may explain why it took 22 years for a follow-up. The sound that they defined has been often imitated which leaves this record sounding current. This is a stranger and heavier album whose merits are not as apparent as its predecessor's. One of the things I like best about the album is that it gets gradually better and more intense as it progressed. By the time the last track, "Wonder 2" is finished, my heart is always racing. That track is a peculiar mix of drum n bass percussion, a catchy vocal, thick guitar noise and something that sounds like an organ. Both Kevin Shields' and Belinda Butcher's vocals have a timeless quality that is as effective now as 20 years ago. Shields' guitar playing has progressed considerably since Loveless and this record contains sounds and textures I have never heard anywhere.

Kanye West - Yeezus

"Hurry up with my damn croissants!" It's hard to say much about this album since so much has already been written about it. After going through Kanye's discography, I feel like I am now fully indoctrinated in the cult of Yeezy. Yeezus didn't impress me much on the first listen but has grown on me since. This album sounds like the future, a bleak future admittedly. Stunning production work from Daft Punk on four tracks, work that far exceeds the quality of their own album released this year. For Kanye fans, his albums form a meta-narrative, describing in painful and uncomfortable detail the artist's life and times. To me, that story is a tragedy of refusing to accept the essential unfairness of the world. As a man who was already abnormally attached to his mother (see "Hey Mama" and "Mama's Boyfriend"), his mother's death from a cosmetic surgery that he had paid for marked a line in his life and work. Listening to his upbeat and optimistic early albums offers a huge contrast with the material recorded after his mother's death. A cruelty and sourness crept into his lyrics that have only grown in the five years since her death.  This album demonstrates this in full force, highlighting his narcissism and complicated relationship with women while stripping everything down to its bare essentials. At the same time, he intermingles this with often unpleasant observations on American racial politics.

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine

A significant contrast to Yeezus, Depeche Mode's new album offers visceral pleasures without requiring any high-level analysis from the listener. This is Depeche Mode's tightest, best-sounding set of songs since Songs of Faith and Devotion. The standard lyrical conceits of oppression, guilt and kinky sex are here in full force but are delivered with such enthusiasm as to still feel fresh. Dave Gahan's voice is an unstoppable force of nature, both seductive and strident. His songwriting contributions, such as "Secret to the End" and "Should Be Higher", offer many of the albums best moments. His songwriting voice is now beginning to rival that of traditional Depeche Mode songwriter Martin Gore. The vinyl version of the album has four bonus tracks that, rather than feeling tacked on, serve to extend the listening pleasure of the album.

Follakzoid - II

This self-described "cosmic music band" from Chile offered one of the best surprises so far this year. I am often wary of groups that revive a particular period in music, in this case German experimental rock of the 1970s, but Follakzoid do it successfully through their full commitment to the music. The "motorik" momentum and mumbled vocals are present but executed with skill and passion. Listen to and buy the album here.

Primal Scream - More Light

I wrote about this album in my beginners guide to Primal Scream. This is still maybe my favourite album this year. I just got the vinyl which makes the album sound just that much better!

Kate Boy in concert

Kate Boy Concert Report
June 9, Wrongbar

This concert is a bit difficult to write about since, while it was a solid performance, it was the briefest concert I have ever been to. The group played for about 35 minutes. Kate Boy are a group of Swedes with an Australian ex-pat for a singer. The group's name refers to an androgynous imaginary fifth member. Despite this odd concept, they deliver fairly poppy electronic music that is reminiscent of The Knife's more song-oriented material. This was my first visit to the Wrongbar and, while it's a small venue, the sound was good and the staging, with a blue light on the front of the crowd, seemed appropriate for the type of music being played.

To date, the group have only released three singles, hence the short set. They presumably ran out of material after playing about seven songs. Unsurprisingly, they played their three excellent singles as well as a few other solid songs that, I imagine, will appear on a debut album at some point.  The singer, Kate Akhurst, was dressed up in her standard outfit of a black baseball cap, black sleeveless top and black leather wristbands. For a singer in a new band, her performance was extremely confident with especially forceful vocals on "The Way We Are". Electronic acts can often be dull performers but this group seemed pretty active throughout with a bass player and several types of live electronic percussion. The variety of drums were prominent throughout, reminding me of some of Peter Gabriel's more percussive material. They ended with their best track, the powerful "Northern Lights", which left the crowd wanting more. Overall, a brief but promising start for a group we'll definitely be hearing more of. Make sure to check out the tracks I linked to above!

Hamster Jams

Hello again,
Exercising is healthy and occasionally fun, but for those of us who gym it can feel like being a hamster running in a wheel. The only difference is that most of us have headphones in our ears while running in place. I have very peculiar music tastes when exercising and I thought I would share some of them. The main requirement for a successful hamster jam is that it be diverting, but it also helps if it is fast and loud.

Peter Gabriel - The Rhythm of the Heat / MIA - Bird Flu
These songs are all about the drums and fit together well. The Peter Gabriel song first came to my attention as a sample of it was used on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack. It's a bit of a slow build but the momentum of the track is very motivating. Once the drums hit, it's pretty much a signal to go totally crazy. The MIA song is one of her best and is characterized by heavy drums and some weird kid vocals. I have no idea what the song is about and I think I like it better that way.

Bloc Party - Helicopter
The best song off of their only good album. Awesome opening line: "Note to self...empty." The Bloc Party have one of the best rhythm sections of any contemporary band (something they've forgotten in recent years) and they kill it on this track. Watching them play it live, it looks like their tiny drummer's arms are going to fall off. Unrelenting.

Purity Ring - Fineshrine
A newer duo out of Edmonton, their debut album is uniformly solid but this track stands out for me. Maybe it's because of the use of the word "sternum". The song has a persistent thick groove with a very strong melody. Reminds me of some of the better songs by The Knife. Would love to see them live.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Throw away your Television
One of the best and heaviest Chili songs. All the elements come together on this track for complete awesomeness. While the song has a funky bassline, they manage to give the track a punky feel, especially with Anthony Kiedes' random exclamation of "Oi, oi, oi!" This song also features one of John Frusciante's greatest, effects-laden guitar solos. If you don't feel excited after hearing this, you're not listening right.

M83 - Steve McQueen
Music for running up a mountain at a 90 degree angle. So much kick drum! Anthony Gonzales' unapologetically impassioned and very French delivery makes the overly earnest lyrics work. Would be perfect for an 80s training montage. The video, part of a series about a group of telekinetic children, is pretty great too. Like a less creepy version of Akira.

Delerium - Euphoria (Firefly)
This track was a minor Can Con hit in 1997 but has stuck with me for some reason. Delerium was a couple of Skinny Puppy-affiliated guys attempting middle-eastern influenced dance-pop. Many of their songs sounded like Ray of Light era Madonna knock offs but this one worked somehow. I loved this song even when all I was listening to at the time was mid 90s alternative rock. Their also-excellent track with Sarah McLachlan, Silence, was a bit of a hit as well.

Plan B - Ill Manors
I've always found that British hip-hop is angrier and more intense than its American counterpart and this track is no exception. Plan B is pretty huge in England but is virtually unknown here.  As a rapper, soul singer, producer, director, writer and actor, he has a packed resume. This song and the album by the same name are an odd choice for exercising. The music is powerful and highly motivating but the lyrics about urban poverty, desperate youth and the follies of austerity make for a pretty depressing listen.

A Beginner's Guide to Primal Scream

Hi again,
In anticipation of the release of their excellent new album, More Light, I thought I would write about one of my favourite unappreciated groups, Primal Scream. Now entering their fourth (!) decade as a band, they have been largely ignored in North America and often reviled in the UK as either vapid bar band revivalists or drugged-out electro-anarchist poseurs. Their discography is wildly uneven with some of the best albums of the last few decades and some of the worst. Their live performances are equally uneven. I have seen them twice, in 2000 and 2008, and it was like seeing two completely different bands. I hope I can help shine a light on the world of Primal Scream by providing a bit of background, some choice albums and a few notable collaborators. The Scream have a fascinating career and discography that lie undiscovered by many music fans.

A Bit of Background 
The Scream were originally formed in Glasgow in 1982, influenced by the jangle-pop of The Byrds and the post-punk grooves of Public Image and New Order. At this time, the core members of the group, Bobby Gillespie, Robert Young and Andrew Innes came together. Gillespie and Innes are the only constant in Primal Scream's ever-changing line-up. Singer Bobby Gillespie was a punk who had dropped out of school at age 15 to work at a factory. Gillespie's father was a politically active labour organizer and this influence led to the socially conscious, provocative lyrics that characterize much of Primal Scream's later work. Gillespie was also the original drummer for The Jesus and Mary Chain but left that role to concentrate on the Scream full time. Their early work achieved little mainstream success and was often lumped in with the C86 indie-pop movement of the mid 1980s. Their first two records, Sonic Flower Groove and Primal Scream, did not make a significant impact and are still largely unavailable. Their critical and commercial breakthrough was 1991s Screamadelica, which leads us to our next section.

Some Choice Albums

Screamadelica (1991) - This album is a good starting point for the Scream and one of the key records of the rave era. Here the Scream combined Rolling Stones grooves, cutting-edge (for the time) electronic production and a pleasingly warm, spaced-out vibe to create their first classic album. The opener "Movin' on up" has proven to be one of their most enduring tracks and while being a brilliant song, set the precedent for some of their worst, Rolling Stones-imitating music. The track "Loaded", their first major hit, cemented the notion of Primal Scream as a drug band while introducing a common trend of the band re-contextualizing their older music as it was a remix of the track "I'm Losing More than I'll Ever Have" from 1989s Primal Scream. Production from Andrew Weatherall and the Orb helped to add electronic elements that were new to the band at the time but that they would come back to throughout their career. The album won the first-ever Mercury Prize in 1992 and the band toured the album in full for its twentieth anniversary in 2011.

Vanishing Point (1997) - This was their second great album, following the terrible Give Out but Don't Give Up from 1994 which spawned their biggest hit, "Rocks". They countered the dull revivalism of that previous album by making their strangest album to date, combining dub, hard rock and psychedelia. The album is named after the 1971 car film of the same name. The excellent, propulsive first single "Kowalski" is named after the largely silent but free-spirited hero of the film and has extensive samples from the film. The lengthy, hypnotic track "Trainspotting" was used in the film of the same name. This album also spawned the very solid dub remix album Echodek.

XTRMNTR (2000) - The record that led me to become a Primal Scream fan is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful and significant albums of the last twenty years. This album has a punishing, challenging songs and is their first to have overtly political lyrics. The anti-capitalist, anti-authoritarian lyrics are often stream of consciousness but the intent is always clear. This new attitude is best exemplified by first single "Swastika Eyes", which uses a catchy melody and a heavy house beat to criticize Britain's authoritarian tendencies. Profanity-laden track "Pills" likens the artifice of politics to drug-fuelled sickness and paranoia. Elsewhere, the Scream explore avant-jazz ("Blood Money") and motorik grooves (Bernard Sumner collaboration "Shoot Speed/Kill Light"). The most aggressive tracks are Kevin Shields' remix of "If They Move, Kill 'Em" from Vanishing Point, renamed "MBV Arkestra" and his mix of "Accelerator", a straight-up rock track pushed past the breaking point.

More Light (2013) - Their current album and one of the best albums of the last few years. It is their most lengthy album and the extra breathing room allows them to explore ideas fully and let the grooves develop. Working with producer David Holmes allowed them to create their most lush and focused album to date with big arrangements and subtle details that give the album a widescreen appeal. Opening track "2013" is a state of the nation manifesto that sees them reengaging with the political, socially conscious themes that they had largely left behind for the previous decade. This socially conscious message is pervasive throughout the album, especially in tracks like "River of Pain", "Tenement Kid" and "Sideman". Overall, this album has Gillespie's most emotional and direct lyrics to date. The closing track is a surprisingly effective rewrite of "Movin' on up" called "It's Alright, It's OK" that manages to leave this occasionally quite dark album with a hopeful feeling. For more about the process and intent of the album, I recommend this excellent interview with Gillespie from the Quietus.

A Few Notable Collaborators
Primal Scream have worked with many of the biggest names in popular culture, from George Clinton to William S. Burroughs to Kate Moss, some more successfully than others. Here are a few that led to some of their best music.

Gary "Mani" Mounfield - The former Stone Roses bassist worked with the Scream from 1997 to 2011. In the Stone Roses, he helped define the "Madchester" sound with his thick, slippery bass lines. His first collaboration with the Scream, "Kowalski", utilized his style to create a darker, groovier sound that would characterize much of the Scream's work after this point. His bass lines defined great tracks such as "Exterminator", "Swastika Eyes", "Miss Lucifer" and "Uptown". Though he left the band after the Screamadelica tour, his influence is still felt on More Light.

Kevin Shields - As the creative force behind My Bloody Valentine, he helped to redefine the boundaries of what the guitar can do. On "MBV Arkestra" and "Accelerator", he brought the intense and aggressive sound of XTRMNTR to a different level with his mixing and guitar squalls. He toured with the band on and off for the next few years though in a live setting it was not always clear what he was doing and he often appeared sleepy or sedated. He has also contributed to a number of great Primal Scream tracks over the years, including "Deep Hit of Morning Sun" and "2013".

Robert Plant - The legendary Led Zeppelin vocalist was originally recruited through shopping at the same grocery store as Andrew Innes. He first appeared playing harmonica on "The Lord Is My Shotgun" from 2003. Gillespie recruited him for their new album, More Light, as Gillespie felt Plant was the element that was missing from the track "Elimination Blues".  His distinctive melancholy wail adds an element that makes what could have been an average quality blues jam into a classic Scream song.

Next Music from Tokyo

Hi all,
this is my first blog post so I thought I'd start out with a report on the Next Music from Tokyo event that I attended last Friday at the Rivoli in Toronto.  The Next Music from Tokyo mini-festival is an event created by a Toronto-based anesthesiologist who scouts out bands in Japan and then brings them over to Canada at great personal expense. The only criteria for his choices are that the acts resonate with him and deliver an exceptional live experience. These acts typically play musical styles that transcend national boundaries and bring powerful stage presences. Japanese bands are also known for female musicians having a much larger presence, compared to the more male-dominated North American indie rock scene. 2013 sees the fifth iteration of this event and the second that I've attended.  Shows in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are scheduled for this year. Last year had several excellent acts: an enthusiastic all-girl klezmer group dressed up in sailor outfits, a two-man electro hip-hop act, an avant-garde hard rock group, and my favorite, a heavy but melodic Sonic Youth inspired group named Praha Depart.

After last year's experience, I was excited to see what this year would have to offer. I went into the show having done quite a bit less research than I usually would before a concert so that I could enjoy the experience without preconceptions. The Rivoli, which has a fairly small capacity, was already packed when we arrived.

The first band was Harafromhell, an energetic pop-punk band that reminded me of a female-fronted fusion of early Weezer and the Specials. Their level of enthusiasm was very high and their songs were catchy with strong melodies. They proved to be an excellent opener for the evening.

The second band was Kinoko Teikoku, who were my personal favourite of the night, as well as the audience's, judging by their response to the performance. They played a heavy variety of shoegaze which evoked impressions of Slowdive and Luna. They differentiated themselves from those acts through their level of intensity, attention to melody and powerful singing. The singer had a strong and distinctive voice and may possibly be a Japanese actress of some renown.

The third band was Chi-na, a classically-inclined pop group. As they had violin, double bass and a piano, I was expecting a subdued chamber pop act in the vein of Belle and Sebastian or Sufjan Stevens. This was partially the case but many of their songs were both enthusiastic and danceable.  Their violinist had a particularly dynamic presence as she swayed back and forth aggressively and danced around while playing.

The final group was Mouse on the Keys, a percussive jazz group heavy on aggressive drums and piano. They had a unique and interesting sound but were overall the least engaging of the four acts due to their less accessible style of music and slightly-too-loud sound mixing. They did have an impressive visual presentation, playing in total darkness with stars and other cosmic phenomena projected behind them.

The show overall was very strong, comparable in quality and perhaps slightly superior to last year's edition. The crowd was very enthusiastic with a few people crowd surfing and a group of seemingly drunk guys heavily rocking out during the first two acts. All of the acts made an attempt to communicate with the English-speaking members of the audience, attempting to overcome the, at times, considerable language barriers as well as making a few comments in Japanese that the Japanese-speaking members of the audience generally found hilarious  I felt that the sequencing of the event could have been better, since the night was front loaded with the two best acts. I did enjoy all four acts though. Next Music from Tokyo is a completely unique experience that I could not recommend more highly.