artist MINOTAURS

Hey Gang, We hope the summer sun is hitting you right where it counts! We have posted a whole whack of shows coming up this summer: Winnipeg Folk Festival Dawson City Music Festival Calgary Folk Festival Sappy Fest (in picturesque Sackville, NB) It'd be wonderful to see you there. Also, you can go here: http://minotaursband.bandcamp.com/ to purchase our latest release "FINK PLOYD: THE THING REMIXED" which is an little, online-only EP of remixes of tunes from our last outing THE THING. It features contributions from Jim Guthrie and I Am Robot and Proud among others and all proceeds go to support the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, an organization dedicated to protecting YOUR civil liberties. So spend $4 for some psychedelic disco and help a good cause (you'd be basically helping yourself).

The year 2010 is drawing to a close and it has been the best one of my life so far. And as always, I find the holiday time to be a chance to pause, to reflect on the past year, take stock of successes and failures, to note the dumb things I said and hope to not say them again, and attempt to recall the smart things I said (they are fewer) and remember to say something like them again. For me, albums tend to be like road signs, reminding me of both where I am and where I have come from. They define my life and give it context. As such, I thought it would be fun to wade into the ‘year-end list’ waters. Be warned, I am no critic (my friends might say otherwise), but it’s fun to think of all the music that has found one’s ears over the past year. And it is very much like that. Music finds me. For this reason, I have two lists, one of new releases that I really enjoyed. But I also made a list of music that was new to me this year, records recently discovered that have been kicking around the atmosphere for years. So, here they are: New: (in no particular order) 1. Spoon – Transference: Seriously. I can’t believe how many critics’ lists this record did not make. It’s their best one. Shame! 2. Vampire Weekend – Contra: I don’t care that they’re rich kids. This shit is serious. 3. The National – High Violet: My pal Simon would be proud that he turned me onto these guys. A little anthemic rock never hurt anyone. No matter how derivative! 4. Allen Toussaint – The Bright Mississippi: The legend takes a run at New Orleans Jazz with producer Joe Henry at the helm. How could you lose? 5. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings – I Learned the Hard Way: The throwback experiment finds its legs big time. It is old and fiercely new. Undeniable. 6. The Budos Band – III: See above but funkier. 7. Grinderman – II: For scaring the shit out of me. Music needs more sexily scary music like this! Dancing while your ears bleed. 8. Baby Eagle – Dog Weather: Go Steve! This is a wicked record. Brave and poetic in all the right ways. 9. Daniel Romano – Working For the Music Man: Even just for his version of “She Meant the World to Me.” Again, I am pretty surprised this isn’t on more lists. 10. Ebo Taylor - Love and Death: A legend returns and shows the kids how its done. Preppy, ironic indie bands: TAKE NOTE. Old: 1. Tito Ramos - Where My Head is At: Seriously funky soulness. 2. Curtis Mayfield – There’s No Place Like America Today: Leave it to Curtis to remind us that things aren’t all rosy. Still a matchless falsetto and guitar player. How did I not hear this record before! 3. Bill Withers – ‘Justments: See above. He was more than “There’s no Sunshine” and this record proves it. 4. Broadcast – Tender Buttons: I had heard of this band years ago but didn’t pay them much mind. However, the singing and production are really timeless for such an ‘electronic’ thing. 5. Morphine – The Night: Best three-piece band ever maybe: drums, bass, and sax. You’d think there were more members for how funky and deadly this record is. Mark Sandman makes me cry and move. A timeless masterpiece. 6. Eugene McDaniels – Headless Heroes of the Apocolypse: Can you say “psychedelic, funky-ass gospel?” This heavily sampled record is the craziest amalgamation of weirdness and spirituality I have heard since Sun Ra. It restores my faith in humanity. 7. Baby Huey - The Baby Huey Story: I would use the word ‘heavy’ but considering Baby Huey was 300 lbs plus, it seems a little inappropriate. Still, this record is seriously heavy. 8. The Black Keys – Brothers: How did I not get into this band sooner? And I know this is a 2010 release but man, just feel good grooviness. 9. Lagos Disco Inferno: God, what more do I need to say? 10. Kate and Anna McGarrigle - Kate and Anna McGarrigle: Thanks to my friend Kristian who would be proud to know that this record has changed my life and helped me to hear folk music in a whole new light.

Hi all, Exclaim! Magazine has voted The Thing #7 of the top 10 Soul and RnB records of the year! We are in some good company too. Check it out here: http://exclaim.ca/Features/YearInReview/soul_randb_year_in_review_2010

Hey all, I will be playing a few songs by myself this December: Dec.14th: The Dakota, Jason Collett's Basement Review. Dec.16th: Aolian Hall, London, as part of OXMAS. Dec.18th: Jimmy Jazz, Guelph, as past of OXMAS.

Hey gang, If you haven't been able to come see us play live, check out the new live video shot by Southern Souls main man Mitch Fillion at the NuJazz Fest launch party in Toronto. The song is Pink Floyd from our record "The Thing."

You can always go here: http://minotaursband.bandcamp.com/ to download a reasonably priced copy of "The Thing."

Come to the Great Hall around 10 o'clock and watch us get down at the NuJazz Festival Launch Party! Don't be a stranger...

Hey gang, If you're free tonight, come by the Horseshoe around 10:30pm. We'll be playing between two awesome bands, Siskiyou (members of Great Lake Swimmers) and the wicked Bruce Peninsula. Maybe see you there! And if you come, don't be a stranger...

I guess we're just a bit too loud for the folkies. But thanks to the OCFF for having us. If you were one of the ones dancing in the hotel room, thanks! That's the name of the game. Come see us in Toronto or Sudbury soon! Also, keep checking www.minotaursband.com That's our new website and it's almost finished!

Two more chances to check out Canada's newest afrobeat ambassadors: October 28th: The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto w/ Siskiyou and Bruce Peninsula. November 5th: The Great Hall, Toronto, NuJazz Festival Launch Party w/ SoulJazz Orchestra and Rich Medina.

For all of you who shook your booty in the daylight yesterday, thanks a bundle. We had a great time in the Forest City.

Check out these reviews!: http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/latestsub.aspx?csid1=146&csid2=870&fid1=48935 And this one!: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/music/the-sound-of-a-fast-rising-river-and-marimba/article1674706/

Okay, bring on the shakeups. Here's a little something you should know. Next week our record "The Thing" comes out. On Tuesday, listen to us on CBC Radio Two Drive with Rich Terfry (even though he's always Buck to us) and as the Disc of the Week in the Globe and Mail Catch us on Vish Khanna's Breakfast Club on CBC Radio 3. Vish is a radio innovator say tune in. Radio is still alive! Vive le! You can pick up the record at most respectable record stores. And by respectable we mean, like you know, decent. There are shows coming up. Check here, it will tell you.

The Minotaurs new afrobeat folk society record entitled "The Thing" will be release digitally on August 3rd and in stores August 17th through the small but mighty label Static Clang.