artist Teenage Kicks

I'm not very good at keeping up with new music, so I still haven't listened to the new Black Keys record, but on Pat's recommendation I picked up "Attack & Release", one of their older records.  I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but I'm sure it's good.

Peter grabbed Black Mountain's new record "Wilderness Heart" and we've been thoroughly enjoying "The Hair Song".

As I said before, I'm not very good at keeping up with new music, but I saw this video today and I had to share it.  With so many bands these days, making new and interesting music is pretty difficult, but making new and interesting music that is good is even more difficult.  This band is called Sleigh Bells and they're a two piece.  The guitarist used to play in Poison The Well but I'm not sure if the girl is from anywhere.  Enjoy the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhYYd5adVY4&feature=player_embedded

- Jeff

So this week I bought Soundgarden’s “Telephantasm” on vinyl.  Yes, I realize that Soundgarden don’t need my support, but how could I resist six sides of them?  Also, the cover is absolutely ridiculous.  I don’t know if it’s a joke or not, but it was definitely a selling point.

Soundgarden were one of the bands Peter and I grew up listening to.  As a kid, you hear adults listening to stuff and as a result, you latch onto that as well.  Now that I’m an adult, I can really appreciate Soundgarden.  They’re one of the most inventive mainstream bands I’ve ever heard, and Chris Cornell’s abilities as a singer and songwriter are surpassed by few.

Now, let us all forget about the past ten years for Cornell (minus a few Audioslave tunes), and just remember the glory of Superunknown and Down On The Upside.

- Jeff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0S2N_WcjNM

In keeping up with Peter’s theme of showing love to local bands, I wanted to put up some Birthday Boys stuff.  They’re currently writing/recording a song a day (for thirty days) on their national tour.  Check that out here. My personal favorite so far can be seen above.  If you’re in Toronto on October 29th, go see them at the Piston, it’ll be a good time.

Yesterday I downloaded the new Best Coast record, I’ve heard good things and I wanted to hear the plethora of Phil Spector comparisons for myself. The first song “Boyfriend” was great, but passed that I can’t tell you much about the record; this is because everything from there on was a ten second clip followed by Seinfeld quotes. I’m not sure if this was their label Mexican Summer’s doing, but I will 100 percent buy this album, it’s a bonus that I was really into the first tune, but this, my internet friends is the kind of thing that sets me off. I’m not sure if it’s because I like Seinfeld, or because I think everything should be humorous, but this is some good marketing.

Kudos to you Best Coast.

“Well, I had sex with your wife!”                                                      

“George, his wife is in a coma.”

Jeff and I decided this week that it would be a good idea to make a point of each buying one record a week. This week I bought Band of Horses’ new record ‘Infinite Arms’ on Patrick’s suggestion and Jeff went digital with Birthday Boys’ ‘Tin Head’ (highly recommended). Our reason for doing this you might ask? We download a lot of music, and we do buy records, but the majority of the records we buy are either 40 yrs old or are being bought to replace the CD version we already have. We try to stay off the dreaded guest list and help bands that way, but that isn’t always enough. McDonalds has become somewhat of a staple in the van Helvoort pre-work diet, and it seemed like a good idea to take the money that’s contributing to our unflattering figures and throw into something that’s a bit better for us. Support your favorite band, or take a chance on something you’ve never heard before, sometimes that ‘chance’ will end up being your new favorite band. In closing, before you take another bite of that delicious Sausage McMuffin, or another sip of your tentalizing Vodka Ice Cooler, visit your local record store and help a band out. Everyone loves music in one form or another, but the amount of time and dedication that is needed to get said music from the songwriter’s brain to the listener’s Ipod is significantly more then that of a hobbyist, just remember, I want to do this for the rest of my life and even I forget how important it is to support musicians. To those who support music, I commend you, why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?

ps, Criminal Records (West of Spadina on Queen St.) now has copies of our 7”. Five dollars. Get them while they’re moderately hot.

pps, We saw the fellow from Diamond Rings yesterday and we were astounded by his height which prompted us to check out some of the new stuff he’s posted from his forthcoming EP. Check out ‘Something Else’.

http://www.myspace.com/diamondrings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whv1tLqKZig

I’m going to try and write a weekly post about a ‘localish’ band that I enjoy that I think you should also enjoy. First up is Ottawa/Montreal area band Hollerado, whom most of you are probably already familiar with.

When Ulysses first started, Menno messaged us on the ol’ myspace and told me they were playing a show down the street from where Jeff and I were living in Guelph. My financial state was fairly dire at the time and I (foolishly) asked if he could get me on guest list. When I got to the show there were only about five people there and I felt like a massive d-bag. I’ve seen them play in front of five people and I’ve seen them play in front of 300 people and their performance was virtually the same, this is because they have the best attitudes of any band I’ve ever seen in my 25 years on this planet. They make you feel like you’re wanted and that you’re included in their music, and I think inclusion is something that we all look for in finding new music, we need it to relate to us in some way - this is way harder to achieve then one might think.

Musically they’ve been compared to Blue Album Weezer, I don’t think they sound much like Weezer (their Southern Souls song is fairly Weezer-esque though), but I think they make people feel the way they did growing up and listening to Weezer, and that my friends, is some powerful shit. Their music is incredibly hooky but has so much character and personality to it that sounds nothing like any bands you’ve heard of but reminds you of a million bands you know. The way they ‘market’ Hollerado is probably the part I like the most, from the literal ‘Record In A Bag’, to their recent ‘fake interview ad’ in Exclaim, to their new video for ‘Americanarama’ (posted above) which is probably the best video I’ve seen in a long, long time. Everything is so fresh with them, and I can’t help but be envious of the ingenuity and originality they’ve been showing. I keep thinking they can’t out do what they just did, but they always do, especially with that new music video.

Good things will keep happening to this band, because they are either the nicest, sweetest people in the world, or they are just very good actors. They’ve already won 250k, they gave their old van away to a lucky band, won a casby, and most recently had their friends and fans paint their van for them. Please, do yourself a favor and check this band out, if you’re in Toronto you should go see them play the Horseshoe next Saturday with Free Energy and our friends The Reason.

www.myspace.com/hollerado

- Peter

When I was younger my dad would always sing and play “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, I was absolutely enamored by that song, but it wasn’t until I was much older that I discovered The Band for myself. Levon’s southern drawl and Robbie’s adventurous song writing style are as much of an influence on the way I sing and play guitar as my beloved John Fogerty. Most recently I’ve been going back in time and listening to how they changed rock music as Dylan’s backing band “The Hawks” back in ‘66. (Listen to the Live at Royal Albert Hall bootleg and you’ll know what I mean)

Check out this video from 1970, around the time they released Stage Fright and just before Robbie started to distance himself from the rest of the guys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_hsp4SBwO4

I couldn’t find a video of ‘Jemima Surrender’, but that song just makes me move, great tune. Check it out if you get a chance.

ps, recording is going swimmingly, you might get to hear something after all.

pps, that new Kings Of Leon album is interesting… “We’ll all gather around like it’s your birthday”

Spent most of the weekend demoing new songs you probably won’t hear, but it’s good for you to know about. 

Otherwise, it’s cold outside, and as a result, it’s cold inside our house as well.  Bummer.

Final words?  Buy more music.

- Jeff

Photo from Brooks Reynolds:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs343.ash2/62345_435227732631_501327631_5139282_2585081_n.jpg

If you’re in any of these cities, come check us out.

St. Catharines @ Mansion House - Oct. 8th

Waterloo @ Maxwells Music House - Oct. 15th w/ Gentlemen Husbands

Guelph @ Jimmy Jazz - Oct. 30th

Toronto @ the Horseshoe Tavern - Nov. 11th w/ Clothes Make the Man (CD Release)

- Jeff

Here are some videos from our shoot (in the river) with Swedish Heartthrob Johanna Torrel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw2t_yuy7vw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWatDz2Mcbk

And hey, this is cool too:

Thanks, Alan Cross.

- Jeff

Just a quick post to remind all 2 of our fans that we're playing Sneaky Dee's tomorrow night in celebration of our first 7" record 'Shook Our Bones'".

Lots of fun, many surprises, an enjoyable Friday night for all those involved.

Peter

Hey y'all,

Our vinyl release show is just around the corner with the almighty Bad Ideas, uncompromising Sandman Viper Command and the terribly hurtful Greys. Next Friday August 20th we will be taking the stage @ Sneaky Dees in Toronto in order to release our new 7 inch single "Shook Our Bones". All are invited, all are welcome.

See you then radioland.

T. Kicks

This is the first, hopefully not the last.

I have just discovered Montreal's 'Final Flash', pretty darned cool.