Transient Random Noisebursts

Don't Mess with the Beast

Just over a year ago we featured Beast's "Mr. Hurricane" on iTunes as a global Single of the Week. So I was especially happy to see that the video for the song was nominated for a Grammy yesterday. Perhaps the one surprise in the mediocrity of the mainstream categories. 

Well, MGMT and David Byrne/Brian Eno being nominated was sweet, too.

After you enjoy the video, you can pick it up on iTunes Canada.

Beast - Mr. Hurricane

Cool Lyrics - Slow Club "Our Most Beautiful Friends"

The bones inside my shins are crumbling.

The bones inside my shins are crumbling. 

The bones inside my shins are crumbling. 

It's from all the crunking I've been doing.

- Slow Club "Our Most Beautiful Friends"

The Live Five

So yesterday i made the bold claim (via @itunescanada) that the Arkells were now one of the best live bands in Canada.

Here are the top five Canadian bands i have seen this year, in alphabetical order as i don't want to put them in order.

• The Arkells (Toronto)
  
• Metric (Montreal)
  
• Patrick Watson (Toronto)
  
• Rah Rah (Hamilton)
  
• Woodhands (Hamilton)
  

Of course, the Pixies at the Casbah in Hamilton would rock this list if it weren't just Canadians. That was a show for the ages.

Frank and Joey

From the Hamilton secret show a few weeks ago. If I had been any closer I would have been in the band.

i'm glad i'm not a musician.

Jon Pareles in the NY Times - Songs from the Heart of a Marketing Plan.

Musicians have to eat and want to be heard, and if that means accompanying someone else’s sales pitch or videogame, well, it’s a living. Why wait for album royalties to trickle in, if they ever do, when licensing fees arrive upfront as a lump sum? It’s one part of the system of copyright regulations that hasn’t been ravaged by digital distribution, and there’s little resistance from any quarters; Robert Plant and Alison Krauss croon for J. C. Penney and the avant-rockers Battles are heard accompanying an Australian vodka ad.

It's a cold world out there. There are fewer outlets to have your music heard. Radio won't help. Video is out. Blogs? iTunes? There's only so much space available after you factor in the big names.

Top 80 songs of 2008

Why 80? Because i have work to do and didn't have time to do 200.

whoa.

Wife found this in the web archive. My top songs of 2003. back when i blogged regularly.

Best Alternative Albums of 2008

iTunes Features

A few new features that i am proud of. And they are full of great music.

Indie Spotlight Canada

Alternative Now - October 2008

Alternative Guilty Pleasures - Vol. 1

Yes, you have to go to the Canadian iTunes Store, but it's worth it.

Something in Your Mouth

I just listened to my first Nickelback song. I was pretty proud that i had gone this long without hearing one. But when your song is called "Something in Mouth" and it's my job to promote it, i want to know what i'm getting into.

I'm not sure that all the words are exact, but this what we hear for the chorus:

"You're ripping up the dance floor. You shake your ass around for everyone I love the way you dance with anybody And tease them all by sucking on your thumb You're so much cooler when you never pull it out Because you're so much cuter with something in your mouth."

Bite me, Nickelback, bite me. This song is like a PSA for rape.