I have forgiven Morrissey

Another "Walking" video - strange how many there are. That latest one, "All You Need Is Me" actually made me chuckle. There's a blog who's author has listed all these "Morrissey Walks". Check out their very valid point HERE.

I love this one though. I cannot resist the lyrics: "Monday - humiliation, Tuesday - suffocation, Wednesday - condescension, Thursday - is pathetic, By Friday life has killed me, By Friday life has killed me, Oh pretty one, Oh pretty one"....

and then this line "And why did you stick me in self deprecating bones and skin?"

I think I found another funeral song.

The Kathleen Edwards' article

So this past Friday, May 16th, 2008, my article for Kathleen Edwards' latest release Asking For Flowers, was published in The News. I'll publish the full review here and make one thing clear: I would NEVER write or describe anything as "genuine gems". That's editing for ya.

Couple of things before the article. First, her official website is really quite lovely. Check out kathleenedwards.com

I found a great photo shoot collection of KE on Flickr here.
Then I found what just may be Kathleen Edwards' own Flickr Site HERE.


This is the unedited, unprofessional version.

Artist: Kathleen Edwards
Album: Asking For Flowers
Label: MapleMusic Recordings
Rating: 8 out of 10

Kathleen Edwards is a musician with a flair for thrashing the monotony of modern-day, anesthetized country music. She’s young, she’s severely talented, and she’s the exact opposite of music’s mainstream. She’s proved herself for a third time with “Asking For Flowers”, a jagged country-alternative album laden with slide guitar, pedal steel, harmonica and piano, all christened by Edwards’ not so perfect but ever provocative voice.

Born only a blink of an eye ago in 1978 in Ottawa, yet Edwards is as confident and reflective as Lucinda Williams. Her radiant 2003 debut album “Failer” wildly transcended the country and folk genres like a bucking bronco. Five years on and still wise beyond her years, these eleven new songs are genuine; heavy with murky, poetic lyrics, all delivered hard with plaintive, true-grit intent.

In the studio she’s taken on co-producer role along with Jim Scott and extolled a pioneer posse of backing musicians. These include Keyboardist Benmont Tench (from Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers), pedal steel ace Greg Liesz (feature musician for Wilco, The Jayhawks and Lucinda Williams), Don Heffington (Bob Dylan’s lineage) and of course her husband, guitarist Colin Cripps, all contribute to this wonderful creation.

From the very first line on the very first track, Edwards establishes certain sentimentality as she wisps “The summer months left me alone/But the fall rolled in on the back of a storm”. With a pesky beat, “The Cheapest Key” is in second position; an alphabetized litany of complaints and objections to perhaps an old boyfriend. But the unquestionable stunner of the album is its unyielding coda, “Goodnight, California”, where Edwards has never sounded so good.

-Stephanie Kiernan, 5/16/08

"He Looks Like an Allman Brother"

I turn on MSNBC and see that Paul Davis has died at the age of 60. Back in the day I loved this song and I used to dart back and forth from CKLG and CFUN just to see if I could catch it playing. I know. Brutal days before having iTunes and playing music on demand.

This song is about the suckiest song you're gonna hear on this blog - so indulge me. No hate mail please. And by the way, had I'd known what a horrific lid he had (God bless his soul), I probably wouldn't have loved the song as much as I did.



Don't even get me started - I'll be posting Ambrosia and Player videos soon.

"Hungry for Change"

Echobelly - so if you don't have any Echobelly, go to HMV and seek out your copy of their 1995 album "ON". It's fantastic front to back, but I have to say "Pantyhose and Roses" and "Something Hot in a Cold Country" are my favorite singles. Oh yes, and "Four Letter Word" is also very good. But then there's "Nobody Like You". It totally reminds me of something Morrissey himself would love.

Now that's something for Morrissey to go do. Team up with Sonya Aurora. What a duo they would make!

Honest Roots Rock: The Jayhawks

One of my musics greatest disappointments is the disappearance of The Jayhawks. Rainy Day Music was the album I first bought of theirs and I played it to death. Jayhawks' frontman, is Gary Louris who reminds me in his looks, of Paul Westerberg. What crazy hair eh? I don't know what it is about them - whether you call it folk or roots rock - they ain't country-western - but they just have an easy-going and such a harmony. You can't find actual Videos of their songs on YouTube, just a bunch of badly recorded live set stuff.

Jayhawks' lyrics are fantastic and most of their stuff I listen to and think "Hey, does that guy know me?" Particularly with "Save It For A Rainy Day" or "Stumbling In The Dark". You can check out their website on Lost Highway HERE, where better quality recordings can be heard.

That's the Jayhawks. Nothing fancy, honest just roots rock.

Blue Merle...

Besides the new Morrissey Greatest Hits completely breaking my heart, so is the fact that the little band that could, Blue Merle, is no longer. They've got a collection of cool roots rock songs that'll please anyone. Except if you're missing your cool bone. If you have the need to do some grave digging, get on the http://www.bluemerle.com/main.html bandwagon. They're fantastic.

Inside The Smiths: They're never getting back together - get over it.

In the crowded downtown HMV store, the pulsating guitar intro of “Irish Blood, English Heart” is amplified over the sound system and with immediate detection I’m grinning to myself. Besides the tattooed and pierced twenty-something employee spinning today’s new CD picks, I am perfectly alone in recognizing Morrissey’s renaissance single from 2004’s You Are The Quarry. Today the single plays as the fourth song on his latest recording, yet another Greatest Hits album.

Considering his solo career has spanned twenty years now, Steven Patrick Morrissey is still far from being a North American household name; typically identified as the former lead singer for The Smiths. Under a veil of uncommonness, Morrissey languishes in the safekeeping of his devotees, sanctioned by ex-Smiths’ patriots and a fierce brigade of Latinos. He has become an icon among the survivors of the by-gone 1980’s rave culture and indeed the most successful out of the former Manchester quartette.

Picking up the pieces immediately following the 1987 demise of The Smiths, issuing his first solo album “Viva Hate” in March of the following year, Morrissey contrives a formula of releasing original albums with B-side compilations and best-ofs in between. Now, several record labels later, he still finds it reasonable to pander an eighth compilation – this one under London’s imperial Decca Music Group. The packaging is gorgeous and features a heavenly black and white close up photograph of Moz with eyes wistfully closed – from about ten years ago albeit. But sadly, the song selection here is quite dumbfounding, too cumbersome with material from his last two studio recordings which aren’t the definitive of Morrissey for anyone. When it finally whirls its way through to track 7, we revive the faithful standby “Everyday Is Like Sunday” and three other interchangeable best-knowns. Thank God for the bonus CD, Live At The Hollywood Bowl and that gorgeous packaging. I ached over his oversight of Piccadilly Palare, At Amber, Boxers and my treasured Late Night, Maudlin Street. It’s simply puritanical of him to omit those and include his cover of Patti Smith’s Redondo Beach on a Greatest Hits.

And as if this were all not enough to make me completely despondent, I then subjected myself to watching the lop-sided documentary film Inside The Smiths, Through the Eyes of Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke, which seemed more like an attempt at time travel for the neglected “rhythm section” of the band than an upright documentary. Curiously devoid of any Smiths soundtrack (more royalty quibbling), the most poignant tangible is that Rourke and Joyce come out as the most devoted of Smiths fans. Yet this doesn’t stop me from wincing at their raw refusal to move on with their careers and lives.

The same cannot be said for Morrissey, who may routinely toss in classic Smiths’ songs at live concerts, he emphatically revolts the idea of reuniting. As for his latest and greatest; this Greatest Hits is a pulverization that shows little of his brilliance and proves his contentment in being the commander-in-chief of his own eccentric musical machine. I love him but I’d never recommend this album-I’d stick with the 2001 The Best of Morrissey.
- Stephanie Kiernan

Birthday wishes to Mr Bach

Today we should all try to improve ourselves by listening to Johann Sebastian Bach, for today is his birthday. Happy birthday old chap.

"I don't know much about erotic art" says he

My God - look how cute he is...Oh Morrissey - where have you gone?!

I never stole one happy hour around here....

I'm trying to get my review started for Morrissey's "Greatest Hits". Unfortunately I'm truly crushed with this 'retrospective' so I'm forced to go back to Morrissey's beginnings - from his first solo album, Viva Hate, I've found this amazing live version of one of my FAVORITE Morrissey songs, "Late Night On Maudlin Street". I'm restored when I absorb this creation - pure Morrissey lyrics and pure melancholy.

The The, a gem in the old iTunes library...

I was playing an old mixed CD in the car tonight on the way home and came across this old favorite - THE THE "Love Is Stronger Than Death". THE THE is the English band Johnny Marr joined post Smiths. The album that this video belongs to is "Dusk" - Great Album and I happen to have the Re-master Edition in my iTunes, thanks of course to my George Harvey - gatekeeper of all 80's alternative UK CDs. The song is blaring in the apartment as I type this.

New City And Colour - an acoustic folk reverie

Artist: City & Colour (Dallas Green)
Album: Bring Me Your Love
Label: Dine Alone Records
Release Date: February 12, 2008
Rating: 8 out of 10

In the complete opposite vane of Dallas Green’s Alexisonfire incarnation, City And Colour releases a second solo album, Bring Me Your Love.

This album is radiating of velvety acoustic authenticity, exceeding the 2005 effort of “Sometimes”, Dallas Green delivers an acoustic-folk reverie that’s bursting with his heartfelt narratives of love, loss and the human condition.

Along with that, the instrumentation is more sophisticated - burrowing down and lifting off with echoing string the odd whiff of Bob Dylan inspired harmonica and banjo. Bring Me Your Love is unpretentious, trustworthy folk-roots based and without a song to dislike. The immediate loves would include “Waiting”, “Constant Knot” and “Sleeping Sickness”, which begins inconspicuously before the tempo is carried up by a hand-clapping chorus, then the recognizable vocal of Gord Downey swaggers through the third verse. Downey’s cameo demonstrates stirring approval of this young Saint Catherine’s talent.

Listening to the City And Colour recordings I feel as though I’m back in the open air of the Malkin Bowl amphitheatre, beguiled by the purity of Dallas Green’s voice and washed away by gentle sashaying guitar. The 2-minute opening track Forgive Me immediately gives that off and as un-commercial as City And Colour is, Jack Johnson might aspire to cover “Against The Grain” or “The Girl” in a live set.

The order of the album is part of Green’s great intuitiveness. Songs fall into place effortlessly and the final track “As Much As I Ever Could” is as soft as silk, transporting the line taken for the album title, bring me your love, to a diaphanous lullaby - until that is, its abrupt end and your iTunes library barrels in The Clash’s Combat Rock.

-- Stephanie Kiernan

And they call themselves, Led Zeppelin

Dallas Green

Whino-house, July, Julie, and throw-backs

A weird topic keeps popping up. It's name is Amy Winehouse. Let me just say this: I don't get it. Thank God for one of my favorite people, who totally NEVER got the attraction from the beginning, I can roll around in a common mind set around this thing.

Let me point you in the direction of people much more talented.

First - if you like blues/jazz, try Jully Black instead. She's like 20x the artist and talent of the winehouse variety and she doesn't have to be crane lifted into a concert hall half conscious. I heard her this morning on the way in - the song was 7-day fool.


(love this photo by the way)

Second, Neko Case. Formerly of Vancouver-based The New Pornographers (that's a band not career title by the way), she's totally cool and a definite throw back. Check out "Hold On" and you'll see what I mean.

Sleeveface me

I'm much more sedate this morning...After my blast/post on Airborne Confessions, I'm busying myself at lunchtime to navigate around some oddball sites and arming myself with novelty. I think I'm in need of some cheering up - same with the New Yorker because of her little pet mouse went to Heaven last week :(

So here it is: something called "Sleeveface". Flickr's got an entire Pool on the matter and I've sourced the best of them here with this guy.

I just may have to rethink my profile picture and exchange it for this one:


You can tell who's got it going on and who aint but their sleeveface, so be prepared to be terrorfied and impressed by a few of them. I couldn't find Tom Waits or Lee Hazelwood. Email me if need be.

k.d. lang's latest recording, Watershed

Watershed Review (published February 15, 2008 North Shore News)
- Stephanie Kiernan \Rating: 7 out of 10

It’s two years short of a decade since k.d. lang gave way to writing and recording her own music, she now comes to us at the age of 46 without frills, props or stunts, pouring forth Watershed – a collection of 11 original songs.
Whether a case of artistic drought or a self-imposed retreat, there is something more innate and profound yet to be unearthed within her mellow scale and tune. Perhaps it’s her found spiritualism as a Buddhist that accentuates the sincerity of these pieces.
Watershed gently trickles through restrained, tolerant and mild sounds that leave little trace of our Prairie prancing cowgirl. Kathy Lang emerges soulful from her quiet L.A. existence to write, perform and even produce her latest endeavor that will take her on full tour of North American dates including an impressive three-night stand in New York – not too shabby.

From the frisk and frolic of Invincible Summer to the honour of reminiscing Canadian classics on Hymns of the 49th Parallel, not to mention the duets with the iconic Tony Bennett, k.d. lang still reminds us of a throw-back of sorts.

What seems to make this album tick is an inconspicuous blend of all her incarnations – but all softening of edges. Tender jazz influences like the bossa nova reverberation gelling with steel guitar and rustic banjo, plush piano and string congealing magically with her distinguished vocals. From the push off of track one, I Dream of Spring (her confessed personal favorite) melding into Je Fais Le Planche and Coming Home, it’s subdued delivery that is uncomplicated and natural; just as our homespun chanteuse has become - at ease and comfortable in her own skin, unpretentious and ever humble.
Whatever her secret in maintaining such strong appeal, Watershed melds and drifts across a Sunday morning playlist like a meditation, easily absorbed through the most brittle of senses.

Finally - break the dullness and the silence!

Thanks to Dan Johnson who gifted me this iTunes video! Bless your heart for understanding me. Especially after a week where THEY KNOW NOTHING OF ME.

I was confused with their name "Pilot Speed" because I immediately thought of Pilate, a Canadian band, which is in my iTunes (album called "Caught by the Window"). Ah ha! Pilot Speed IS formerly Pilate. Okay. That makes sense. Jared needs to go to their MySpace site - check out the song Into Your Hideout - that's the one I knew them by. I love this little video. It reminds me of that Blur video "Good Song" - a sad little cartoon critter - reminding me more of myself these days :( Anyways, these guys are good and I wish I wasn't working on the Watershed review now - I mean, yeah Watershed's okay, but it's just okay - it's exactly what to expect. A mellow little album for Sunday morning coffee. But that's not what makes me tick. I need guts pouring out on the floor - like this song. Real sad. I need REAL SAD dammit! Don't come to me with your drool. I have enough drool at work. Oh no - that's not drool - those are Drips. Right.

Stop and Stare, One Republic

Moz remembers Heath

Apparently Morrissey dedicated "Life Is A Pigsty" to Heath Ledger. I always knew that would be great for an ode or funeral.

Andy Stochansky

I don't know what's going on with this artist - he's absolutely fantastic but incredibly invisible. Dude, get a website! Put your own music on your MySpace!!! Get a video on YouTube for Stutter!!

His voice reminds me of Ryan Adams, kinda rough and yet pliable. I love the song "Stutter", which gets on the radio once in a blue moon. I'm going to do some promotion of my own on this guy. About the only thing you can try is his wikipedia page and purchase his albums on iTunes.

Oncoming Morrissey

With everything that I write or post on this music site, you'd think I should change the name to MozChords or something. Well, here I go again. For the first time in a while, I visited Morrissey's official website which I found a revised home page, an old black and white of Morrissey floating in a swimming pool with the notation COMING SOON: February 11th - Greatest Hits. Being that I purchase anything and everything Morrissey, it won't bother me that I already have all his albums and I'll buy this one as well. I'm Deeee-voted folks - and a little Demented about it. And besides, I think that a new release justifies a new Review for the NSN doesn't it? I'm sure Goodman will publish it. "Write it and they will come."

In other Morrissey related stories, last night after working with my horrendous back pain all day, all I could manage was a thin crust mozzella pizza and a glass (okay three) of champagne then plunk down on the sofa. Before I knew it, I was out; so I didn't go down to Garvey's. He was having a few folks from work over which included Dubliner, Adrian. About 10 minutes after midnight I get awoken by the phone only to hear that I missed out on how much a Morrissey fan Adrian is. Of course he is. Bugger. And think of all the wonderful things we could have hashed over, and over and over? Somehow a guy from Ireland or England talking about mutual love of Morrissey and The Smiths just makes me feel a bit closer to...God. Anyway, in the haze I think John said that Adrian was talking about the film or video where they follow Morrissey around LA. Well, that would be from "The Importance of Being Morrissey".

Great Lake Swimmers (Ontario band)

John gave me The Great Lake Swimmers, - their Ongiara CD.  It's simply easy to listen to - Sunday morning music that reminds me of Neil Young.  I'd classify it as folk and my favorite song on the album would have to be this one: 

Out of Tune and Off Key-Who Cares?

Flickr Credit



In the history of music, why are there still people who complain about “bad singers”? Bob Dylan doesn’t sound like Andrea Bocelli, but who cares? Bad singers are among my most loved and adored. I’ve had this conversation with a few people in “the know”; people who know music – who wouldn’t be caught dead with Bryan Adams or Beyonce in their iTunes library.

My first example would be Bob Dylan. I don't think I need to type anything more on that. Second, Mick Jagger isn't exactly singing like an angel either. Doesn't stop us from playing Rolling Stones' classics does it?

Feature example: The Arcade Fire’s lead singer, Win Butler, has the vocal timbre that leaves you scrumaging through your purse for Ricola cough drops – at least DB thinks he “needs a cough drop”. Hey dude, that’s the lovable characteristic of the Arcade Fire sound – so what - it’s indulgent and it’s different.

Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips sings off key in most of his songs. Take that “A Change At Christmas” song for starters. Who cares – again I underline this is delectable on their part. Playful and yet very cool at the same time.

just because

Find out for yourself

Remembering Dan Fogelberg...

Well there's too many windows
in this old hotel
And rooms filled with reckless pride
And the walls have grown sturdy
And the halls have worn well
But there is nobody living inside
Nobody living inside...

Gonna pull in the shutters
On this heart of mine
Roll up the carpets and pull
in the blinds
And retreat to the chambers that
I left behind
In hopes there still may be
Love left to find
Still may be love left to find.

Seek inspiration in daily affairs
Now your soul is improper
and requires repairs
And the voices you hear at the
top of the stairs
Are only echoes of unanswered prayers
Echoes of unanswered prayers.

Well there's too many windows
in this old hotel
And rooms filled with reckless pride
And the walls have grown sturdy
And the halls have worn well
But there is nobody living inside
Nobody living inside... 

Got Morrissey?

They say there's too much caffeine in your blood stream And a lack of real spice in your life



Last night I had John, the construction handy man in to fix one of my dimmer lights (yes I really do have a strong conviction for dimmer switches) and he noticed my Morrissey albums on the hallway table. "Oh who's M-o-r-r-ees-y?" Oh God I thought. This guys got to be at least 50 and he doesn't know who Morrissey is? And even worse, he didn't know who The Smiths were, adding further frustration in my attempt to explain who Morrissey was. I know. There's so much ignorance in the world it's shocking. I pointed to my refrigerator door where my beloved is stuck and then I took him over to the iMac and pulled up some classic Smiths for him to hear - you know, in hopes that something might jog loose in his brain. But nothing did. Poor old soul. This got me thinking this morning about a list of favorite Smiths' songs. A list of must haves and "must get" - as in "do you get it?".

So here goes in no particular order (other than scrolling through my iTunes and the fact that I placed "There Is A Light" last because it really is my absolute favorite Smiths' single), song titles and album:


Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now (Louder Than Bombs)
The Headmaster Ritual (Meat Is Murder)
Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours (Strangeways, Here We Come)
Well I Wonder (Meat Is Murder)
Bigmouth Strikes Again (The Queen Is Dead)
I Know It’s Over (The Queen Is Dead)
This Charming Man (The Smiths)
Hand In Glove (The Smiths)
Still Ill (The Smiths)
Half A Person (Louder Than Bombs)
What Difference Does It Make? (The Smiths)
Ask (Louder Than Bombs)
Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (The Queen Is Dead)
Shoplifters Of The World Unite (Louder Than Bombs)
That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore (Meat Is Murder)
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Queen Is Dead)

The More You Ignore Me

Classic Moz.

The Best Of 2007

Friday afternoon Mr. Goodman at the NSN emailed me to let me in on his annual list of Top Ten Albums. The lists will be published in the December 14th issue.

These are NOT in order - it's hard enough to narrow things down to ten selections you'd recommend as "must-haves", never mind giving them priority or preference. But I will clarify that the reason LCD Soundsystem makes my list is that James Murphy is a brilliant musician and songwriter whom deserves recognition for this 2007 critically acclaimed recording. It's certainly not for everyone.

If you must surrender to the loathsome consumerism of the season, then I recommend straightening out someone's horrendous music collection with anyone of these gems.

1. "We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank", from Modest Mouse - released March 07


2. "Cease To Begin" from Band of Horses - released October 07


3. "In Rainbows" from Radiohead - released October 07


4. "Hospital Music" from Matthew Good -July 07


5. "Shine" from Joni Mitchell - released September 07


6. "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" from Spoon - July 07


7. "The World Is Yours" from Ian Brown -September 07


8. "Neon Bible" from Arcade Fire - March 07


9. "The Reminder" from Feistk - March 07


10. "Sounds Of Silver" from LCD Soundsystem - March 07

Songs from Cat Power's Jukebox Revealed

The amended title of Chan Marshall's eighth (!) album has been revealed. No longer entitled "Covers Record 2", she discloses the tracklisting and artwork for "Jukebox", and a release date of January 22, 2008. Though the Cat Power album is almost all but cover tunes, she's included two original recordings, "Metal Heart" and track four "Song To Bobby", for her adoration of Bob Dylan.

Cat Power – Jukebox Tracklist:

1. Theme From 'New York, New York' - (Written by Fred Ebb/John Kander)
2. Metal Heart - (Written by Chan Marshall)
3. Ramblin' (Wo)man - (Written by Hank Williams)
4. Song To Bobby - (Written by Chan Marshall)
5. Aretha, Sing One For Me - (Written by J Harris/Eugene William)
6. Lost Someone - (Written by James Brown/Bobby Byrd/Lloyd Stallworth)
7. I Believe In You - (Written by Bob Dylan)
8. Fortunate Son - (Written by John Fogerty)
9. Silver Stallion - (Written by Lee Clayton)
10. Dark End of the Street - (Written by Chips Moman/Dan Penn)
11. Don't Explain - (Written by Arthur Herzog, Jr./Billie Holiday)
12. Woman Left Lonely - (Written by Spooner Oldham/Dan Penn)

So what is CAT POWER? Cat Power is the stage name of Chan (pronounced Shawn) Marshall, a talented and shy singer-songwriter from the Southern United States. She's been recording her music since 1995. Some critics have cited her as the reluctant musician because of her severe stage-fright and live performance abrupt 'slip aways'. Her early live performances had been muted and tainted by influence of alcohol, making concerts messy and unprofessional. As of late, sober and fully committed to her craft, she's brought new life to a polished delivery. Perhaps the success of 2006's "The Greatest" allowed this to happen.

Her music is all encompassing - Folk, Soul, Blues, Funk, Indie-Rock. Her influences are far and wide - as reflected in her upcoming album. I for one, will be making this a must CD purchase and I'd even take a chance to attend one of her shows - slip away or not.

DISCOGRAPHY:
Dear Sir CD/LP(10") (reissued CD/LP(12") 2001, Plain recordings)
Myra Lee (1996, Smells Like Records)
What Would the Community Think (1996, Matador Records)
Moon Pix (1998, Matador Records)
The Covers Record (2000, Matador Records)
You Are Free (2003, Matador Records) US #105, UK #157
The Greatest (2006, Matador Records) US #34, UK #45, CAN #63, AUS #26
Jukebox (2008, Matador Records)