For some reason that passeth all human understanding, I had convinced myself that the band MARITIME originated from some northern European nation. Taking their nautical name as both cue and clue, I logically deduced that they must make their home in Copenhagen or Oslo; Helsingborg or Gothenburg.
But no. Milwaukee, actually. As in, Wisconsin. USA. Oops. Blessed are the cheesemakers.
(In my defense, Milwaukee DOES rest on a body of water (Lake Michigan), and the state of Wisconsin DOES contain the towns of "Denmark," "Norway" and "West Sweden." Just a little FYI to tide you over till your TGIF.)
Anyway... in the right light and from the most advantageous angles, Maritime's particular brand of indie guitar-pop should be sufficiently hale and handsome to get you into bed with them. Their third album, HERESY AND THE HOTEL CHOIR, will see its U.S. release on October 16.
MARITIME on MySPACE.
MARITIME out west >>>
Oct 11 2007 8:00P/Showbox Theater/Seattle, Washington
Oct 12 2007 7:00P/Performing Arts Center Main/Bellingham, Washington
Oct 13 2007 8:30P/Towne Lounge/Portland, Oregon
Oct 14 2007 7:00P/The Fillmore/San Francisco, California
Oct 16 2007 7:00P/The Wiltern/Los Angeles, California
Oct 17 2007 8:30P/Viper Room/Los Angeles, California
Oct 18 2007 7:00P/House of Blues/Anaheim, California
Oct 19 2007 7:00P/House of Blues/San Diego, California
Oct 20 2007 7:00P/The Joint/Las Vegas, Nevada
From the LP HERESY AND THE HOTEL CHOIR, 2007 >>>
[MP3] "For Science Fiction"
[MP3] "Are We Renegade"
From the LP WE, THE VEHICLES, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "German Engineering"
From the LP GLASS FLOOR, 2004 >>>
[MP3] "A Night Like This"
As a general rule, I don't make a habit of posting on artists that I don't like. I mean, why the hell would I? This is MY blog, after all -- one of the very few things in this world that I can actually call my own.
Sometimes, though, I fall prey to a moth-to-flame compulsion to listen to anything and everything that comes down the pop-rock pike. It may be some artist the blogosphere has gone absolutely bang-a-gong batshit for (are people REALLY enjoying the new DEVENDRA BANHART and BEIRUT records?!). Other times, I find myself unable to resist listening to the stuff that sells boo coo units. Of course, I do this merely to keep the common touch -- to suss out what's-what with the great unwashed.
I lay all of this out as a means of explaining and excusing my having listened to BOTH of JAMES BLUNT's albums -- 2005's BACK TO BEDLAM and the new ALL THE LOST SOULS. Suffice it to say, I do not recommend either opus. Each has the flavor and consistency of cardboard that's been left soaking in a rancid vat of Earl Grey tea. In other words: It's music your grandma can groove to.
So... it may be nothing more than a pointless exercise in turd-polishing to single out a track from each of Blunt's records that stands out -- ever-so-slightly -- from the rest of the sap and pap. But I'm pretty much committed to this now, and my tenth and eleventh listens to IN RAINBOWS can wait a few minutes....
JAMES BLUNT on MySPACE.
From the LP ALL THE LOST SOULS, 2007 >>>
[MP3] "Give Me Some Love"
From the LP BACK TO BEDLAM, 2005 >>>
[MP3] "High"
Canadian singer-songwriter RON SEXSMITH is a lot like his mother country -- chronically and criminally underappreciated.
Now, it's certainly true: The guy ain't flashy. His melodies and arrangements tend to be simple and straightforward. Uncluttered. "Workmanlike," one might say. Others have said: "Earnest." "Melancholic." And PAUL McCARTNEY and ELVIS COSTELLO -- two guys who tend to know a thing or three about melodies and arrangements -- have said that Sexsmith is an exemplary tunesmith.
And that's plenty good enough for me.
RON SEXSMITH on MySPACE.
RON SEXSMITH in his mother country & Michigan >>>
Oct 11 2007 8:00P/Chester Playhouse/Chester, Nova Scotia
Oct 12 2007 8:00P/Astor Theatre/Liverpool, Nova Scotia
Oct 13 2007 8:00P/Rebecca Cohn Arts Center/Halifax, Nova Scotia
Oct 14 2007 8:00P/The Playhouse/Fredericton, New Brunswick
Oct 16 2007 8:00P/Capitol Theatre/Moncton, New Brunswick
Oct 17 2007 8:00P/Festival Theatre/Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Oct 18 2007 8:00P/Confederation Centre/Charlottetown, Prince Edward
Oct 19 2007 8:00P/Holy Heart of Mary Theatre/St. Johns, Newfoundland
Oct 21 2007 8:00P/Magic Bag/Ferndale, Michigan
From the LP TIME BEING, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "I Think We're Lost"
[MP3] "Cold Hearted Wind"
From the LP RETRIEVER, 2004 >>>
[MP3] "How on Earth"
From the LP COBBLESTONE RUNWAY, 2002 >>>
[MP3] "Gold in Them Hills" [w/CHRIS MARTIN]
From the LP BLUE BOY, 2001 >>>
[MP3] "Miracle in Itself"
From the LP OTHER SONGS, 1997 >>>
[MP3] "At Different Times"
I have no idea how well-known or well-regarded the Irish quartet DIRECTOR is in the UK; here in the U.S., these lads haven't even achieved blip-on-the-radar-screen status. Citing GRANDADDY, MUSE, and THE STROKES as modern-day influences, Director released their debut LP last year. It is currently available to the world on iTUNES.
DIRECTOR on MySPACE.
[MP3] [VID] "Reconnect"
[MP3] "She's Saying Things"
LEVY is the "band" headed by Brooklynite JAMES LEVY. I liked the song "Rotten Love" (and the all-too-short "You Be Sweet") back in '05, but I didn't realize at the time that Mr. Levy is (apparently) big on religion. On his new album GLORIOUS (out in the UK today), the title tune may well be best-in-show, musically-speaking. Lyrically-speaking, it's enough to make this non-believer drop to his knees and pray for Levy (and his generic, repetitive, glory-be-to-god claptrap) to be struck dead and/or dumb by a sudden slash of lightning.(Unless, of course, he meant it all in an "ironic" way. In which case: my apologies.)Regardless, I couldn't quite bring myself to offer up that particular song for your perusal. Instead, I'm offering up OTHER songs,as such....LEVY on MySPACE.
From the LP GLORIOUS, 2007 >>>
[MP3] "Mint"
[MP3] "Beneath 'Em All"
From the LP ROTTEN LOVE, 2005 >>>
[MP3] "Rotten Love"
[MP3] "You Be Sweet"
More Canadians! And why the hell not?
Alas, like CRASH VEGAS, power-pop Torontoans TREBLE CHARGER are no longer a going concern. In fact, they've been disbanded since 2002. I never got the memo, so I will not be dissuaded....
From the LP WIDE AWAKE BORED, 2000 >>>
[MP3] "More's the Pity"
From the LP MAYBE IT'S ME, 1997 >>>
[MP3] "Ever She Flows"
[MP3] "Christ is on the Lawn"
It's Thanksgiving in Canada today. I'll refrain from informing them that the REAL Thanksgiving isn't until November 22; that little revelation just might break their kind, gentle hearts.
CRASH VEGAS is a Canadian group. They're not together anymore. When they WERE together, they trafficked in folk/shoegaze pop. You can hear a bit of that below on the quite pretty "Beguiling." "On and On" has an autumnal, "California Dreamin'" thing goin' on. And "Pocahontas" is downright perky.
We thank you, Canada. For Crash Vegas, NEIL YOUNG, and ice hockey, just for starters....[MP3] "On and On (Lodestar)"[MP3] "Pocahontas" [NEIL YOUNG cover][MP3] "Beguiling"
For some reason that passeth all human understanding, I had convinced myself that the band MARITIME originated from some northern European nation. Taking their nautical name as both cue and clue, I logically deduced that they must make their home in Copenhagen or Oslo; Helsingborg or Gothenburg.
