Blog malaise continued

I remember when I started this thing I was thrilled to pieces to have my own little corner of cyberspace. Still am. But the opportunity, not to mention the weather has kind of dampened my enthusiasm just a tad. But it looks like some good music coming our way.

Trying to copy and paste the playlist again:

Wolf Eyes Rattle Snake Shake Burned Mind Sub Pop
Comets On Fire Whiskey River Blue Cathedral Sub Pop
Joy Zipper In the Never Ending Search for a Suitable Enemy American Whip Dangerbird

Don't know how well that'll come out....

Revised playlist for the next week:
2/7: M.I.A., Marianne Faithfull, Ted Leo
And lots of cool stuff all around happening in February. See you more then.
Check out LCD Soundsystem and Bambix on tomorrow's show!

Fame not fortune

Boy, the station is just about everywhere these days. Jen and Joey made last week's edition of the Insider, Pete Spaker graced the cover of the Our Towns section in this morning's D&C. What about the alternative station DJ/librarian? Ah well, perhaps best to retain minor obscurity and be done with it. Though I do have some forthcoming notoriety, first reported downblog.

Best to all you guys at the station, we do rule, don't we?

Fresh updates

Nice having a computer at a home, I get to update the playlist only an hour after the show. Bit of a rough show tonight, hope we didn't offend too many ears.

Tentative playlists:
1/31: Bambix, LCD Soundsystem
2/7: Asthmatic Kitty (label)
2/14: Valentine's Day, no Bob
2/21: Bests, vol. 1: Pearl Jam, The Verve, Placebo
2/28: Bests, vol. 2: Trevor Horn, Fuzzbox, ???
3/7: Spotlight Review's 16th Anniversary!!

Blog Malaise?

They mentioned on the Today Show this morning that a British psychologist said that today was the worst Monday of the year, due to weather, post-holiday stress and a zillion other factors. For me that would include the ride into work and the fact that Johnny Carson is no longer here.
Dang.

Ah well, new show tonight and some shaping up for the weeks ahead. Haven't been too jazzed about anything at the moment except for that Low album and that Kylie album from 1994. Joe should have a copy of the forthcoming LCD Soundsystem CD for me, let's see if it lives up to the hype.

NR: Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet #15

From the finest small press around, the latest outburst. This journal really makes my day when it comes, and I even get the chocolate subscription whereupon Gavin and Kelly throw in a super-deluxe chocolate bar to savor. (Which has already been achieved on this end). So far, some pretty intriguing stories this issue. And I so can not wait for Kelly Link's book out this spring. Looking like a good year all around once we're past the hump.

And I heard from a lost friend who I lost touch with about 5 years back. Hope she's reading this.

Back in the saddle

New playlist here.

Kind of quiet around here, maybe it's seasonal affective disorder or something. Anyway, more to come shortly. Next week: Wolf Eyes, Comets on Fire (did I say Comet Gain earlier?), and Joy Zipper.

NR: Eileen Gunn--"Stable Strategies and Others"
NP: Kylie Minogue--"Kylie Minogue" (1994)

Big update

Thanks to Shana and Katrina for filling in, the boss is back though this Monday.
Here's some upcoming shows, tentatively:

1/17: Junior Kimbrough, Magnapop, Low
1/24: Wolf Eyes, Comet Gain, Joy Zipper?
1/31: Bambix, Asthmatic Kitty (label)
2/7: Pearl Jam, Verve, ??

Went to Toronto yesterday to see the Picasso exhibit of ceramics at the Gardiner Museum. It's over on the beautiful U of T campus, and is a real treat. Natch, there was a soundtrack along the way, so here's a listing of car music, a neat encapsulation of the last few weeks of listening:
Ani DiFranco--"Knuckle Down"
Kylie--"Ultimate Kylie" (disc 1)
Armand Van Helden--"NY Party"
Low--"The Great Destroyer"
Skye Sweetnam--"Noise From the Basement"
Gwen Stefani--"LAMB"
Junior Boys--"Last Exit"
Wilco--"A Ghost Is Born"

NR: "Sergeant Chip"--Bradley Denton

Oversight

NP: Wilco--"A Ghost is Born"
Holy crap, where've I been? Even though I loved "Being There" and the Guthrie albums, I resisted listening to this one because the previous two Wilco albums, particularly YHF, seemed overhyped and just didn't do it for me. But after showing up on so many year-end lists, I figured what the hey and popped it in. And by golly, what we have here is an intricate thing of beauty, slow-building guitar epics, and none of the look-how-cleverisms of the predecessors. I wasn't even sure I was listening to the same band for a few songs. It still wouldn't knock any out of my top 5 for 2004 below, but right now, it's ruling the car CD player.
And they're on Letterman tonight too!

UPDATE, 1/8: I neglected to mention that the second-to-last song is truly next-to-unlistenable, so another point or two for a return to self-indulgence for at least one track. But that's why they make cd players with skip buttons.
Also, Wilco on Austin City Limits on Saturday too.

Best of 2004

The Indie Show was a wonderful one last night, you can catch the playlist here.
I saved the list as a word doc, so if you come along to it later and it's gone, e-mail me and I'll send a copy. Don't all rush at once.

For the quick skinny, here's my top 5 bands for 2004:
1.) Junior Boys
2.) The New Pornographers
3.) Broken Social Scene
4.) Low
5.) The Arcade Fire

1 & 5 speak for themselves with their own releases, but 2 didn't have a proper one, though Neko, Carl, Todd, and Dan all released above-average work. 3 had a compilation, but Leslie Feist really led the charge, with Apostle of Hustle, Stars, Jason Collett, and Valley of the Giants all spinning along in orbit. 4 had the most beautiful box set, a tribute CD of varying quality, an import DVD worth tracking down, and the first great album of 2005.

NP: Magnapop--"Mouthfeel"

Teasers

Once again, tune in to the Indie Show Wednesday from 8 to 10 for the Spotlight Review's Best of 2004 Plus, a guaranteed good time. We won't spill who our top 5 picks are but here's a few clues:

--4 of the bands are from Canada, and one might as well be.
--3 of the bands did not even have a proper release in the year 2004, though by ancilliary projects, compilations, and the like, they still made their mark.
--we've heard one of the bands forthcoming album for 2005, and it looks like already it will be one of the year's best albums.

NP: The Go! Team--"Thunder, Lightning, Strike"

Show news and guilty pleasures

No show tonight, except if Katrina is deciding to take a stab at it again...
But if you do happen upon this, please please tune in this Wednesday the 5th on the Indie Show from 8 to 10 PM for the Spotlight's review of 2004. It's shaping up to be a fine show indeed.

Here's some stuff that won't be on it:

Kylie Minogue--"Ultimate Kylie"
Girls Aloud--"What Will the Neighbours Say"
Skye Sweetnam--"Noise From the Basement"
Mandy Moore--"Best"
Gwen Stefani--"Love.Angel.Music.Baby"