tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21956136865810461402011-11-15T19:39:37.587-08:00regular doses of things that make you canadianAndrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.comBlogger641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-27098357260556653292009-04-23T09:47:00.000-07:002009-04-23T09:56:21.579-07:00

cross-posted at NXEW.caIt's hard to say what role Hot Hot Heat play in the Canadian music scene. The Victoria quartet (who have gone through a few original members over the years) have been around since '99, though you could argue that their modern incarnation didn't start until 2002 with the release of their debut full-length Make Up the Breakdown. Even so, that puts them smack dab in the middle

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-3759760632031479352009-04-17T07:00:00.000-07:002009-04-17T07:46:35.695-07:00

Cross-posted at nxew.ca. While physically I am here in the city of perpetual flowers (Victoria), spiritually, I am in Prince George, and it's on days like today I miss my northern home. Because, as you should know, tomorrow is Record Store Day, and where better to celebrate than in Canada's Number One Independent Record Store? So, if you happen to be in downtown PG this week, head over to

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-5847056596017142472009-04-05T21:00:00.000-07:002009-04-05T21:00:00.489-07:00

Cross-posted on nxew.caYou may remember the Raccoons as a classic Canadian cartoon portraying the adventures of Bert Raccoon and his friends in Evergreen Forest. However, I predict that within a few months, the top Google result for "The Raccoons music" will be not "The UnOfficial Raccoons Homepage" (as good as this page is), but instead the website of Victorian up-and-comers the Raccoons. The

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-31484913459340443872009-04-05T15:32:00.001-07:002009-04-05T15:32:44.601-07:00

If you've never been to the Alix Goolden Hall in Victoria, British Columbia, then consider yourself among those who have not experienced one of the better concert venues around. And if you've never seen Jill Barber in concert, then consider yourself among those who have not experienced one of Canada's better live performances. And so, if you were among those who saw Ms. Barber at the Alix Goolden

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-44484652155328580632009-04-01T18:28:00.000-07:002009-04-01T18:29:20.897-07:00

It's been a good, long while since I posted here, and yet I'm still getting something like twenty visitors a day, so I should probably start up again. Before we get to today's post, let me just point you in the direction of a new, pan-Canadian music blog I've been writing for, called North by East West, and which seems to be taking off very nicely. So, what I want to direct your attention to is

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-65871779584540761112009-03-04T20:55:00.000-08:002009-03-04T20:55:47.435-08:00

I talked about how great Nathan Fielder was on This Hour Has 22 Minutes before on this blog, but have been somewhat less impressed with his output this season. I haven't caught the last few episodes, but I just found this one from two weeks ago. It works if you're into this sort of humour.

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-61979778730979704002009-02-27T20:18:00.000-08:002009-02-27T20:53:54.083-08:00

If you read this site, you're probably a fan of Canadian music. And if you're a fan of Canadian music, then I almost guarantee that you listen to CBC Radio 3 (if you don't, you should). Well, it seems that due to the financial situation taking on the world, Radio 3 might be on the chopping block. This is a problem. To my mind, CBC Radio 3 is one of the most important components of the Canadian

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-18644861863183150342009-02-26T08:07:00.000-08:002009-02-26T08:07:55.471-08:00

 I'm a bit behind on my live reviews, so I'm condensing them into one post here. First, the Tranzmitors at Lucky Bar last Friday. I was relieved to see that Lucky, which I'm going to be seeing more than a few more shows at, is a good and honest rock bar, well set up for drinking, dancing, or just watching. The Tranzmitors make the kind of music for doing the first two, and the audience obliged.

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-5712495357631989712009-02-25T09:00:00.000-08:002009-02-25T09:00:00.992-08:00

What's to say? If you've listened to Hawksley Workman lately, you know that he's one of the best (and most prolific) singer-songwriters in Canada, putting out two albums last year alone, one focused on pop and ballads and the other more dance-rock. If you haven't listened to him lately, you probably think of him as the guy who did "Striptease," and "Jealous of Your Cigarette" and not much else.

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-17605989890654625852009-02-24T18:54:00.000-08:002009-02-24T20:11:04.401-08:00

Tuesday Revue: In which I write about the new releases that might actually be worth checking out.The Tuesday Revue: Remember back before the internet? Back when if you wanted to hear a new album you actually had to wait for it to be released, and then go, physically GO, buy it? Those days sucked, right? But there was also something to the experience of carefully considering which works were worth

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-57608527179759546622009-02-24T17:00:00.000-08:002009-02-24T20:09:46.596-08:00

Tuesday Revue: In which I write about the new releases that might actually be worth checking out.The Tuesday Revue: Remember back before the internet? Back when if you wanted to hear a new album you actually had to wait for it to be released, and then go, physically GO, buy it? Those days sucked, right? But there was also something to the experience of carefully considering which works were worth

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-78811783831730434582009-02-23T10:54:00.000-08:002009-02-23T10:54:42.624-08:00

This image is taken from Chester Brown's comic strip biography of Louis Riel. If you haven't read it, you really should. It's available here (scroll down a fair ways). I like this article by Stephen Marche in this weekend's edition of the National Post. It's mostly about this ongoing conflict over the reenactment of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, but more broadly its a reflection on how

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-75303500090521555492009-02-22T20:43:00.000-08:002009-02-22T23:43:09.774-08:00

Help me decide the 110 Best Things About Canadian Music Over the Last 10 Years If you want to know the rules, click here. Like many music lovers, I'm one of those people who enjoys lists. I'm not High-Fidelity compulsive about it, but at the very least I use the month of December to review the year in music and compile a list of what I think was the best to come out of the last 365 days,

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-80400745274631151262009-02-22T19:00:00.000-08:002009-02-22T21:40:59.929-08:00

To read about the 110 Best Things About Canadian Music, click here.Although I will be the final arbiter of who is on these lists and how they're ranked, I promise to be completely open to any and all suggestions. If I deviate drastically from popular opinion, I will let it be known, and I will present my reasons why. Heck, I'll even post the results of the popular vote alongside my own "official"

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-24752010551304762622009-02-21T16:00:00.000-08:002009-02-21T16:00:01.920-08:00

I swear, every Canadian of my generation knows this song. Concerned Children's Advertisers wrote some damn catchy tunes.

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-5675740764447899412009-02-20T07:00:00.001-08:002009-02-20T07:00:00.534-08:00

Japandroids: buzz band; technology killers This Vancouver duo Japandroids is getting a lot of buzz, I guess mostly thanks to being covered on Pitchfork. I enjoy their stuff alright, but what I find buzz-worthy is the fact that they're releasing their April 28 debut, Post-Nothing, on vinyl and digital download. And that's it. Vinyl. Download. No CD. Last year, the Waking Eyes released Holding on

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-41849053323760952392009-02-19T09:00:00.000-08:002009-02-19T09:00:00.423-08:00

Shad plays tonight at Lucky Bar. Here's him performing "I Don't Like To" live in L.A. for the Grammy weekend. Not only is his DJ the 2008 world champion, Shad himself plays the guitar. The whole concert can be found here. Shad - "I Don't Like To" (live at the Canadian consulate in Los Angeles)

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-39967087578012985692009-02-19T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-19T07:00:00.585-08:00

The Tranzmitors - "Live A Little More"*for more songs, hit "click to read more"*So, tonight is Shad and tomorrow's the Tranzmitors-- and if you're keeping score at home, that's two shows in two days, meaning it will be concert work concert. This almost wouldn't be worth it except the groups involved are so great. I told you about Shad yesterday with his easy-going hip-hop vibes, and the

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-81848700412097306412009-02-18T09:34:00.000-08:002009-02-18T09:36:50.361-08:00

 OK, is this a great year for Canadian music, or what? We've already had A.C. Newman and Malajube, we've got Joel Plaskett, the Great Lake Swimmers, Metric, the Tragically Hip, the Handsome Furs, MSTRKFT, K'naan, and more coming, and now we're definitely hearing from Swan Lake. If you don't know who Swan Lake is, let's put it this way: you know how a lot of good bands like Wolf Parade, the New

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-42461642364297524412009-02-18T09:00:00.000-08:002009-02-18T09:00:00.561-08:00

"Pulling A Line" "She Comes to Me In Dreams" The Great Lake Swimmers have released their first single, called "Pulling a Line," from the March 31, 2009, release Lost Channels. As per normal, Tony Dekker throws out some great lyrics, evoking the nautical landscape from which the band takes its name. An upbeat track by GLS standards (though not nearly as snappy as "See You On the Moon"), it

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-8995177537021001522009-02-18T07:51:00.000-08:002009-02-18T07:51:46.758-08:00

via the Ampersand The problem I have with this idea is that the book works so well because it is vastly open to interpretation. **SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT** There's a bunch of people who take it is a religious allegory about the importance of faith, a bunch who take it is proof of the non-existence of god, and then there are those who take it is as a simple adventure story. This works

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-15995087583955431532009-02-18T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-18T07:00:00.543-08:00

Sometimes I feel like I'm something special because not only did I get a Bachelor of Arts Degree (political science/international studies), but I actually got a (temporary) job from it. Inevitably, though, there's a million people out there to knock me off my high horse. Shad is one of those people.Not only does he have two critically acclaimed albums under his belt, the most recent of which was

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-27198979633548979922009-02-17T12:02:00.000-08:002009-02-18T07:56:06.199-08:00

According to Dan Garnder of CanWest News, the Governor General's office has a secret plot to overthrow the Queen as the head of state. As he says, What is not to be found on the website of the Queen's representative is a single picture of the Queen... The sentiment couldn't be plainer. To those who created and approved the website, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of Canada, is nothing more than a

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-45351423789249419772009-02-17T11:00:00.000-08:002009-02-17T11:00:00.410-08:00

It's almost good I'm so swamped with work that I can't go to any concerts tonight, because that saves me the difficult choice of seeing either Kardinal Offishall (earlier post) or the Library Voices, a Saskatchewan band who I think may have the best name since the Tragically Hip. Because as much respect as I have for Kardi, you can't argue with the fact that it's almost impossible to get the

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-82749058187531725492009-02-17T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-17T10:50:28.389-08:00

Back in 1998, the single "Northern Touch" was released. Featuring a number of Canadian rappers, it was a coming out party for hip-hop on this side of the border. Since then, a number of homegrown stars have been touted as "the one"-- the rapper who was going to move beyond these borders and make a splash in the United States and beyond (apparently disregarding Snow, who had done that five years

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-30468437084817459162009-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-17T07:00:10.171-08:00

LIGHTS - "February Air" At some point I almost completely lost touch with popular music. I don't know when. I think it has to do with getting an iPod, discovering CBC Radio 3, the Hype Machine, and various reliable music blogs, and deciding I really didn't have to deal with commercials and various incarnations of "Newlyweds with Nick and Jessica" (this dates me) in order to listen to new music,

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-11236687972040547102009-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-14T09:43:27.740-08:00

I have no idea how you feel about Valentine's Day. But if you're looking for some romantic songs for whatever reason, here's some of the best Canada has to offer. If nothing else, take a listen to "Some Kinda Wonderful" by Sky and reflect on the fact that we didn't appreciate the genius pop songwriting skills of James Renald before he left the band and they started getting all "Superhero" on us.

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-2256703434315776292009-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:002009-02-14T20:46:45.887-08:00

*Singles Going Steady Good morning. If you were someone I was jealous of, then last night you would have watched Joel Plaskett open for Sarah McLachlan in for the Olympic countdown. If so, then stop reading. You've had enough Plaskett goodness for now. This is for the rest of us. Alright, my friends. In his bid to make up not touring anywhere beyond Vancouver until April, the man who is

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-41515860868513924612009-02-12T07:37:00.000-08:002009-02-12T12:09:14.272-08:00

I wanted to love this show. I really did. You Will Land With a Thud was one of my favourite albums of last year, and the raucous eight-piece band I heard on record seemed like they would put on an exciting, high-energy live show. And don't get me wrong, they do-- or, at least, they obviously can. But there were enough bad ideas in the night's organization to take what should have been a great

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-33929485828013646882009-02-12T06:10:00.000-08:002009-02-12T07:54:24.721-08:00

Band Name: The Racoons From: Victoria, British Columbia Members: Matty Lyall- Vocals, Guitar Jeff Mitchelmore- Drums Murray Mckenzie- Synthesizer, Guitar Alex Bodman- Bass Other Discs: None, although they do used to have three other songs on their MySpace and are working on a full-length. Sounds Like: Synth-driven garage rock delivered with precision. Equally suited for the dance floor and the

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-50954371256291243492009-02-11T12:49:00.000-08:002009-02-12T20:59:04.664-08:00

 "I believe it's some sort of sound machine." -Woodhands in a contemplative moment. If you like Canadian artists covering one-hit wonders from the 80s (and really, who doesn't?), then February is your month. First, A.C. Newman puts his acoustic spin on A-Ha's "Take On Me" for a Starbucks compilation, and now electro-pop-rockers Woodhands have come out with a digital release of "Electric Avenue"

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-23863544757439741422009-02-11T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-14T20:48:24.938-08:00

Thank goodness for laundromats.Because if I hadn't stopped in at one, I would have totally missed this show. But I went into a laundromat and there, amidst old calendars and invitations to walk your dog for cash, was notice that Cape Breton's the Tom Fun Orchestra would be bringing their Tom Waits goes to the the East Coast sound to Victoria in the form of the Pan(Handling) Canadian Boxcar

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-52082400349044012722009-02-10T16:15:00.000-08:002009-02-10T20:56:06.329-08:00

  As promised, here is my review of the excellent Mother Mother show at Sugar Nightclub this past Saturday night. First off, let me give you my impressions of Sugar. Having been to enough concerts with drunken/hopped up idiots, I appreciate their high level of security-- everyone was scrutinized, and any possible problem-causing material taken away. However, nothing can protect you from the

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-18212749369122554082009-02-10T09:04:00.000-08:002009-02-10T09:13:05.243-08:00

It seems the world is finally catching up to the Canadian boombastic style that infected our eardrums fifteen years ago. Here is a new cover song by Iranian-Swedish artist Arash featuring Pakistani-Persian singer Aneela from Denmark. If you attended high school in Canada over the past decade, you should recognize the tune. If you don't, I suggest you click "Read More." But give yourself some time

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-7016034200017666862009-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-10T07:00:00.997-08:00

I'm not usually a fan of experimental music projects. Check that-- I usually like the concept, but I'm not likely to actually listen to them for fun. That is not the case with Charles Spearin's The Happiness Project. I first heard of it on an episode of the Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean in which the show's host invited various musicians to share home recordings with them. There was some good

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-2368111208394728562009-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:002009-02-09T06:00:01.079-08:00

Good morning. And how was your weekend? Mine was pretty good-- the Mother Mother show on Saturday was an excellent excursion and should feed a couple of posts later this week. But right here I'm going to feed you some new music from K'Naan. I just checked the Hype Machine and they don't have this, so if you are a. a K'Naan fan and b. actually reading this brand-new blog, then I just made your

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-58641903803883573492009-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-08T07:00:00.593-08:00

I don't know how you go about finding new music, but I mostly do it on the internet, either via blogs or web radio or some combination of the two. So when two of the blogs I respect most, i(heart)music and herohill.com post about the same band in the same week, it's something I'll check out.That was the case with In-Flight Safety, a group I will openly admit I'd never heard of before (to be fair,

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-65360285866386437532009-02-07T09:00:00.000-08:002009-02-07T09:52:20.069-08:00

June 12, 1990: "No, Mr. Speaker"-- Manitoba MLA Elijah Harper draws the Meech Lake Accord to a halt. And so as it begins, it ends. Three songs, all Canadian, all from the year 1990, to complete our list of fifteen. So now that you've seen them all, what's the verdict? I would have to say 1990 was a pretty good year for homegrown music, launching the mainstream careers of two very big names (

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-9613224636181918132009-02-07T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-07T09:56:37.131-08:00

So even though I'm "of" Prince George, I'm not currently "in" Prince George, having taken a gig in Victoria for half a year or so. During this time, I'm taking advantage of the change in locale by going to a bunch of great shows that, unfortunately, don't and probably won't come up to PG (until I do something about it, that is). I've already seen Sam Roberts with the Stills, Kathleen Edwards,

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-92108566256348075152009-02-06T08:30:00.000-08:002009-02-06T08:30:00.608-08:00

The point of this blog is to highlight art and ideas coming out of Canada. So when you see an album full of songs by the above artists, it' definitely something you want to share. Most of the time, I would post a song or two and let you decide if you want it. However, in this case I've noticed that the forces behind the album-- an international charity dedicated to raising money and awareness for

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-35404038362831624352009-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-06T08:09:58.926-08:00

 May 12, 1990: The Bloc Quebecois is formed So in case this is your first day here, all this week I'm embarking on a quest. A mild quest, mind you, but a quest nonetheless. And that quest is to post three Canadian songs a day from the year 1990. Part one is here, part two is here, part three is here, and this is part four. Read on! The Northern Pikes- "She Ain't Pretty" from Snow in June.

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-21739040726552575792009-02-05T14:33:00.000-08:002009-02-05T14:57:36.921-08:00

Homegrown music appreciated: Poll The name of this blog is a tribute to CanCon, a rule that states 35% of all music on Canadian radio stations must be Canadian in origin. It used to get some people mighty upset, but now it seems that 1/3 of the music Canadians are listening to-- and enjoying-- is Canadian anyways. Here's the highlights, if you want the full story click above. A Decima Research

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-32197678962039281732009-02-05T13:00:00.000-08:002009-02-05T13:00:00.326-08:00

My first real post on here was about Prince Rupert/Haida Gwaii artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas pioneering a new art he calls "Haida Manga." Well, I thought I'd point out to anyone interested that he does some other very interesting work, including the above and below photos, which were two of my favourites when I visited the UBC Museum of Anthropology (the car was on loan, lucky me). So,

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-5305639798531192162009-02-05T10:02:00.001-08:002009-02-05T10:18:16.164-08:00

So I have a TV on my work desk. This is what's on right now: A battle to the bottom Sharpen your blades, Red Bull Crashed Ice is back! A combination of hockey, downhill skiing and boardercross, Red Bull Crashed Ice will return to the historic district of Old Quebec on January 24, 2009. But this year, it's bigger and badder. With its massive vertical drops, highway speeds,

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-89468019272180839362009-02-05T08:04:00.000-08:002009-02-05T08:16:12.690-08:00

The 9th Annual Independent Music Awards (via the Ampersand)It seems to hit a nice balance between mainstream appeal and artistic integrity, including everyone from Theory of a Deadman to the Arkells to Lights to Coueur de Pirate. It also acknowledges the passing of time, highlighting the new landscape of Canadian music everywhere. Even the international categories are good: Cut Copy, Girl Talk,

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-47952297931783107692009-02-05T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-05T07:38:53.735-08:00

1990: Year of the Oka CrisisHere's the drill: five days, fifteen Canadian songs from 1990. Part one, part two, here's part three.Type rest of the post hereBlue Rodeo- "Til I Am Myself Again" (from Casino)Blue Rodeo went 4x platinum with their debut, 3x platinum with Diamond Mine, and "only" 2x platinum with 1990's Casino. One of their weaker albums, yes, but for a group of this calibre it doesn't

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-82539776105724894002009-02-04T19:07:00.000-08:002009-02-04T19:10:35.244-08:00

The third person to criticize Ignatieff in the article was… no one. There was no third person." -on the Globe and Mail front page story "Ignatieff draws criticism for letting MPs break ranks."

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-89217192099753681502009-02-04T12:00:00.000-08:002009-02-04T12:00:00.298-08:00

I will openly admit, I'm not much of a hockey guy, but in an effort to make small talk around my new workplace, I have tried to become fluent in at least certain aspects of it. Fortunately for me, the Canucks debcale that we're currently witnessing has made that conversation very easy (simply ask co-worker if they watched the game, but say it in a despairing/sarcastic tone. Question the wisdom of

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-2011752639793077912009-02-04T11:43:00.000-08:002009-02-04T11:47:33.417-08:00

I guarantee, even with that one bong hit, Phelps is 100 per cent healthier than the average human being. -Olympic gold medalist Ross Rebagliati on Michael Phelps' drug controversey

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-28258493148235982582009-02-04T09:00:00.000-08:002009-02-04T19:53:14.004-08:00

John Manley was succeeded by Bill Graham, who was succeeded by Pierre Pettigrew, who was succeeded by Peter MacKay, who was succeeded by Maxime Bernier, who was succeeded by David Emerson, who was succeeded by Lawrence Cannon. Seven foreign ministers in less than eight years. Most African countries have more stable ministries." -on the how domestic politics

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-14882121324068236242009-02-04T08:00:00.000-08:002009-02-04T08:00:00.512-08:00

"Obama represents the high-minded ideals of the 1791 U.S. Bill of Rights, while Canada treats our history like yesterday’s soup cans." -Pieta Wooley in the Georgia Straight on Why Canada Will Never Have an Obama

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-79575142252061880452009-02-04T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-04T07:32:13.545-08:00

March 6, 1990: The National Gallery of Canada acquires Barnett Newman's Voice of Fire for $1.8 million causing a storm of controversy All this week, I'm posting three songs a day that help define the year that was 1990, ending up with a final list of fifteen. I suppose a disclaimer should be put in place-- in 1990, I was only five, so I'm doing this based on retroactive research rather than any

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-23540824059170302622009-02-03T15:37:00.000-08:002009-02-03T21:38:00.463-08:00

June 1990: Jean Chretien becomes leader of the Official OppositionFrom today until Saturday, I'm posting three songs a day that have two things in common: they're Canadian, and they're from the year 1990. Other than that, anything goes, as can be seen from today's songs, which you can read about (and hear) below. More info in the previous post, which you can access here.The Tragically Hip' "Blow

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-977159739734828802009-02-03T15:15:00.000-08:002009-02-03T15:37:08.186-08:00

I realize I've already posted one CBC Radio 3 supplement on here, but this one goes beyond that. On their R3-30 Podcast this week, they did a "Salute to the 1990," playing the Rheostatics and Eric's Trip. But that's not enough. And that's where I come in.One of the limitations of Radio 3 trying to do throwback shows is that their library is limited to the tracks that artists have chosen to make

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-77184823359574863622009-02-03T08:56:00.000-08:002009-02-04T13:49:27.870-08:00

Unlike Celine, the Juno's aren't taking chances. Well, the Juno nominees are out today. They're better than they could have been, I suppose, though that doesn't mean much when you look at their track record... The same names you see every year are there-- you have to wonder whether there's a clause somewhere that says Celine Dion must always be nominated. Bryan Adams is there as artist of the

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-12325311538465408952009-02-03T08:00:00.000-08:002009-02-03T21:27:39.740-08:00

For a certain generation of Canadians, particularly those who, like me, didn't have cable growing up, the world of politics was introduced through the lens of CBC's long-running series This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Back before John Stewart and Stephen Colbert became America's most-trusted news anchors, starting in 1993 we here in Canada had the four-person 22 Minutes team, anchored by Rick

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-4971646802410934992009-02-02T13:13:00.001-08:002009-02-02T13:30:54.623-08:00

Damn it Chilliwack! While you're busy rocking, Carmen's getting away!I was listening to the song "My Girl" by better-than-you-think rockers Chilliwack today when I noticed something-- it sounds a lot like the theme song to "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?" The chord structure, the vocal harmonization, the tempo, it's a lot a like. Let's compare....Chilliwack- My GirlWhere in the

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-80088355743691591702009-02-02T11:23:00.001-08:002009-02-02T11:59:49.235-08:00

k-Os gives props to Tokyo Police Club (see track below)This week, the CBC Radio 3 podcast is a remix special. All in all it's a good show, if you like that sort of thing, nothing particularly mind-blowing. My favourite tracks is the MSTRKFT remix of Metric's "Monster Hospital," which I already have in my iPod, and the two I'm most likely to listen to again are the Tiesto remix of

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-29122740180506720652009-02-02T10:52:00.000-08:002009-02-02T11:18:13.826-08:00

If you look to the right, I have a set of links called "Northern Tunes." These are the Canadian-based music sites that I look at on a fairly regular basis. One of them is Herohill, and they have this thing called the Great Canadian Mixtape Project, in which, province by province, they create a mixtape of regional tunes (focused on lesser-known acts, no Neil Young in Manitoba or Celine Dion in

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-48709698645540448742009-02-02T07:58:00.000-08:002009-02-02T11:14:52.162-08:00

Cadence Weapon (left) with Owen Pallett, aka Final Fantasy (right). And a DJ (centre). Edmonton rapper/producer/ex-Pitchfork writer Cadence Weapon has just released a pay-what-you-want mixtape (or it would be a mixtape, if it were the 1980s). It's called Separation Anxiety, and you can download here. I haven't listened to it yet, but I do know one track is definitely worth getting-- his live

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-49388532523778674182009-02-01T15:49:00.000-08:002009-02-04T16:29:12.586-08:00

Haida Manga is a new style of artwork being pioneered by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, an artist born in Prince Rupert and raised in Haida Gwaii. The art is basically a fusion of Japanese-style manga with traditional Haida style. To see it in action, check out some of Yahgulanaas' work here, here, and here, or watch it get animated by clicking "Read More."The book, Flight of the Hummingbird: A

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-89438998574153145152009-01-31T21:12:00.000-08:002009-02-02T21:27:38.641-08:00

A list of the artists that I'm thinking of doing podcasts for. Feel free to make your suggestions...Bend SinisterBlack MountainBroken Social Scene and spin-offsBuck 65Cadence WeaponChad VanGaalenCorb LundDeath From Above 1979/MSTRKFT/Sebastien GraingerElliot BroodFinal FantasyFred EaglesmithHawksley WorkmanJoel PlaskettK'naank-OsMetricNew Pornographers/A.C. Newman/Destroyerthe "Northern Touch"

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-71113232835740067192009-01-30T21:48:00.001-08:002009-02-02T21:10:45.349-08:00

Different Sets of Links....How I Make My BlogTemplate: Original design: Gecko and Fly. Updated for Blogger Beta by blogcrowds.Helpful resources: Hackosphere, Dummies' Guide to Blogger, and Compender.MusicThe Ampersand Boot(log)CBC Radio 3 CHARTattack Chromewaves exclaim.ca From Blown Speakers Herohill i (heart) music it's not the band i hate it's their fans quick before it melts radio free

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195613686581046140.post-58863897459798533172009-01-30T21:47:00.001-08:002009-02-01T22:14:43.921-08:00

Because there's some explaining to do... the site Is a collection of interesting things I come across. In order to provide some focus, I try to limit myself to Canadian culture-- music, magazine articles, blogposts, art, etc. This gives me a theme to work with, and hopefully it provides some more exposure to work and ideas that don't necessarily permeate into the general blogosphere but are

Andrew Kurjatanoreply@blogger.com0