the Arkells wanna get next to you

These guys will always be able to make me smile.

Totally gonna be seeing the Arkells in Toronto at Lee's Palace on November the 27th. Who's with me? They released their full-length debut, Jackson Square, almost exactly one year ago and it is well worth a listen. At first, I didn't want to like them because the big hit Oh, the Boss is Coming! was played and overplayed a bit too much on Canadian radio, but a friend of mine let me borrow a copy of the album, swearing that it was the best thing she had heard in ages. I definitely warmed up to this Hamilton five piece, enough to catch one of their sets at Toronto's Busking for Change event. That's when I was completely won over. They are such amicable boys!

November the 27th at Lee's Palace. Mark it on your calender. It's gonna be an epic night, especially with both the Novaks and Sweet Thing opening.



Arkells and Temptations. The resemblance is uncanny.

The Temptations - Can't Get Next to You (mp3) (amazon) (iTunes)

Womanizer, womanizer, Franz and womanizer, oh!

Oh so charming womanizers.

Dear Franz Ferdinand,

Boy, don't try to front.
I-I know jus-just what you are.
You got me goin'!
You're oh so charming!
But I can't do it.
You womanizer.

- love,
the Impressionable Youth.

Franz Ferdinand - Womanizer (Britney Spears cover) (mp3)

Well, what can I say? It was only a matter of time before Franz Ferdinand did a Britney Spears cover. They actually bridge into one of their crowd favourites, Shopping for Blood after the midpoint of the song, which is surprisingly fitting.

Hear the entire interview and performance at BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge. There's a good 20 minutes worth of material on that link. Nick proves his abilities as a talented mathematician. Alex tells an adorable childhood story about Doctor Who and mittens. The band conquers a Fear Dragon, then perform No You Girls and of course, the highlight of the day, their cover of Britney Spears' Womanizer.

Sea kittens? WTF?

I was over at the Huffington Post website when I read this story. Which turned out to be real.



"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has launched a marketing campaign to rebrand fish as "sea kittens," a name the organization hopes will increase awareness and make the vertebrates more endearing to those who would eat them."

What!? "Rebrand"?!? I didn't realize that fish needed new PR! Sea kittens?! What?! Seriously? Seriously?!?

The full article can be read here.

Bob Dorough - Fish For Supper (mp3)

Brandon Flowers Speaks Again

I was reading Toronto tabloid style newspaper, The Sun, when I came across an article in which Brandon Flowers explains two items. Two items that I think have needed an explanation for quite some time now.

1) His Moustache.

"We're coming back, I shaved, and we have a new album," Flowers, 27, said yesterday. "I actually grew quite fond of (the moustache). I feel more handsome with the hair on the face. Once these songs started coming out I decided that the person who sang these songs didn't wear a moustache."

2) Human Lyrics.

Many of "these songs"- including the new single Human, which references a Hunter S. Thompson quote in the line, "Are we human or are we dancer?"- were crafted by the Sin City foursome when they were still on the road for Sam's Town.
"I think (Thompson) was very concerned with the direction of where we were headed in America - you know, the kids - and it's amazing how simply worded he put it, just by saying 'I'm afraid that we're raising a generation of dancers.' It says so much and so I stole it and it made this song," Flowers said. "One ironic thing is Hunter S. Thompson hated disco music, but it is a very dance-(oriented) song."

Read the full article here.

The Killers - Human (mp3)(buy)

And just for good measure, here's a mini spread from the latest GQ style guide on How to Buy a Tux, as photographed by Paola Kudacki.

Yes, please! - Brandon Flowers FTW!

Read the article, and see more awesome Bond-esque Brandon, here.

Banwidth Exceeded

We exceeded our bandwidth recently, so some of our mp3s will be down. Working on a temporariry solution. Gotta fix that problem soon. I'll try to think up a permanent solution in the time being.

Sorry, kids.

Foo Fighters - Enough Space (mp3)(buy)

Gorillaz: Journey to the West

I've been neglecting my blog duties for a long time now. But this was just too W-T-F to ignore. I can't believe I only heard of this today.

Gorillaz' Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett have come up with another unlikely musical conquest. This time, they've decided to take a stab at Chinese opera, using the epic Monkey King/Journey to the West folktale as their base.

Monkey: Journey to the West will begin it's run in London, England come November.

Here's a documentary following Albarn and Hewlett's Journey to the West (har har har I make a pun).

Damon and Jamie's Excellent Adventure


And here's a Video that Hewlett directed from their opera's album.

Monkey Bee: A Short Film


Goodness. Makes me go W-T-F a little. Not that that's ever a bad thing.

Two questions:
1) Is there anything these guys can't do?
2) They really like monkeys, don't they?

Monkey - Monkey Bee (mp3)(buy)
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. (mp3) (buy)

Oasis Attacked... But Not By Each Other

WTF?



This is video from last night's show closers at Toronto's V Fest, Oasis. Apparently a guy got swept up in the heat of the moment and managed to get past both festival, and personal security guards. He gave a cowardly, from-behind push to Noel and it was enough to knock him over. He also took a swing at Liam, but the security got to him and the situation was quickly resolved. They finished their set, which is quite commendable considering that Noel was hospitalized after.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Noel and Liam deserved it but, c'mon. They are notorious for being asses. It was bound to happen eventually. Afterall, they've offended their fair share of people. It's just a shame that it happened in Toronto.

Don't hate us, Oasis. The rest of the city is behind you. We're just not gonna run up and push you over.

Oasis - I Hope, I Think, I Know (mp3) (buy)

They try hard to put me in my place
And that is why I gotta keep runnin'

Congratulations Brandon Flowers!

Everyone, let's give a round of applause to Brandon Flowers for getting rid of his mustache!

Here's a clipping from last month's NME Magazine

Aww, remember that charming young lad? He's back (without the stache) and it makes me happy. I didn't remember him being such a good looking chap. He's back, along with the Killers, with a few new tracks that we'll probably be seeing more of, closer to the completion of a new album. The next one will be entitled Day and Age and they've already played "Neon Tiger" and "Spaceman" live.



Sounds good.

Looks good.

I'm so glad something made you Change Your Mind (Killers) (mp3) (buy) about that mustache, Brandon.

Now you, Rivers.

Rivers Cuomo - Lover in the Snow (mp3) (buy)