NEW MUSIC YOU'RE BOUND TO HEAR ON TELL THE BAND TO GO HOME

In the CD Player:

Bruce Cockburn - Speechless - This Canadian icon is primarily known for his social activist songs of protest and peace, but he's always been a highly underrated guitar player. His playing has inspired many in his songs and the various instrumentals that he's thrown onto his albums. This collection of old and new instrumentals from Cockburn finally puts his dazzling guitar work front and centre and showcases what a wonderfully expressive, melodic, and interesting player he is. It's laid back and easy to listen to, but definitely not lullaby time like some instrumental projects.

Previous Picks:

Kim Barlow - Gingerbread - It's not new, but holy cow is it good. Kim's got a brand new CD/film project, which she'll be bringing to the West End on November 6. In the meantime, her wonderful publicist sent me a copy of this 1999 gem. It's got all of the things I look for in a great CD: an amazing voice, very catchy melodies, and wonderful stories.

Geoff Berner - Live in Oslo - Another long time favourite of the show, Berner is among the most entertaining people I've run across. This is especially evident in his alcohol-fuelled high energy live show. This new CD presents that wacky live show in all of its glory. Along for the ride this time are Geoff's "Associates," Wayne Adams and the amazingly talented Diona Davies.

Geoff Berner - Whiskey Rabbi - Berner sets out to drag traditional Jewish Klezmer music kicking and screaming into the bars and does so amazingly well. He mixes traditional Klezmer with his amusing and insightful lyrics for a brilliant album that is quite unlike anything else you'll ever hear. Making the album even more terrific is the assistance of Wayne Adams on drums and the amazing Diona Davies on fiddle and vocals. Watch out for this one; it's pure magic.

Clem Snide - I'm on a major Clem Snide kick at the moment. All of this band's albums are equally great. They all combine some weird and confusing stuff, right alongside some brilliant and amazing. Some of it's rockin', some of it's more lo-fi, some of it's country. Whatever the hell it is, I'm liking it a lot.

Melwood Cutlery - Campfire - Great Canadian singer/songwriter returns with a fine new record. Cutlery's been around for a while but is a bit of a mystery to me. Glad to see he finally has a widespread release on one of the finest indie labels in the land, Borealis. Even if you for some reason don't like Cutlery, you've got to love his special guests, including Lynn Miles, Jenny Whiteley, and David Francey. A fine CD.

Darren Day and the Fading Hopes - This Evening Tonight - Local boy Day finally releases a CD, and it's a good 'un. A very strong collection of very diverse tunes, including the perfectly poppy "Anne," rocker "Year of the Shark," and more traditional singer/songwriter fare like "This Woman from Prague." All in all, a very impressive debut.

Fred Eaglesmith - Dusty - Anyone who's listened to the show knows that I'm a huge fan of Fred's music. I've loved just about everything he's done, and eagerly await each new release. Well, I've been hearing for months about how different his new CD was going to be, and boy oh boy was there substance to that rumour. To say that Dusty is a bit of a departure is an understatement. Gone are the rockin' country guitars. Gone is the long time back up band. Gone is the great Willie P Bennett. Instead, we get a Wurlitzer funmaker organ, and a whole bunch of studio musicians hired by producer Scott Merritt. I'm still working on digesting this record; it's such a huge departure that it'll take me some time to really "get it," but I'm finding more to like each time I listen. I sure do miss Willie P, though...

FortyTwenty - Sober and Stupid - Do not try to take this one seriously. It's a goofy, hillbilly bluegrassy album with funny tunes like "Peace, Love and Honky-Tonk," "Ceiling Fan Polka," and "Pancakes and Beer." It ain't rocket surgery for sure, but it's fun and entertaining and worth a listen.

Hadacol - Better than This - Recommended to me by loyal listener Oly. I'm glad he turned me onto this and even more glad that I stumbled on a copy of their hard to find disc at the used CD store. A great alt.country sound.

Jeffrey Foucault - Stripping Cane - If John Gorka and Kelly Joe Phelps had a baby together, it would be pretty freakin' weird and disgusting, but the plus side is that the kid would be pretty damn talented, and I'd be willing to bet that the kid would sound exactly like Jeffrey Foucault. Bluesier than Gorka, but smoother and more upbeat than Phelps, Foucault really presents a best of both worlds sound that is folky and bluesy and downright pleasant to listen to.

David Francey - The Waking Hour - Nobody exemplifies the spirit of this radio show quite like David Francey. In my mind, he is one of the quintessential singer/songwriters, and everything he's done amazes me. On this, his fourth record, David switches the team behind him, replacing longtime collaborators Geoff Somers and Dave Clark with Nashville's amazing Kieran Kane and Kevin Welch. I'm a huge fan of Somers & Clark, but this new collaboration takes David's music in a whole new direction. And I don't know how he could have possibly done it, but he's raised the songwriting bar and outdone himself with some of his most amazing lyrics and melodies to date.

Anne Louise Genest - Big Dream - A rootsy singer/songwriter leaning towards bluegrass, for the most part, Genest also creates some gorgeous melodies and tells some amazing stories. She's from Toronto, but moved to the Yukon, which makes her a better musician but means that she'll be a bit of a secret, I'd guess. Geoff Berner told me about her in 2003 and played a cover of her song, "The South Side of Town." That is easily the most stunning song on the CD and one of the most well-written and painful stories you'll hear. I'm loving this CD, and I know you would, too.

Johnsmith - Kickin' This Stone - I first heard this CD on "Roots and Writers," a great show hosted by Len Osland on UMFM, Wednesdays, 9-11 am central. If you like TTBTGH, you're bound to like R&W, and I KNOW, you'll like Johnsmith. One listen was all I needed to know that this one is a winner.

Michael Johnston - Curious Heart - Winnipeg's favourite transplanted Torontonian finally releases his first full-length CD, and it's a sure-fire winner. He went back to the Centreo of the Universe to put this disc together, and it was worth while. It's produced by Don Kerr of Ron Sexsmith's band and formerly of the Rheostatics, and features vocals by Cate Friesen, Reid Jamieson, Oh Susanna, and Andy Maize of the Skydiggers. WIth an all-star cast like that, you can't go wrong, but Johnston's got a gift for writing a great song. Watch for this guy.

Kieran Kane & Kevin Welch - You Can't Save Everybody - The first full lenght studio album from these two long-time bandmates and label owners. They each have amazing solo careers and have produced some great albums with The Dead Reckoners, but this gets both at their singin' songwritin' best in a laid back, acoustic mode. Hot, hot, hot. Catch them at the West End Cultural Centre with the amazing David Francey on September 21.

Robert Earl Keen, Jr. - No Kinda Dancer - This is an old one. Recently picked it up in the U.S. and damn, it's fine. REK is one of the finest of the Texas singer/songwriters, but he's probably less known than his good friends Lyle Lovett and Guy Clark. This reissue includes some very cool bonus tracks along with the amazing original album.

Robert Earl Keen - Live from Austin Texas - (somewhere along the line he dropped the "Jr." from his name.) (hey, does anyone know whether you're supposed to file his CD under "E" or "K"? Always had trouble with that one.) Another in the line of great CDs of performances on Austin City Limits. This is a 17 song trip through REK's amazing catalogue. A great live performance and great songs. Very worthwhile. Also released on DVD, in case you like the moving pictures to go along with the music.

Chris Knight - The Jealous Kind - If you've ever seen a Fred Eaglesmith concert, you've probably heard of Chris Knight. You know, he's the one Fred talks about when introducing The Dog Song (Chris isn't really a dark, dark soul, I'm told, but the part about his dog losing an eye and having a button sewn on is apparently true.) Well, you may not have heard Chris's CDs, though, and boy are you missing out. This one's his latest and it's a darn good 'un. It's also my favourite birthday gift this year, because I got a signed copy. THANKS! Don't worry, I'll share it with you listeners.

Ray Lamontagne - Trouble - Every once in a while, I hear a voice that stops me in my tracks. This guy has that voice. It reminds me a lot of another fairly recent discovery, bluesman Ted Hawkins. Very soulful, bluesy, and oh so easy on the ears. This CD is awesome. Can't say enough good things about it.

Carolyn Mark and the New Best Friends - The Pros and Cons of Collaboration - I can't believe I haven't bought a Carolyn Mark album until now or seen her in concert until recently. She's smart, funny, sexy, and wildly entertaining. This new CD is dynamite. Check out the song "Not a Doll," a song that will get stuck in your head for days, and you'll be happy about it. Catch her at Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club on September 20 with TTBTGH favourite Geoff Berner and Ford Pier.

Paul McKay and the Perfect Strangers - Gypsy Wind - (from the website) Notable Canadian musicians including Suzie Vinnick, Willie P. Bennett, the late Colleen Peterson and rhythm and blues singer Georgette Fry, lend their talent to Gypsy Wind a benefit CD to garner financial support for Life is a Flyway. Sixteen songs on this 100% Canadian CD chart the ancient aerial pathway flown every year by millions of falcons, hawks, geese, ducks, swans and songbirds. The songs resonate with the beat of stopovers on the flyway ranging from Latin rhythms to world to folk and country.

Peter Mulvey - Kitchen Music - I have to admit, Mulvey's last record bored me to tears. On this new record, he's redeemed himself in spades. This new disc contains the best pop song of 2004, bar none, Shirt. Watch for this on my year end best of comp. It's got some other fine songs on it, also.

James Murdoch - Between the Lines - I love a great pop song, and Murdoch knows how to dish them up. Great melodic tunes with energy. Well worth a listen.

Nathan - Jimson Weed - This album is everything you'd expect from Nathan and more. A slightly more rootsy, acoustic feel to this one, but the great dark songs and the gorgeous vocals are the same. You all know that Nathan is one of our favourites on TTBTGH, and this reaffirms our love of this wonderful local band.

Mike O'Neill - Owl - The former leader of the late, great bass & drums duo, The Inbreds, returns with his second solo CD. This one's a heavily Beatles-influenced pop recording. You can almost hear old George Harrison on a few tracks. It's a gorgeous (but short) CD. It's only available online at Zunior.com, an online music site run by the other former Inbred, Dave Ulrich. I found the site to be very reasonable and easy. I don't buy a lot of downloaded music, but I'd definitely check out this site again.

Rheostatics - 2067 - Alright, I know it's supposed to be a singer/songwriter show, but I'm the world's biggest Rheostatics nerd and I make no apologies about it. When I was lucky enough to get my grubby little hands on a preview copy of their new CD, which doesn't come out until October 5, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it a secret for long. After 3 years away, they've returned with a very impressive new album, and I can't wait to recruit a whole new crop of Rheostatics nerds before their October 30 date in Winnipeg.

Richmond Fontaine - Post to Wire - I finally took the advice of Allison and Terry, who have been raving about Richmond Fontaine for a while, and boy am I glad I did. I should really listen to them more often, because this is a great record. Dark, gritty Americana done just right. I love the little letters that are read between songs. Very cool.

Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous - I was in Music Trader today, and the music playing piqued my interest immediately. A gorgeous female voice singing some gloriously mellow and interesting songs. Song after song was better and better. Eventually, I had to go ask what was playing, and was not leaving the store without it. WOW.

Bob Schneider - I'm Good Now - I absolutely loved Bob's major label debut Lonelyland a few years ago, but I admit that there were a few songs on it that weren't quite so stellar. Most of it was melodic and interesting and wonderful and a lot of fun, though. Well, on this disc, Schneider does all of those things even better, and gets rid of the filler material. What an amazing collection of great, listenable pop/rock tunes. Please, don't confuse him with singer/songwriter/street performer Bob Snider. Very different.

Bruce Springsteen - Devils & Dust - This young kid out of New Jersey just might have a future if this disc is any indication. Stu Reid might be right, there might be something worth loving about ol' Brucie. I've never been a huge fan of his rock and roll schtick, but this new laid back acoustic record is right up my alley.

Leeroy Stagger - Dear Love - Thanks to super-listener Allison in Victoria for introducing me to this super talented guy. At only 21 years old, he's produced one of the finest rockin' debuts I've heard. He's a Ryan Adams nut, and it shows in much of his stuff, but he's got a distinct style of his own that is sure to take him far. The new release of this CD has a bunch of new tracks that show that Leeroy is growing as a writer and a singer all the time.

Leeroy Stagger - Beautiful House - Leeroy's great new CD has arrived. It's produced by TTTBTGH fave Danny Michel, which gives it a much different sound than Stagger's debut. This one is more pop/rock oriented, and it makes for some wonderfully melodic and interesting music. Watch for this one in the next few months on Magic Teeth Records. [NOTE: Leeroy's CD has since been picked up and is being widely released on Boompa Records.]

Swank - The Survival Issue - Last year when I made my year end top 10 list, I included a band that nobody had ever heard of called OX. People thought I was crazy or something, but slowly folks have figured out what I was talking about. This year, Swank is assuming the same position. This band is just plain awesome. Musically, they're a roots rockin' combo that includes country, blues, rockabilly, and a whole lot of rough around the edges rock n' roll. They would be a mean party band that could put the Perpetrators and D Rangers to shame. But the real highlight of this project is the amazing, amazing packaging. It's a perfectly authentic 50s style comic book full of articles and advertisements created around the disc's song titles. It's a thing of beauty. If every band made CDs that looked like this, nobody would ever be stupid enough to download music. Also included is the video for "How Do We Do," which is a dark Tim Burton-esque computer animated feature. Simply amazing. Check 'em out on the web, but whatever you do, track down a copy of this disc for yourself! http://www.iwantswank.com/

Paul Thorn - Are You With Me? - If you've seen Paul Thorn live, chances are you're a big fan. He's been here a few times, and he performs solo on acoustic guitar. His songs are a mix of touching heartbreak ballads and goofy, fun novelty songs. But what ties it all together and gives him such magic is his simple country bumpkin charm. Thorn is the son of a preacher, and could sell CDs to a room full of Amish people, I'm sure. So, like any good sucker, I've bought each and every one of his discs. None of them has wowed me as much as his live performance. They're good, but not spectacular. Well, Thorn's gone and switched things up a bit. I guess in an effort to connect with a more mainstream audience, he's done away with the novelty songs for the most part. On this new disc, there are a few fairly funny ones, and a couple of killer ballads, like the hit of this year's Folk Festival, "If I Can Get Over Her." But the biggest change is the direction of the production. Instead of presenting the songs simply and letting his charm carry the tunes, he's upped the production and added in a ton of orchestration, and turned his simple country songs into lush white-boy soul ballads. It's a change of pace akin to Fred Eaglesmith's Dusty, and like that record, this one just ain't workin' for me yet. I love Paul enough to tell you to buy it and decide for yourself, but for my money, this isn't the best way to come to know this wonderful storyteller.

Tom Waits - Real Gone - For one reason or another, I've never really gotten into Tom Waits. Until now. This new record is so weird and wild and wonderful, I had to dig back and see what I'd been missing all these years. Waits is the weirdest genius going, and judging by this record, he's still going mighty strong.

Various - Before Their Time Vol. III - A great charity collection. This one contains 4 whole discs of great songs about people who died before their time. The songs can be sad, yes, but they can also be very powerful and very hopeful. Sometimes celebrating life, even ones that are cut short, is very uplifting. These discs contain such artists as Eric Bogle, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer, Johnsmith, and more. The other two volumes in the set are equally amazing.

Various - For the Kids, Too! - The second volume of this great Nettwerk Records series contains new and exclusive recordings of kids' songs as done by Nathan, Sarah Harmer, Lisa Loeb, Robyn Hitchcock, and more. Bonus points go out for the inclusion of Paper Moon's awesome song, "Your Attitude Towards Cuttlefish," which was one of my favourite pop songs of 2002. Sadly, this CD doesn't come with a free crayon like Vol. 1, but it's cheaper, and well worth picking up, anyway.

Various Artists - Frank Slide: 100 Years from Them - This is a cool compilation in support of the interpretive centre at Frank Slide, the site of one of the most devastating disasters in Canadian history. It's a sight to be seen, and this CD lets more people know about this amazing spot. It's also a GREAT collection of Canadian music, featuring our own D. Rangers, Corb Lund Band, Carolyn Mark, The Swiftys, Kris Demeanor, and more.