Alright, here’s my annual list of my favourite albums of the year. It’s a little late this year, but cut me some slack, I’ve got a kid now. It’s not that I’m lazy, I swear. I’ve decided to go with a slightly different format this year: Alphabetical Order!

AGAINST ME! – WHIT CROSSES

The punkest pop punk band in the world. I am amazed at how much attitude this album has while still sounding incredibly well produced (thanks to Butch Vig). This album is slick. It’s got big sing a long choruses, solid harmonies, tons of poppy hooks and even (god forbid) a keyboard. In reality, this album doesn’t sound very aesthetically punk and many purists would likely apply the label “sell out” to these guys. But this album is so packed full of attitude and intelligent, thoughtful lyricism that it’s hard to agree with such a label. A lyric like “I watched your mother bury you today, with tears in her eyes, it wasn’t her words that shook me, but the resemblance you shared,” isn’t all that anti-establishment, but it is just flat out great. In fact, I think this band’s total lack of fear about being labelled as sellouts and embracing a slicker sound and elements of fun, while still holding onto their attitude and aggression only enhances their punk rock cred. A thoroughly enjoyable album start to finish.

BEN FOLDS & NICK HORNBY – LONELY AVENUE

One of my favourite musicians and one of my favourite authors together at last. Hornby wrote all the lyrics and Folds supplied the music and it all comes together wonderfully. 11 short stories set to music. “Picture Window” is Fold’s most beautiful, heartbreaking song since “Brick.” The lyrics on the album are concise, poetic, melancholy and humorous in a way that is trademark Hornby, but Folds weaves them so effortlessly with his arrangements that they become his own. This record is fun, smart and heartbreaking. I love it. On a side note, Ben Folds has got to be the best in the business at making great music albums for non musicians. William Shatner’s album was a total winner, and now this. Who’s next, Jerry Seinfeld?

BLACK DUB – BLACK DUB

This is my kind of super group. Daniel Lanois, who is one of my favourite artists, not to mention a production genius (Achtung Baby anyone?) plays a wicked mean guitar and sings like a champ. Brian Blade on the drums plays with such passion and soul, I want to weep and dance at the same time. Daryl Johnson laying down some sweet, sweet bass. And Trixie Whitley singing her ass off beside Lanois. Now, granted, the only real question here is Whitley, as the other 3 members are all legendary players. Trixie is the daughter of the late great Texas bluesman Chris Whitley. He was amazing. And his daughter carries on a great legacy. This whole album feels like it was recorded in a living room… by one of the world’s greatest producers. There’s not a lot of fancy production or bells and whistles, but the music is strong enough to speak for itself, as are the songs. Some favourites are “Surely,” “Cannan,” “Slow Baby” and “Silverado.”

THE BLACK KEYS – BROTHERS

I think this one is on everyone’s list, and there’s a reason for it. It’s awesome. The Keys have always been dripping with cool, but on this one they fill in the blanks with amazing songwriting and seductively diverse arrangements. I put on this record if I’m feeling a little insecure or intimidated and by the time track # 2, “Next Girl” kicks in, I feel ready to slam some bourbon, pick up some bitches and hop the next boxcar to Mississippi. I don’t know where these two white guys from Ohio found so much groove and soul, but I have my suspicions that there was a crossroads meeting with a horned demon involved.

BRANDON FLOWERS – FLAMINGO

The Killers front man comes through with a solo tribute to his hometown of Las Vegas and it’s a winner: 3 cherries, blackjack, rolling a 7, 4 of a kind, etc. Flowers has carved out such a specific sound and style for himself through The Killers and now on this, his first solo effort. I wish I could write songs like him. This record is definitely more pop than the Killers. I think every song is great. The opening track is inspired by the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign that greets it’s visitors upon arrival and is a cautionary tale. The last line of the chorus, “didn’t nobody tell you, the house will always win” is such a prefect line and hits me like a modern Kenny Roger’s “The Gambler.” I can listen to this album a hundred times (and I have) and I never get tired of it. I actually still get excited when I get to track 7, “Magdalena.”

KANYE WEST – MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY

Masterpiece. I am not much of a fan of Kanye. He just seems like such a dick. And I was resistant to even get this record, even though I have enjoyed some of his past efforts. But I got it anyways, and I was reluctantly impressed… really impressed. This album is unarguably great. It’s at the top of pretty much everyone’s list this year, and I can see why. The production here is outstanding and his sampling is fresh and innovative. He is definitely the cream of the producer crop. And he knows a good hook and he knows how to work it. And his rhymes are surprisingly self aware and self critical. There’s definitely some massive ego here, but it is so well balanced with the intelligent stuff that it actually comes off as charming. And the line “You got too many Urkels on your team that’s why your Winslow” cannot help but make me smile every time I hear it (not to mention, “The people who tried to black ball me forgot about two things: my black balls.” Wow). I am by no means a hip hop expert, but this album is solid, solid, solid front to back. Well done Kanye… you dick.

MUMFORD AND SONS – SIGH NO MORE

These Brits came out guns blazing with the best folk album I’ve heard in years. They have some stellar harmonies and sing and play well crafted songs with a power and passion that’s hard to argue with. I didn’t get to see them live this year, but everyone I talked to that did said they were outstanding. I love this album and can’t wait to hear their next one.

THE NATIONAL  - HIGH VIOLET

I find this album utterly beautiful. The lush indie soundscapes and Matt Berninger’s Baritone combine perfectly to create awesome tune after awesome tune. The lyrics don’t make sense a lot of the time, but I feel like I know exactly what he’s saying. And the record seems depressing at first glance, but I feel strangely hopeful while listening to it. This album is beautiful and artistic without being pretentious or snobby. I’ve listened to this album end to end countless times and I still love it. “Blood Buzz Ohio” was my 6 month old daughter’s favourite song of the year. How can you argue with that? I also had the pleasure of catching them live this summer and it was killer. I found myself wanting to just close my eyes and feel the music hit me, like a hippie. Oh god, The National has turned me into a hippie… bastards.

OK GO – OF THE BLUE COLOUR OF THE SKY

The kings of internet music videos come through with a stunning pop masterpiece worth listening and watching. This album sounds like a baby conceived by Prince and Talking Heads in a discotheque in the future. Art rock that I can’t help but dance to. There has been a bunch of music videos made for these songs this year and they are all awesome, fun and innovative. I want to be in this band but I fear that I’d be in way over my head. Songs like “White Knuckles” and “Needing/Getting” are perfect pop songs and they are executed with equal perfection. Another band I didn’t get to see live… god, this kid has really killed my concert going jive. New years resolution: more shows.

There has been a lot of discussion of late about gay bullying. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few months, you’ll be aware of the string of teen suicides resulting from these teens being bullied because they were gay. Everyone and their dog can agree that these deaths are nothing short of tragic. I think it’s a great thing that there has been so much attention directed to this issue and campaigns like the “It Gets Better Project” can only help to make things better.

One of the biggest questions that I’ve heard tossed around is, “Where are the parents?” Where are the parents of the kids who are doing the bullying? This is a great question, but one that is always delivered rhetorically. But it seems to me that there is a very simple answer. The answer is that the parents are leading the way. We are all leading the way.

When we as a society so blatantly bully a group of people, how can we expect our children to do anything different? Don’t agree? Think about it. When we legislate a law that says Homosexual couples do not deserve the right to get married, that is bullying. When we legislate a law that says homosexuals do not have the right to serve openly in the military, that is bullying. Anytime we use power to disallow some people from enjoying the rights that other people enjoy, that is bullying. By denying these rights, we are saying, in no uncertain terms, that these people are different than us and are less than us.

This is the message that we are sending our children. We may also be telling them in words that it’s not right to bully someone, but that message falls short of a system that explicitly and consistently bullies. Now, our children and teenagers don’t have access to legislature that can systematically bully a group of people, but they do have facebook. They do have their school hallways. Just because their venue is different doesn’t mean their behaviour is.

Until we as adults, as a society, stop bullying the LGBT community, to expect our youth to do any different is nothing short of ignorant.

M@

Welcome to Vancouver. If you haven’t left your rock shelter for the last little while, you’ll be surprised to hear that the Winter Olympics have descended on our fair city. This huge event that is occurring in my back yard has left a deep personal conflict inside me. And that conflict is this:

How does one support all that is great about the Olympic games (i.e. the spirit, the coming together of the world, the celebration of sport and the greatest athletes in the world) while at the same time oppose all that is terrible about the Olympic games (i.e. VANOC and their complete disregard for human rights, civil liberties, the homeless and disadvantaged, the indigenous nations of our country, not to mention the huge cost overruns that are already leading to cuts in health care, education, social services and the arts. And let’s not forget everyone’s favourite: corporate greed and control)? I’m not sure how to navigate these waters yet. Any ideas?

This feels a bit like supporting the troops but not the war…

If you haven’t read “The Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein, you probably should. Or at least get a Cole’s Notes version. Or at least watch enough youtube videos of her talking about the book to understand what it’s about (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG9CM_J00bw). In it, Ms. Klein (author/pundit/activist/babe/genius) talks about the concept of “Disaster Capitalism:” the conscious effort of big business and government to take advantage of the mass state of shock that a society finds themselves in after a disaster (i.e. Terrorist Attack, War, Natural Disaster, etc.). When such events occur, people are sent into a state of shock and are in turn, very disoriented, unsure, and of course, malleable. They don’t really know which way is up and they look for anyone to lead them, to tell them what’s happening and what they should do. Enter from stage right the descendants of Milton Friedman and the corporations and government agencies who are awaiting such a moment to implement policies and money making ideas that would never be accepted by the public under normal circumstances. Examples of this include post 9/11, the implementation of The Patriot Act, as well as the unlimited outsourcing of the “War On Terror” to Halliburton and Blackwater. And let’s not forget the auctioning off of beach property to big resort developers after the Tsunami in South-east Asia, or the elimination of public services in New Orleans after Katrina. I could go on, but it’s probably best you read the book.

Well, in my extensive research, I have discovered a different type of Disaster Capitalism. And it involves two of our favourite things: Celebrities and The Interweb. Whenever a celebrity takes a nose dive, there is a firestorm of web based entrepreneurship waiting to snap into action, and make a shitload of money off the impending personal collapse.

The obvious culprits are the press. Brad and Angelina are merely rumored to be on the rocks at the moment and they are on the cover of every tabloid magazine that you see flying off the grocery store shelves. When something disastrous actually does happens, like our friend Tiger and his proverbial wood, even the “reputable” magazines, like Vanity Fair, get in on the action.

But beyond the papers, lays an online ocean of capitalistic capitalizing on our fellow human being’s sufferings. You see, when a celebrity disaster hits, the public doesn’t know what to do. We are shocked! Everything we thought we knew and loved about this person is suddenly put into question. We need more information, and more importantly, we need more products to satiate our thirst for scandalous blood.

If you will indulge me for a moment… some examples:

Remember OJ? How can you not? Who saw that one coming? That trial created a whole new industry: OJ merchandise trading, not to mention a complete redefining of 24 hour news networks. You could watch CNN all day and not learn a single thing about the rest of the world. Memorabilia from that trial is still worth millions: http://www.cnbc.com/id/20872506

And let’s not forget Billy Clinton. That scandal single handedly reinvigorated the cigar industry: http://www.politicalgifts.com/monicacigars.html

Even minor press scandals like Rosie O’Donnell vs. Donald Trump can garner an entrepreneurial fiesta: http://www.cafepress.com/+trump_odonnell_2008_womens_dark_tshirt,105300252

But the cherry on top of the crumbling celebrity sundae is Tiger Woods. This was as big a fall from grace as we’ve scene in years. And my favourite product to be released in the wake of this story is by far the “Tail of the Tiger Golf Balls”: http://www.tailofthetiger.com/index.html

But to be honest, I’m really not sure how to feel about all these celebrity disaster based products that I have just ordered online to be delivered to my home in 4-6 business days. I figure either all these online entrepreneurs are greedy, power hungry, manipulative disaster capitalists, or all those politicians and CEOs are just clever business people with quirky ideas. I’m not sure which is true… yet.

1. Crying

There’s a very distinct difference between the crying of an adult and that of a child. You never see a grown person wailing their lungs out after they’ve soiled themselves. And if you do, you agree that they should promptly be heavily medicated. And you never see an infant quietly sobbing to himself, tears quietly rolling down his cheek, with his shoulders bouncing. I think that’s one of the first transitions in the life of the human being: when you stop crying loudly and start crying quietly.

2. Movie Ratings

Overall the movie rating system makes sense to me. You have your G: good for everyone. PG: maybe a couple swear words. PG-13: a little bit more raw, perhaps some heavy petting. Then we have this 14A, which used to be called M: someone’s definitely getting shot and you might even see a boob. Then there’s the coveted R spot (or 18A? Is that the same thing?): this one’s strictly for adults, but only because people are getting slaughtered and using the F word a lot, not to mention the likely full scale nudity (which is apparently as damaging to a young mind as the image of mass scale human death and suffering). And then there is the oft internet searched X rating: we all know what this is about. And then this is where the wheels come off the cart for me. We go directly from X to Triple X. What’s with that? Is there no Double X? I have never in my entire life ever heard of a movie being rated Double X. Is that fair? I’m sure there are some people out there who watch an X rated movie and think, “Egh, it’s okay, but it’s a little tame for me,” who then go try out the Triple X and are repulsed. Where do these people go? At the moment, nowhere. Is there no in between? Have we as a society not yet acknowledged that the truth so often lay somewhere in the middle? I’m just saying, let’s be reasonable. Let’s add another category. Double X. Not that I have ever seen any films like that, nor do I have any interest in seeing them in the future. It’s just the principal of the thing. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my “Girls Gone Wild” marathon.

Alright, I’m squeaking it in under the wire this year. The annual list of my year’s favourite records. You probably think some of my choices suck. Well, then you suck. So, here’s my faves. I decided to go for the countdown format this year. I feel it adds more drama. This way you don’t get bored after the first couple choices, because you have something to look forward to. I’m shocked I haven’t done it this way in the past. Here we go baby:

10. Tegan and sara – Sainthood

These girls are amazing. They make pop songs like no one else. It’s almost infuriating how good some of their songs are. “Hell” is a perfect pop song. It’s like “Back in your head” on their last record. I catch myself constantly humming it. There’s a couple tunes on this album that lose me, but overall, another stellar effort.

9. Jay Z – The Blueprint 3

Why do I love Jay-Z so? He’s fascinating. The beats and production on this record are just stupidly good and Hova is undoubtedly the elder statesman of modern hip hop. Plus he’s just cool beyond the rest of us mere mortals. He’s like those Gatorade commercials where the athletes are sweating Gatorade, but he sweats cool. But beyond all that, he is fascinating. The first song he says he only wants to talk about “real shit” and doesn’t want to talk about the past, and then the next song he’s bragging about his fancy suits and how rich and famous he is and all his past accomplishments. It’s crazy, and it’s totally charming. How does he do that. How do I think one minute, “Wow, this guy’s totally down to earth,” and then the next I think, “This guy’s the biggest egomaniac alive?” And I just love him more for it all.

8. Ben Lee – The Rebirth of Venus

Ben’s a friend of ours and couldn’t be a nicer man. This album is quite possibly my favourite of his. It’s a tribute to the feminine energy of the planet. That’s something I can totally get behind, especially these days. He begs for Yoko Ono to come save us, and often times, I feel like that’s our best chance to turn things around. There’s a power in the feminine that we need to embrace. We’ve spent thousands of years trying to supress it, to stifle it. We need to embrace it. I think that’s where our future is. Ben does a  great job of putting all that into pop songs. Full of pop gems, hooks, humour, and truths, this album just makes me feel good. Well done Ben, well done.

7. The Swell Season – Strict Joy

Beautiful. These guys are the duo from the movie “Once,” and he’s (Glen Hansard) the lead singer in the band The Frames. He’s amazing. I want to be him. He’s so good, and she compliments him perfectly. There’s a great poem in the booklet with this CD called Strict Joy, and it’s all about how the job of the artist is to take sorrow and transform it into joy. I love that. And FYI: mission accomplished.

6. Pearl Jam - Backspacer

I loved Pearl Jam when I was a teenager, and then they kind of lost me for a number of years. Well, I’m back. Some friends of ours spend their holiday time following these guys around North America on tour. I’ve never really understood that. But after I heard this album, I wanted to hide in their suitcase so they’d take me with them. This record rocks. Front to back it kills. Perfect pop rock songs. Short and sweet, like a bank heist. They get in and out before you even know what hit you. Eddie Vedder sounds so awesome on this album, and there’s a couple slow ones for good measure.

5. David Gray – Draw the Line

Mr. Gray is one of my favourite’s and one of my biggest influences. And this record has everything I like about him. Politics, love, heartache, soul searching, and all of it has life, it doesn’t feel soft or distant. This album has an energy that his more recent albums have lacked. It sounds live, and like he’s singing for his life. It grabs me. I’m in.

4. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

It was great to see these guys finally break through to the superstardom they deserve with this record. They nailed everything they are about on this record. Awesome pop songs played really really well. Those first couple songs, “Lisztomania” and “1901″ were enough to make my list alone. I could listen to those songs back to back for well over an hour.

3. Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King

Dave Matthews Band is one of my all time favourite bands. This record is by far their best of the last decade. I think it captures their live energy better than anything they’ve ever done. It certainly rocks more than any of their other records. And it’s laced with tribute to their fallen comrade, Leroi Moore. I love this record. We saw them in September at The Greek Theatre in LA. Beautiful intiimate venue, and we got in for free (that’s another story). It was amazing! I couldn’t stop listening to this record for a week afterwards.

2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

This album is perfect. It’s got everything I could ask for. Rockers, dancers, and beautiful emotional ballads. “Hysteric” is probably my favourite song of the year. So beautiful, so melodic, and executed wonderfully. Karen O is the incarnation of some Hindu goddess, I swear. Either that or she is channeling pure divine rock n’ roll power.

1. Band of Skulls – Baby Darling Doll Face Honey

Definitely my favourite album this year. Our friend Jared recommended this record to me and I can’t thank him enough. Every song is awesome. Great musicianship. Great soul and groove. And it’s all marinated in 190 proof coolness.Album of the year. Fo shizzle. (I thought I’d use “fo shizzle” one last time in the only decade it will ever be considered cool.)

So there you have it. Those are my faves. A couple honorably mentions are The Dead Weather, Flight of the Conchords and Gomez. All great as well. Happy new year to everyone! And may the next decade be filled with love, compassion and amazing music!

We’re back in LA for a week to play a couple shows and work on our tans before summer officially ends. Hopefully both objectives are successful.

Love this city; so much creative energy and everybody’s pushing something or got an idea for the next best thing. Pure ambition. There’s a feeling that anything can happen.

Our first show is tonight at The Hotel Cafe. It’s become such a renowned venue that even Barbara Walter’s was talking about it on her radio show yesterday. And if any of you watch The View, you know that if Barbara’s talking, everyone listens. I’m assuming, based on her praise of the venue, she’ll be there tonight and we’ll all party in the dressing room after the show and then she’ll look at her watch and be like, “Oh shit, it’s 4 am, I gotta get to New York to film The View!” And then she runs off to catch her private jet. And then a moment after leaving the room she comes back in and says, “Hey! You guys should come with me and play on the show! We’ve got Enrique Iglesias on today, but we’ll totally bump him for you.” We agree, hop on the jet with Babs, keep the party going all the way to the big Apple, shotgun some Red Bull, and play to millions of housewives, home sick children and unemployed college grads, thereby selling millions of records and headlining stadiums by January.

Sure it’s a bit of a long shot, but this is LA baby! Anything can happen.

Well, it is Canada day. A happy one to everyone.

I am currently sitting around with an ice pack to my face, nursing my left cheek after some dental surgery yesterday. The necessary rest has given me some time to contemplate the $1000 the surgery cost me and the real value of our country’s free health care system. I just paid our $100 monthly healthcare bill the other day as well. I’ll tell you, if this is socialism, it’s making me poor.

Aside from that, though, we do have a fine country on our hands. I feel quite lucky to live here. We’re going to head down to Granville island and see if they’re giving away any free Canadian beer or whisky. That would be nice. That would both ease the pain in my mouth and enthuse me with pride for my country. Happy Canada day to me!

This is an amazing thing. Karen Armstrong (who is an amazing woman. Check out her books if you haven’t read them already) won the TED prize last year, and as part of the prize she gets to make “One wish to Change the World.” So her wish was to get some of the greatest minds in the world together to write up a “Charter for Compassion,” much like the Charter for Human Rights. I won’t explain it anymore, as it’s all on the website, and I’m trying not to be redundant.

Check it out:
http://charterforcompassion.org/

I think this is such a beautiful idea and such a strong way forward into our future. It’s all based around the golden rule: Don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do to you. Seems simple enough, doesn’t it? It is and it isn’t. It’s simple to say and to grasp, but not so simple to consciously implement at all times. It takes practice. I guess maybe that’s why we live for so long. Maybe if I keep practicing everyday, I’ll get it by the end.

Star date 9/03. Haven’t seen as many stars as tabloids have led me to believe I would.

Settled in, more or less. Starting to feel at home more and more each day as we decide on our favorite local coffee shop, corner store, etc. And I find myself becoming more and more confident using the car horn. At first, I was slightly terrified I would get shot if I honked at anyone. Now I have purchased several of my own guns and feel far more confident. Actually, side note, I have a very funny story about handguns and The Stanley Park pitch n putt. Remind me to tell you next time you see me.

We went and saw some live music the other night and then afterwards, accidentally wound up at a very gay bar on Santa Monica Blvd. (we’re new here, we’re learning as we go). I say “very gay” because we were told at one point in the night (after being asked “What the hell are you doing here?”) that it wasn’t just a hanging out sort of gay bar, but rather the kind where everyone goes home with someone at the end of the night gay bar. I just thought everyone was really friendly! Even still, we had a very fun time, and Leila recognized Thom Filicia, the interior designer guy from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” (apparently he’s on Oprah sometimes now, too) I’ve only seen the show dozens of times because it happened to be on in the background while I was building things out of wood and studying sport statistics, but Leila’s a very big fan. So she introduced herself and we ended up talking to him for an hour. Very nice man. Interesting celebrity fact: his favorite movie is “Norbitt.” I was hesitant to judge him too harshly, as mine is “Rudy.” I tear up just thinking about it.

All for now. Show next week and all sorts of action this week. Until next time…
m@