If book one of the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy was a slow burn, The Wandering Fire is quite the opposite. The pace immediately feels more urgent, which is normal because the threat of war looms over Fionavar, and our five heroes scramble to collect the forces needed to stand a chance at defeating ultimate evil. Bu tI do nuance: patience is a virtue when in Fionavar, it seems, we’re far from a breakneck tempo. After all, the book does start off six months after the end of the previous one, and its fledgling war still has yet to ravage the lands.

The depth of Kay’s Fionavar is moreso revealed, its scope and dimension a direct rival to the most celebrated of fantasy worlds. But it is Kay’s language which allows for the upmost appreciation for the novel, as he is most adept at making us feel like we’re experiencing the genesis of great legend, all players epic heroes despite their mortal flaws.

This is not a stand-alone book and cannot be enjoyed without having the stage set by The Summer Tree, but once one has digested the first novel, this continuation of the tale is a must read.

Book: The Wandering Fire (The Fionavar Tapestry, Book 2)

Author: Guy Gavriel Kay

Publisher: Roc Trade

Next: The Darkest Road (The Fionavar Tapestry, Book 3)

If there’s one thing I’ll always regret about not being a rock musician, is that I will never have the chance to jump up on stage, set myself behind the microphone hooked onto its stand, and address the local concert goers with an emphatic “Hello, Schnecksville!”

I say this because there is no real reason why, at this stage in my personal and professional life, I should ever get to go to Schnecksville. That, if I were to dumb down the complex series of emotions which hurtle through me as I think of it, makes me sad. And why would I want to go to Schnecksville in the first place? Um, because it’s the greatest name for a city ever, that’s why, DUH. Come on, say it out loud once: “Schnecksville.” It just rolls off the tongue.

However, if things keep going their way, The Summerlad may actually have a chance to go to Schnecksville, and many other cities across our fair continent. Because as far as this bunch of Albertans are concerned, they are poised to make one hell of a splash in the upcoming months, which, as the nauseating cliché goes, will take them places. Places they’ve never dreamed of. Like Schnecksville.

Already, City of Noise is a hard edged, melodic, stunningly orchestrated song, led by relentless guitar riffs which give the song its threatening, looming city atmosphere. It’s all done maintaining a new wave undercurrent which give them a delicious post-punk taste. Place your money that a lot of people will be expecting their next full release with beaucoup anticipation.

Of course, I have no real way of knowing if The Summerlad will ever actually go to Schnecksville, but the odds of them dropping in there are much higher than mine. *sigh*

MP3: The Summerlad - City of Noise

www.thesummerlad.com
myspace.com/summerlad

Another great reason to be proud to be Canadian, folks: the world’s first eyeball tattoo recipient is Canadian. AWESOME GO HABS!!

Forty needles were needed to inject enough blue antibiotic eyewash to turn Toronto’s Pauly Unstoppable’s ocular orb completely blue. Talk about completely fearless; he truly lives up to his last name. The result of this experimental procedure is quite dramatic indeed. Yes, experimental; as in not being aware of any long-term effects. Could it get infected? Maybe. Could he go blind? Hard to tell.

But regardless of what happens to his eyesight, his eardrums will remain intact and will therefore be able to enjoy the all new Tokyo Police Club album, Elephant Shell, due out on May 5th. He will also be able to listen to a little piece of that upcoming release, In A Cave, which brings along more of that jangling, spright, bouncing guitar rock we have all come to love. Again, right on pitch, perfectly disjointed, all together in an ear-friendly, enthusiastic package. It’s a wonderful single from one of Canada’s most solid music acts, which we’re all excited to see at some point this Spring as part of the Exclaim! 16th anniversary tour.

Here’s hoping Pauly Unstoppable will be able to see them too.

MP3: Tokyo Police Club - In A Cave

www.tokyopoliceclub.com
myspace.com/tokyopoliceclub

Remember last week when I posted a little article about the Conservative government blissfully cracking eggs all over its face after being on the receiving end of a copyright violation? Apparently the whole thing has been cleared up, as the Tories and Warner/Chappell Canada have come to a settlement about the government’s public use of the song For The Love Of Money by the O’Jays without having secured the rights beforehand.

And what are the terms of the settlement? Oh, those are secret. Super hush-hush. It’s an “internal party matter” says a Tory spokesperson. You understand.

So on top of this embarrassing screw up by Jim Prentice’s crew, the man who is overseeing copyright reform in Canada, the party which promised more transparency than previous administrations won’t go full disclosure on the situation. Way to go, folks: not only do I hope no public funds are going to pay for this “internal party matter,” but I really doubt the Industry minister and his minions have any idea how copyright works, seeing they can’t manage it in the field themselves.

Ottawa Citizen: Tories settle copyright dispute with music publisher

The following is a repost of this original article, in no small part thanks to the emergence a direct, free, and legal download of Kick This City.

So there’s a couple of things one can do to get noticed in the wild and wily world of indie music.

You can decide to put out an EP which contains an exceptionally catchy tune, something along the lines of Kick This City, a synth-n-riff bouncer which is iced with enough new wave influence to have as much depth as it does fun.

Another way would be to work on a full-length album with Arcade Fire, The Dears, and Wolf Parade producer Howard Bilerman. Because, you know, the boy’s got chops and folks will immediately perk up.

Or you can do both, like Kara Keith.

MP3: Kara Keith - Kick This City

www.myspace.com/karacopsout

Why is it that every time I say “The Dirtbombs” I feel like I’m ten years old again? Ten years old, outside in the street in front of my house, wishing to throw some dirt balls at Mr. Simoneau, from four doors down, who constantly shouted ridiculous accusations at us for no other reason than just being an angry bastard?

Yeah, that’s right, Simoneau, you old, crusty son of a bitch, living at 3955 Chevalier Street, apartment #2, I remember you! Yeah, I still know you still live there, you dirty cock-eyed beige-loving drunk jackass! This one’s for you, you disgusting, nauseating, dumbass freakshow excuse for a human being!

I’m going to hurl these Dirtbombs right at you, you douchebag! May their garage rock, synth-blaring, midtempo punk edge hit you right where you’ll least expect it, as I rush into the bushes to hide, giggling to myself unmercifully. You rotten, heartless creep.

MP3: The Dirtbombs - Sherlock Holmes

www.thedirtbombs.net
myspace.com/thedirtbombs

On a shelf near my desk stands a little wood-carved statue of an old, grizzled, peg legged sea captain. Holding a spyglass in one hand and a smoking pipe in another, he stands proud and steadfast, the dark holes of his eyes staring directly at me. His gaze quizzes me as to why I never listen to music which reminds him of the sea, of his journeys now past and far behind him to shores far and breathtaking.

As such, he was enchanted to listen to some Port O’Brien and their clamorous romp entitled I Woke Up Today. Its wonderfully energetic folk sounds come alive with a blaring chorus of voices, hailing the greatness and wonder of the ocean’s liberating surge. It’s a hand clapping, foot stomping acoustic shuffle which has that get-together vibe of group singing and alcohol-infused r-and-r.

So now the captain, steady as ever, seems to have found a gleam in his eye which he thought he had abandoned on a distant travel so long ago. Which, really, is all just in my head because he’s just a wooden statue, for fuck’s sake.

MP3: Port O'Brien - I Woke Up Today

www.portobrien.com
myspace.com/portobrien

The quest for undiscovered Nazi plunder in remote areas of the Czech Republic is rather similar to digging the Internets for free and legal mp3s. No, really. Aside from all the heavy-handed political wrangling such a dig creates, the two are very closely knit.

Here, let’s take, for instance, The Depreciation Guild. They, just like Nazi doubloons hidden in man carved caves, have treasure awaiting in their self-made corner of the Internet to be found by music lovers. Just like the Nazi compound safeguarding oodles of war plunder, The Depreciation Guild’s paragon is the gift of a full album, downloadable absolutely free. And just like the impact of finding Nazi treasure has on history, The Depreciation Guild’s mastery of 8-bit crushed sounds and reverb-loving shoegazing techniques to create ethereal, poppy, passionate music will doubtlessly carve a place in your music library, as evidenced by their excellent Sky Ghosts track.

However, unlike the Nazis, The Depreciation Guild will not wantonly lick the eyes of babies.

(Note: Historians are still debating the accuracy as to whether the Nazis actually licked the eyes of babies, adults, or even various reptiles.)

MP3: The Depreciation Guild - Sky Ghosts

www.thedepreciationguild.com
myspace.com/thedepreciationguild

Should the zombie apocalypse take off, I’d be all set. My house has an attic. The kind of attic with a drop down hatch for the stairs that you can pull up and close behind you. Zombies would never be able to get to me and my family because they aren’t equipped to deal with the complexity of lowering the hatch to access the staircase. Get in a bunch of canned goods, lots of bottled water, little camping grill, and we are in business.

However, let it be known that the safehouse which will be my attic will not be open to all comers in need of protection. See, once the zombies have passed and it’s time to reconstruct civilization, I will do so with a handpicked group of individuals who I feel humanity would be worse off if they became brain-craving shamblers. So joining the asylum of my attic will be on an invitation-only basis.

With that in mind, I’d like to extend the first invitation to Saint Bernadette, with whom I completely fell in love with last year with their In The Ballroom album. Amidst purring old school refrains injected with edgy post punk guitar work for modernity’s sake, Meredith DiMenna’s voice soars in both range and emotion, and such a voice will be a necessity once the ambitions of Shirley Bassey and Beth Gibbon turn to feeding on brain. At times dreamy and ethereal, other moments are crunchy and confrontational, the music DiMenna and her partner Keith Saunders concoct bounces from inspiration to genre with adroitness, which makes them more than deserving to share my attic space.

And since I was granted permission to offer you a song from their upcoming EP I Wanna Tell You Something (March 4, people!) in complete and utter pre-release shine, Saint Bernadette has just secured their place on the top bunk.

MP3: Saint Bernadette - One In A Million

www.saintbernadettemusic.com
myspace.com/saintbernadette

If there’s one thing I’m rather tired of when playing Guitar Hero III online, it’s people picking Through The Fire And Flames in head-to-head battles. Yes, I realise just how much it represents everything a hard Guitar Hero song should be, with its sinewy riffs and finger-blistering chords. But the novelty of it gets old. Real, real fast.

It’s like first few times you go online and your opponent picks the song, you’re all, like, “Whoa! Oh, no!” and you figure you’re in for an epic thrashing because, like, if he chose that one, he has to be good; but after a few fights you’re mostly, like, “Not again!” when it pops up, because the guy who picked it thinks he’s, like, clever for doing so, but he can’t even keep his multiplier at x2 for, like, a full measure, and the song is too long so it all becomes a chorus of broken chords, which ends up being this, like, colossal waste.

Which is why I am openly petitioning the good people at Activision to include Boris’ face melting Statement as a playable song in an upcoming Guitar Hero release. Just listen to its gritty metal-thirsty thrashings and slicing “oo-oo” vocals flare up with a psychedelic twist. I am of the opinion, that as far as vigorous, smiting guitarwork goes, this powerful song of mammoth proportions would pose a colossal challenge to even the most dextrous master of the orange fret.

So take note: Statement is a remarkably imposing song that does everything it should, in about half the time a power metal band can.

MP3: Boris - Statement

www.inoxia-rec.com/boris