The Boar » Music

The Most Serene Republic & Meligrove Band @ Starlight Review

Kelvin Lam — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:54:54 +0000

The Starlight is a kind of permanent fixture for any Waterloo student who takes to live performances by indie rock acts. On Thursday November 5, The Most Serene Republic and Meligrove Band took the stage there.

I recall hearing the Mississauga-based Meligrove Band’s Planets Conspire in a high school cafeteria four years ago, which remains their most recent record. I recognized the lead singer walking on to the stage because he looked the same as he did when they performed at The Mod Club a few years ago; like this, on the left:

Meligrove Band

My favourite moments of their set were their old songs – it was a conspiracy between the familiarity of the old album and the catchy hooks that made it perfect for live performance. With the new songs, Meligrove for me became a band with greater depth and thoughtfulness that reached beyond those hooks. I’ve never owned any of their albums, but when their new one is released, I might.

Headliners The Most Serene Republic took stage shortly after Meligrove Band’s finale with “Our Love Will Make The World Go Around”. The first time I listened to this Milton-based band was on an Arts & Crafts 2006 compilation. The Most Serene Republic recently released their third studio release … And The Ever Expanding Universe. It has an aesthetic that is unmistakably Arts & Crafts, much like their previous works. As such, the music has the property of being intensely uplifting and at the same time mellow, which translated very well into performance that night.

The band enjoyed themselves during the set and put on a very cohesive show. Adrian Jewett made clear his beliefs on the rate of consumption of marijuana in Waterloo (very high). He also stressed the significance of Starlight’s disco ball:

Adrian Jewett

The exchanges between the vocal lines of Emma Ditchburn and Adrian Jewett somehow had the effect of creating unity amongst audience and performers. Naturally, the new record was the focal point of the evening and the crowd was very receptive. There were cheers all around when the band started up their new single,“Heavens to Purgatory”.

The Most Serene Republic & Crowd

The Most Serene Republic played “In Places Empty Spaces” for their encore to finish up the night. The band began it slowly and it built itself up. It reached through the crowd and lifted them up with its crescendos. When it ended so did the night, and we were gently let back down.

Weekly Mixtape, provided by Dance Mix 666 on SoundFM

Andrew LaVey — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:58:40 +0000

Image Courtesy of Sandy Phimester

Dance Mix 666 is a radio show that airs on 100.3 SoundFM.ca from 4 to 6 PM on Fridays. It is hosted by Andrew LaVey, a fourth-year urban planning student. It loves you, but with that “sinister kind of hungry Satanic love”, not that “sweet kind of Christian love”. Or, at least, that’s the gimmick.

I have my apprehensions about how sinister this mix truly is. In fact, this is a mix that is mainly designed to facilitate your spiritual growth. It’s ten tracks of glorious melancholy that should help temporarily lower gravity as you drop into the dark and frightening season of fall. Enjoy, and remember to tune in to SoundFM.

You can download the entire playlist here.

1. Choir of Young Believers – “These Rituals of Mine” (Official Website and Myspace Page)

Forget the name for a second because you’ll notice a religious quality to the music if you listen hard enough. “These Rituals of Mine” is a beautiful ode to our insecurities and neuroses. It finds weightless joy in catharsis. As the tightrope of life becomes increasingly wobbly, this song helps you glide along it.

2. Townes Van Zandt – “Kathleen” (Official Website)

From one of the great melancholic songwriters comes a tune about finding momentary respite from the darkness in our lives. “Maybe I’ll go insane; I need to stop the pain. Maybe I’ll go down and see Kathleen.”

3. The Beach Boys – “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” (Official Website)

The great Beach Boys story: the fall and redemption of Brian Wilson. This song beautifully captures the doubt and uncertainty of Mr. Wilson’s early success. It poignantly communicates a certain sad vulnerability.

4. Mercury Rev – “Moving On” (Official Website and Myspace Page)

Grasshopper and the gang here craft one minute and twenty-two seconds of glowing magic. “You gotta start moving on, it’ll be brighter in the sun.” This is the perfect track to complement one of those flying dreams where you float above the city with not a care in the world.

5. The xx – “Heart Skipped a Beat” (Official Website and Myspace Page)

There is a certain innocent beauty in the music made by these four London youth. The confident yet overwhelmed simplicity in which they craft their music is breathtaking. There are certain moments in their songs when you wish it would last just a little bit longer.

6. Arthur Russell – “This is How We Walk on the Moon” (Myspace Page)

The tragically dead Russell was a musical visionary who crafted many of his best songs (including this blissful slice of the beyond) as both an extension and a part of the evolution of his training as a classical cellist. His otherworldly genius will likely lift you up and fly you to another space. This is indeed how we walk on the moon; this song will lower gravity beneath you.

7. Kate Bush – “Pull Out the Pin” (Official Website)

This divinely attuned chanteuse walks the line between YHWH and Pan. It’s obvious she’s deeply in touch with her inner grace, but when she howls “I LOVE LIFE” you can’t help but feel chills as she channels erotic, Bacchanal, and ultimately powerful forces.

8. Subway – “Simplex” (Myspace Page)

With this song, we pause and contemplate. “Simplex” explores the rhythm and hum of modern life with a special kind of hypnotic beauty.

9. Suicide – “Be Bop Kid” (Myspace Page)

I’m still not sure if I comprehend the early 80s New York underground in any way that can be expressed in words. Yet in the neighbourhood that invented postpunk and new wave, that blew up off of spastic Contortions and post-everything hipness, Alan Vega was the Grand Vizier of the scene. Much like I don’t quite understand the scene, I don’t get this track either. But on some level, I understand where Suicide fits in, and maybe that means I understand where this song belongs too.

10. Fontän – “Nightrider” (Official Website and Myspace Page)

Sure, you can write this off as just another note in the grand symphony of Balearic revival, but “Nightrider” is at least a full movement in and of itself. Song titles are great when they are well thought out, and it’s obvious that Gothenburg maestros Fontän tried to carefully concoct the perfect night-riding song. Wide-eyed smiling music like that of the xx does create a certain wonder, but it’s groups like Subway and Fontän that truly capture the unique beauty of our modern age.

If you would like to submit a playlist, please email (pub@theboar.ca) a list of 7-10 songs with 3-5 sentences of description for each song. Also add a brief introduction about yourself, such as your program and musical interests. Please indicate in the e-mail’s subject line that you’re submitting a playlist, and please do not use .docx formatting for Word documents.

Weekly Mixtape provided by Stephanie Hong

Stephanie Hong — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:19:34 +0000

Photo by Aubrey Arenas

Hi! The semester is about to begin and all I can really think about is how September is this pretty little lull between the summer and the fall. I spent most of my summer listening to dreamy songs that perfectly complement the sways of a hammock. So, I think it is only fitting that I dedicate this week’s mixtape to the songs that have constantly been on the “Recently Played” playlist of my iPod this past summer. Enjoy friends.

1. The Velvet Underground – “Pale Blue Eyes” (Fan Site)
It’s simple, pretty, and so damn sad. And while I kind of want to say that Adventureland has ruined the song for me, Lou Reed’s genius trumps Kristen Stewart’s terrible acting any day.

2. Death Cab for Cutie – “Photobooth” (Official Website and Myspace Page)
This was my first Death Cab song and it has always remained my favourite. The innocence and naivete found in the lyrics always fills my mind with grainy images of past summers that never really existed. For anyone who wants the perfect song to end the summer, look no further.

3. Coconut Records – “Wires”(Official Website and Myspace Page)
Oh Jason Schwartzman (of Max Fischer infamy), you can do no wrong in my books. Like Coconut’s previous efforts, the sophomore album Davy has the same feel good vibe that’s reminiscent of the Beach Boys. “Wires” is one song that I particularly could not get enough.

4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Hysteric” (Official Website and Myspace Page)
While I kind of long for those days when Karen O would sing blunt lyrics like “As a Fuck son, you sucked” (“Bang”), I do quite enjoy her softer side. In the YYYs latest album, the gentler side of Miss O is more apparent than ever, it probably has to do with maturity and wisdom. Nonetheless, “Hysteric” has won me over with its minimalist lyrics and end whistling. It’s the “Maps” of It’s Blitz! a.k.a. the pretty love song and the gem of the album.

5. Spiritualized – “Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space” (Official Website and Myspace Page)
The title says it all; it’s hard to not feel like you’re floating in space when listening to this song. Not only are there multiple voices layered on top of one another, the voices all sing grand confessions of romantic gestures. It’s a lullaby about falling in love and enchanting promises.

6. The Smiths – “Unlovable” (Fan Site)
Like every song by the Smiths, Morrissey is self-deprecating. However, in “Unlovable” it’s got a nice, upbeat melody. I find it a little funny that despite the danceable sway that one can find in the instrumentals, Moz is singing about how he “wears black on the outside because black is how [he] feels on the inside”. On another note, the song that follows this track on Louder Than Bombs is “Asleep”, which is perhaps the most depressing song ever.

7. LCD Soundsystem – “New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down” (Official Website and Myspace Page)
I often have these epic fantasies about living in New York, so to even imagine NYC being a bummer is nearly impossible. Although the honesty found in these lyrics that point out the flaws of America’s pride and joy may create a little disillusionment, it does make for a lovely song.

If you would like to submit a playlist, please email (pub@theboar.ca) a list of 7-10 songs with 3-5 sentences of description for each song. Also add a brief introduction about yourself such as your program and musical interests. Please write a subject line in the email indicating that it’s a playlist and please do not use .docx formatting for Word documents.

Pitchfork Festival in Chicago Review

Kelvin Lam — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:00:18 +0000

Photos by Daniel Rangel

Pitchfork Festival is an annual indie music festival in Chicago hosted by the infamous indie music site Pitchfork Media. This year’s festival took place July 17th to 19th and Kelvin Lam (a Weekly Mixtape contributor and UW student) was able to attend and report on this year’s festivities.

—–

Friday

I stand in the same spot for an hour and a half before the relief of my favourite Yo La Tengo song. I carefully listen from over the fence. Thirty minutes later I reach the front of the will-call line, retrieve my two-day pass, and go home.

Saturday

Saturday went by too fast. It wasn’t until 2:30 that Alex, Lauren, and I got there. Beer was first, then The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. While twee* has a special place in my heart, I was a little let down since seeing them in-person did not feel any livelier than listening to the CD. The vocals did not sound as great, like it could have used some more reverb. The day was mainly filled by floating between stages A and C with no time to spare in between. Eventually, I picked one band’s timeslot to sacrifice for food and a trip to overflowing portable toilets. It wasn’t because that time slot was any less special, but these things just sort of happen.

Yeasayer @ Pitchfork

Saturday was ethereal, in some ways. Yeasayer was in the middle of a moving set and a light rain started – not the kind that turns the ground to mud, but the refreshing kind – and it was strangely fitting. Then the band sang about the sunrise and the sun came back. Was it the way those impassioned words were sung that brought it back or was it the combined effect of their two percussionists merged with the drum machine? I wasn’t sure, but I guess you could say that it’s one of those questions for the ages. Kim called Yeasayer the “unboring Animal Collective,” but I think that they are the acoustic Animal Collective.

Saturday was a lesson on how to navigate Pitchfork Fest. Do not offer sympathy for stepping on blankets, either pass on one band to wait for another or see (more like hear) both from afar, and know that meet-ups are a Herculean task. It wasn’t until the headlining band that I finally met up with Christina. We’d put a little something in the lemonade that we took with us, which we sipped between the songs that The National played. The songs were sad, but it translated into a surprisingly grandiose and lively set that was great for closing the night. Besides, there was still a whole other day for happy songs.

[*Editor's Note: twee is a type of music genre.]

Sunday

By the end of Saturday there were still a handful of areas that I had left unvisited. On Sunday, I rectified those mistakes. These secondary attractions reminded me that despite the size of the festival and the online reputation of the website, Pitchfork Festival was still deeply rooted in the city of Chicago. The food was local, as was the beer (the PBR-drinking, Parliament-smoking kids would have to settle for Goose Island this weekend), and plenty of transactions with local merchants were afoot.

Festival attendees

Stage B featured some Chicagoan bands earlier in the day. As we forced our way through the crowd to see four shirtless guys, called Killer Whale, pounding out a unique punk-reggae concoction, I realized it was also kind of a bolder stage. Dancing was a requirement and it’s hard to move your feet in the tight crowd gathered around a tiny stage, but we obliged nonetheless.

As the day wore on and people trickled in, the festival experience converged on the goal of finding a spot to see the last couple of big bands. Leaving the Walkmen set early for M83, I found that it was already physically impossible to reach Alex. He had been waiting at the front of the stage for the Lips’ set, which wasn’t due for another hour and a half. I secured a good spot to soak in the pretty sounds of M83. Their set was made of one pumping song after another and pretty much the perfect set for the sunset on a Sunday evening.

Moments after the end of the M83 set ended, a wave of Lips fans washed me involuntarily toward the front of the stage. I swam against the current to meet up again with Kim to catch some of the Grizzly Bear set. When they finished, the band tried to thank us, but a huge mechanized robot voice, heralding the start of the Flaming Lips’ performance, drowned out their feeble human voices.

The Flaming Lips have a reputation of throwing an over-the-top-show. Even before Wayne Coyle started off the set by crowd surfing from within a gigantic plastic ball, the signs were clear that that was the type of show that was going down tonight. They by far deserve to win the award for having the most balloons, confetti, eclectic costumes, people passing out, and douchebag audience members. Thanks to Pitchfork’s ‘Write the Night,’ we got to hear some songs that the band does not usually perform live. At the end of it all, tens of thousands of hipsters poured out onto Ashland Avenue.

Alex, Lauren, Kim, and I regrouped at a nearby pizza place, where we reminisced about the festival over potato and rosemary pizza. By faithfully waiting in front of the stage for hours, Alex and Lauren managed to procure the band’s set list, which they happily showed off to us. The conclusion of the festival reminded us that it’s hard to make the good things last, so I guess maybe my friends thought they would take part of it with them.

All photos are courtesy of Daniel Rangel
For more information go to the Pitchfork Festival Website or Pitchfork Media

Hillside ‘09

Carly Warnock — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:31:37 +0000

For those of you who have never heard of Hillside in Guelph, you must go! It’s a wonderful event full of independent artists, craftsmen, and musical performers, all with an environmentally friendly twist. All food vendors served drinks and food in plastic cups and plates, which then were rewashed at several dishwashing stations and reused. Garbage was non-existent, for a large part so were shoes, but fashion had evolved into something much more organic and relaxed at this festival.

Flowing skirts, paisley and floral prints, braided hair and dreads were all very much alive, giving a throwback to the hippie 70’s fashion our parents once wore. I myself wore a tunic, tights and ballet flats, and was completely out of the style loop at this festival. Much more deconstructed pieces seemed to reign supreme here, even a few odd rock and roll homage’s were thrown in, like cuffed jeans, dress shoes worn with no socks, and motorcycle jackets.

The fashion seemed to me to be reminiscent of Woodstock, of Forest Gump (the scene at the Washington monument), and of John Travolta in the film Grease. The fashion invoked a feeling in me that was of days gone by, was anything but mundane. It left me feeling a little too pretentious in my outfit. For once, I didn’t quite fit in when it came to fashion and it was okay. I saw a lot of outfits and pieces I loved at the festival and really feel like I stepped out of my comfort zone of accepted fashion ideals. Outfits (and bare feet) that I would normally balk at I took time to reconsider. I think experiences like this are needed to create new ideas and fresh feelings in fashion and I’m grateful I was able to realize this. Photos from the event, interviews with the performers, and a ‘Fashion at Hillside’ will be coming later today, so check back soon!

Artist to Watch: Monsters of Folk

Stephanie Hong — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:27:11 +0000

Photo by Autumn de Wilde

Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes fame has embarked on yet another musical endeavour, however this time he is joined by three other well known musicians in the indie-folk scene: Jim James (My Morning Jacket), M. Ward (She + Him), and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes). You can say that Monsters of Folk is the new indie supergroup, but unlike other superbands like Velvet Revolver or Tinted Windows, the musicians in MOF are actually still relevant and significant musicians to their genre. However, MOF is not necessarily a new band as Oberst, James, and Ward toured together in 2004 and dubbed themselves as the Monsters of Folk back then. By throwing in Mogis, a permanent member of the ever-changing Bright Eyes lineup, a big collaborator with many of the Saddle Creek artists, and a talented producer in his own right, we have a completed lineup and purer sound for the Monsters.

Their debut single “Say Please”, which can be downloaded for free on their website, contains a similar sound to what fans are already used to from their respective other projects. But, something about it is just really pleasant, to be able listen to some of your favourite musicians jamming together and making some sweet and pretty music (this really comes out in the chorus where they call out for their love to “hold out your hand”). Although not much can be heard from them yet, their debut eponymous album will be dropping on September 22 with fifteen songs to fall in love with. In addition, a North American fall tour will kick off in Vancouver on October 13 and stop at Massey Hall in Toronto on November 2. See you there.

Official Website: http://www.monstersoffolk.com

If you would like to submit an Artist to Watch, please email your artist over to pub@theboar.ca. Please do not use .docx files for Word documents and please write a subject in the email.

Weekly Mixtape provided by Kelvin Lam

Kelvin Lam — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:36:36 +0000

I’m Kelvin, a third-year student whose major is based around telling machines to rearrange symbols at a billion times per second. When they do it right, they do many useful things for us – like turning numbers into the sounds we find in the songs that we like. In my spare time, I collected some of those songs that I stumbled upon into this mixtape. Hopefully you’ll take to them as much as I have.

1. Joy Division – “Disorder” (Myspace Page and Fansite)

It’s another dreaded hot summer day in the American Midwest*** as I step into my apartment. I’m without the luxury of air conditioning, so the heat is unbearable. I choose Unknown Pleasures to put in my stereo because it contains the coldest sounds out of all the albums I have. By the end of this song, the warmth of the room is forgotten.

*** Edit: Kelvin is currently on a co-op term in the Windy City a.k.a. Chicago

2. St. Vincent – “The Strangers” (Official Site and Myspace Page)

Annie Clark is an alumnus of The Polyphonic Spree. Like The Polyphonic Spree’s songs, The Strangers use a diverse set of instruments (though a far cry from Spree’s 30+ member line-up). However, St. Vincent employs the sounds in a way that is far richer and more interesting than the Spree songs that I have heard. It contains electronic sounds, as well as traditional ones, balanced more tastefully than most bands are able to.

3. Neutral Milk Hotel – “You’ve Passed” (Official Site)

Jeff Mangum’s cryptic words never fail to fill you with uncertainty as to what the hell he is talking about. Somehow, combined with the passion in his voice, the instrumentation, and the rough edges on the recording, it all comes together to make some kind of sense. Or some kind of feeling. Or some kind of whirlwind of feelings.

4. Okkervil River – “Happy Hearts” (Official Site and Myspace Page)

A song filled with questions that twenty-something-year olds could ask themselves for hours, days, months, or years. The guest vocalist is Daniel Johnston with his ubiquitous child-like voice. It is endearing to hear him sing the words of this simplistic song. “Happy Hearts” reminds you of hearing a child asking you questions like “How many stars are in the sky?” – ones you’ve forgotten shortly after giving up trying to find answers for.

5. Nina Simone – “Ain’t Got No … I’ve Got Life” (Official Site and Myspace Page)

When listening to this song, I remembered a while back when I watched a guest on Conan O’Brien talk about how “everything’s amazing and nobody’s happy”. In an age of FML and OMG UW, this song is certainly refreshing.

6. Of Montreal – “She’s a Rejector” (Official Site and Myspace Page)

I’m speed walking to catch the El train when the urgency of the opening riff of this song starts assaulting my eardrums. Kevin Barnes is venting about rejection and he is starting to sound a little violent. It stirs up some kind of adrenaline in me that prepares you for whatever the Monday morning in a downtown office can throw at you.

7. Clues – “Perfect Fit” (RCRD LBL page)

Clues is a Montreal band formed by Alden Penner from (the now defunct) The Unicorns and Brendan Reed from Arcade Fire. As such, I’m a little surprised that they have not caught on a bit more. I had been intrigued ever since I listened to poor quality mp3s of their performance at Pop Montreal 2007 and they have only recently put out an album. In spite of two years of anticipation, it does not disappoint.

If you would like to submit a playlist, please email (pub@theboar.ca) a list of 7-10 songs with 3-5 sentences of description for each song. Also add a brief introduction about yourself such as your program and musical interests. Please write a subject line in the email indicating that it’s a playlist and please do not use .docx formatting for Word documents.

Artist to Watch: Lissy Trullie

Stephanie Hong — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:12:48 +0000

Perhaps the coolest girl in the indie rock scene since Karen O (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Lissy Trullie is the perfect embodiment of hipster cool. In a music scene where style seems more important than actual talent, Trullie does not disappoint on either end. Physically, she is an homage to everything that is stylish – tomboy chic outfits that are always complemented by the perfect heels and an Agyness Deyn boycut to top it all off. (Do I need to mention she’s a former model and the previous face of Chloë Sevigny’s clothing line?) She encapsulates a rough and tough femininity to her downtown chic aesthetic that’s not only a truly captivating image, but an empowering sign for female musicians.

Musically, Lissy Trullie is a throwback to female rock legends like Patti Smith and Chrissie Hynde (of the Pretenders). There’s definitely a pre-punk, 70s garage sound that’s updated to suit the youth of the 21st century. Like Hynde and Karen O, she fronts an all-male band. But instead of there being a collective focus on the entire band, Trullie is the sole focal point. She blares raw guitar rifts from her 1970s white Fender that perfectly complements her androgynous brooding voice. Her debut EP Self-Taught Learner boasts a number of tracks that are slightly depressing through their lyrical demeanour, but have you moving and smiling nonetheless. Trullie even covers Hot Chip’s “Ready for the Floor” with a rock edge and I swear whole heartedly that it’s so much better than the original. It has grit and there’s something about Trullie’s voice that brings a sincerity to the lyrics. So, be prepared for your new favourite charismatic front woman – once you start listening, you just can’t stop.

Myspace Page and Official Blog

If you would like to submit an Artist to Watch, please email your artist over to pub@theboar.ca. Please do not use .docx files for Word documents and please write a subject in the email.

Weekly Mixtape provided by Vincent Lai

Vincent Lai — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:29:38 +0000

Greetings Waterloo, the name is Vincent Lai. I’m a fourth year biomed student who can be seen at your local Phils on Saturday nights head banging and dancing in a bizarre manner. I’m just here to spread the tunes and follow Elvis Costello’s wise words to avoid the “Radio, radio!”

1. Rod Stewart – “Young Turks” (Official Website)

Every time I hear “Young Turks”, I see Louie Barletta (pro skateboarder) skateboarding and it just psychs me up. When you listen to the lyrics, it has you aching to run away from home with the love of your life. Even the music video is solid with the random kids on a street dancing their hearts away.

2. Regina Specktor – “Us” (Official Website and Myspace Page)

I’ve been dying to watch 500 Days of Summer (Official Trailer), the trailer won my heart instantly (how sappy, I know) and the first song you hear is “Us” by Regina Spektor. It’s a slow melodic song that gently puts me to sleep with the feeling of having love at my fingertips. Do you need a new track to add on to your “sleepy” playlist? Look no further because this is it.

3. New Kids on the Glock – “D.A.N.C.E” (instrumental Justice cover) (Facebook Fan Page)

Well I think I lied, I’ve got another sleepy song. It’s a dancer’s lullaby by New Kids on the Glock covering Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.”. There are no vocals, but every single sound is mimicked and played by glockenspiels. It’s simply angelic. Imagine you’re all danced out from a hard Saturday night at Phils and you’re ready for bed, you’ve only got two more things to do: make some love and then throw on this track to sleep peacefully.

4. Plants and Animals – “Feedback in the Field” (Official Website and Myspace Page)

Thanks to my hetero life partner, Kelvin, my friend Mikey J and I constantly whistled the intro to “Feedback in the Field” to the point where Kelvin regretted introducing us to the song. After a minute of slick cowboy whistlin’, the solid electric guitar riffs get me jivin’ all about – especially the parts when the distortion pedal is used. I reckon y’all will dig it.

5. Ghostface Killah – “The Champ” (Official Website and Myspace Page)

“The Champ” is a Ghostface Killah track produced by Just Blaze. The intro’s vocal sample is provided by ODB and comes with a tirade from a speaker whose voice is an uncanny parallel to Danny Devito’s. Although, the intro includes some harsh ranting, it’s nothing compared to the power of Tony Stark’s (another alias) lyrics. With a solid drum line that complements the electric guitar and trumpet samples, it’s a great stepping stone into the Wu’s domain.

6. Neon Indian – “Deadbeat Summer” (Myspace Page)

We’re in need of some summer songs, so without further ado I present my summer track of ’09: Deadbeat Summer by Neon Indian. This synth’d out song with cheerful vocals made my four weeks of unemployment bearable. I get these weird feelings sometimes when I listen to a song and it reminds me of a season – this will definitely remind me of summer. So employed or not, I hope “Deadbeat Summer” is just as memorable for you as it is for me.

7. Boards of Canada – “Roygbiv” (Official Website and Myspace Page)

Rainbows are a fantastic natural phenomenon. Sure that’s a cliché, but there’s something magnificent about the rows of colour. To see sound like a synesthesiac would, that would be a wish I’d ask a genie to grant. The colors of “Roygbiv” performed by Scottish based duo, Boards of Canada, would be the first song I’d want to hear. It’s a rainbow of a song as the title suggests. Yes, it’s another synth-heavy track, but it has a solid drum line with obscure samples. Another Boards of Canada song that deserves an honourable mention is “Dayvan Cowboy”, the best song to wake up to.

Can you tell I’m a music-posting newbie? Hopefully my musical selections have appeased you all. Enjoy friends.
If you would like to submit a playlist, please email (pub@theboar.ca) a list of 7-10 songs with 3-5 sentences of description for each song. Also add a brief introduction about yourself such as your program and musical interests. Please write a subject line in the email indicating that it’s a playlist and please do not use .docx formatting for Word documents.