Teenage Dogs In Trouble's Top Recommended Albums From 2010

I shy away from using the term, "best of the year" because quite frankly I haven't heard enough music in 2010 to really give a qualified opinion and everyone has his or her idea of what they think the best should be. What I will offer is my list of recommended CD's that I felt deserve a mention and your attention. My criteria for this list is simple:

• It must be released during 2010 (not previously released and then reissued or remastered etc.).
• A CD I either have in my possession (physical) or I have on my computer/pod. In other words something I have listened to in it's entirety.
• Something I would recommend to others because I like the music. Some of these are popular and on other "best of" lists, but they are personal favourites that I will listen to again and often.
• There will not be anything that became popular because it became viral on Youtube or any "artists" with the names, Justin, Taylor or Gaga.

This year's list features many names familiar to TDIT regulars as I seem to write about what I like. I would love to hear what you think, so please leave your lists of recommendations for the past year. I'm trying something new and including a streaming of a song from each album, let me know if you have any problems with the player. If it works, I'll stream more music. I've also linked each artist to their Myspace page so you can listen to even more of their music before you buy their album...right?
Enjoy!!

1. SUPERCHUNK- Majesty Shredding: A terrific return to form for their first studio record since 2001. This is the classic sound I remember when I saw Superchunk back in 1997 and I think it's their best album since, Here's Where The Strings Come In or even, No Pocky To Kitty (that got the remastered re-release treatment this year), but that might be pushing it. Without a doubt my favourite record of the year.


2. ARCADE FIRE- The Suburbs: While the band's first two albums were achievements in themselves, The Suburbs pushes it even further. As big sounding as the band is live, The Suburbs is filled with grandiose splendor and many epic moments. The album has 16 songs and it loses a bit of it's stream towards the end, but it's still the masterpiece it's hyped up to be.



3. TEENAGE FANCLUB- Shadows: When I'm feeling down and need some cheering up, I like to put on headphones and crank up some Teenage Fanclub. Their music shimmers with a pop sound that is undeniably catchy and on Shadows, Teenage Fanclub delivers this infectious sound consistently throughout the album. Let's hope it doesn't take another 5 years for their next record.


4. SHE & HIM- Volume 2: Speaking of bright and shiny, She & Him (aka: Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward) offer up such a likable and fun record, I can't help but love it...the perfect summer album. Zooey's deadpan, often flat vocal style is nicely set in front of the lush orchestration and the retro-pop sound She & Him create is an excellent tribute to the music it's influenced by. An improvement over Volume 1, but will they follow up Volume 2 with something different or more of the same? Please Zooey come to Winnipeg (to sing, not act)!


5. STARS- The Five Ghosts: A saw the band two times in 2010 on tour for The Five Ghosts and after repeated listening of the album, it really grew on me or at least haunted me...in a good way! I thought nothing could top their previous 2 albums, Set Yourself On Fire and In Our Bedroom, and I don't think this one does, but it comes close. A solid record that has a several songs that will be permanent fixtures in their setlists, but not as consistent as the last two.


6. CANDY HEARTS- Ripped Jeans & Silly Dreams: When I first heard the stand-out track, Blocking The Sunshine, on the blog, Music Ruined My Life, I was pleasantly surprised and had to hear more from this band. I downloaded their debut album on the ifyoumakeit.com website (for free!) and I was glad I did. This band and their album, Ripped Jeans & Silly Dreams is my best discovery of the year, a band I previously had never heard of and thanks to the worldwide web (it's much easier to spread your music around the world) I've become a big fan of this band from Purchase, NY. This is an enjoyable record that brings a smile to my face every time I listen to it and it's songs have a genuine honesty that the listener can relate to, set against a catchy, sometimes poppy wall of fuzzy guitars. Very promising, they're working on a new album, so hopefully we'll hear more from them in 2011.


7. SARAH HARMER- Oh Little Fire: I didn't actually own any Sarah Harmer albums (I do have her earlier band, Weeping Tile's albums) until after I heard her on CBC's Q back in June when she released her first album in 4 years, Oh Little Fire. She performed songs from the new record and though I had heard some music from Sarah Harmer, I really hadn't "listened" to her previous albums. What I heard on Q intrigued me, so I sought out this record and her other solo albums and planned to see her perform at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, thus beginning my love affair with Sarah Harmer. There's a much more pop sound to Oh Little Fire and much more accessible than her last record, I'm A Mountain.


8. THE FIGGS- The Man Who Fights Himself: Though The Figgs might be best known as the sometimes backing band for Graham Parker (and Tommy Stinson), they are a prolific band in their own right. Formed in 1987, The Figgs are sometimes overlooked and are very underrated and have never received the recognition they deserve. This is music that is rock' n 'roll at it's best, melodic and smart. This is the Figgs 10th studio full-length and though their first record, Low-Fi At Society High remains my favourite, I think they're getting better with age.


9. THE POSIES- Blood/Candy: This veteran Seattle power-pop band has a classic sound that recalls Big Star (both Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer played in a revived version of Big Star) and their distinct vocal harmonies are what set The Posies apart. This is a consistently good Posies record that proves their last album wasn't just a reunion record, since their supposed break-up in 1999 and there are many sweet moments to enjoy on Blood/Candy. I bought this directly from the band's website and it's the only album I bought on vinyl this year.


10. BEN FOLDS & NICK HORNBY- Lonely Avenue: I've never been much of a fan of Ben Folds, though I like him, but Nick Hornby is the author of my favourite book (and movie!), High Fidelity. I know Hornby is a huge music fan and his taste in music as evidenced in his book, Songbook is on track with my own. So what do you get when you combine these two creative forces together? Actually, it's not a bad record, it might not be everyone's tastes, but it definitely has it's moments and it's concept makes for an interesting and mainly enjoyable listen.


11. SUGAR STEMS- Sweet Sounds Of The Sugar Stems: Their name says it all, the music is built on sweet harmonies and infectous power-pop that will have you bopping along in no time. There's something about girl vocals and crunchy guitars that grab my attention and pull me in. What's not to like about this album? Highly recommended!


12. NEW PORNOGRAPHERS- Together: The title of this album is suitable because for the first time (in a long time), the New Pornographers toured this record together with the complete band complete with Neko Case and Dan Bejar and the record, more than their last album is more of a group effort. A satisfying effort, but with less stand-out tracks than their best records, though I think Crash Years is one of their best songs.


13. THE LIKE- Release Me: I stumbled on this album by accident, but once I heard the near authentic retro-pop sound with it's mid-60's vibe I was hooked. This record is a fun listen and the album cover is awesome! I like The Like!



14. BROKEN BELLS- Broken Bells
15. BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE- Forgiveness Rock Album
Honourable mentions, both these records are critically acclaimed in both Canada and the U.S. and much has been written about them in the press already, so I think I'm done...happy listening!

The Weakerthans- The Left And Leaving Show

Night 2 of the Weakerthan's 4 & More tour featured their second album, Left And Leaving played in order, start to finish. When I bought tickets for this and the other shows back in July, I knew this was the show I wanted to see for sure. Left And Leaving is my favourite Weakerthans record and though the first album was filled with great songs, the second album is the one that took the band to the next level. They gained much national coverage and attention south of the border with this record as the songs were even better and the songwriting was stronger. A good mix of rockers and slower songs, I was reminded at this show how the range of the band grew and continues to grow with each new record.
The venue for night 2 was the West End Cultural Centre, a larger room than the Albert, but still an intimate space. One of the things I noticed was how cozy and comfortable this room is. The WECC was renovated almost 2 years ago, they added a small balcony with seats towards the back, the stage is bigger and the floor now had carpet (I don't think it did before?) and the room is clean and well cared for by the staff and volunteers that operate the place. Depending on the anticipated size of the crowd, the room is set up with either chairs and tables, chairs only or no chairs with standing only. Most of the bigger name shows are standing only and the sardine-crush to the front of the stage is always a claustrophobic experience. I positioned myself in the sweet spot, pressed record and stood back and embraced the sweet sounds of the Weakerthans and I definitely reached some kind of euphoria bliss. I thought back to the first time I saw the band live and it was here at the West End. They were one of the opening bands (along with Paper Moon) for the Bonaduce's CD release show back in 1998. During this show, the Weakerthans tried out some new songs that would eventually end up on the Left And Leaving record, so in some ways this album was coming full circle, if that makes any sense. Come to think of it, I recorded that show in 98 and it's interesting to hear the progression and evolution of a song from before it's even recorded to 12 years later after the band has probably played many of these songs hundreds of times.

My daughter and wife accompanied me to the show and they both enjoyed seeing the band up close, especially when it was evident the band was having a fun time on stage. Usually, when the band plays in Winnipeg they are designated to play at the Burt (seats 1,200+), but for these smaller venues, like the WECC (>350), it has a more casual, less formal feeling, and I'm sure if the band had a choice (besides the money) they would prefer the friendlier confines of the West End, than the cavernous sounding Burt.

THE WEAKERTHANS
West End Cultural Centre
Winnipeg, MB
December 16, 2010
"Left And Leaving" Show

01. Everything Must Go!
02. Aside
03. Watermark
04. Pamphleteer
05. This Is A Fire Door Never Open
06. Without Mythologies
07. Left And Leaving
08. Elegy For Elsabet
09. History Of The Defeated
10. Exiles Among You
11. My Favourite Chords
12. Slips And Tangles

13. Our Retired Explorer
14. (Hospital Vespers)
15. Leash
16. None Of The Above
17. Civil Twilight
18. Vitute The Cat Explains Her Departure
Encore
19. Bigfoot!
20. Confessions Of A Futon-Revolutionist
21. The Reasons

Songs from "Left And Leaving": Tracks 1-12

WEAKERTHANS- 2010-12-16. rar (mp3-256 kbps)

Dimeadozen.org (members only)- lossless FLAC
Please do not sell this recording.
Thanks!!
Enjoy!

The Weakerthans- The Fallow Show

The title more accurately should read, songs from the Fallow album at The Albert, on December 15th. It was the first of four concerts the Weakerthans played in four consecutive nights conquering one album each night, at four different venues...the 4 & More series. This is an interesting concept as I've heard about more and more bands doing the "complete album" shows sometimes concentrating on a classic record for a tour (Liz Phair- Exile In Guyville or Roger Waters- The Wall). I only had the opportunity to attend 3 of the 4 nights (due to Christmas work commitments), so if anyone went to the 3rd night (Reconstruction Site) and recorded the show, please let me know! I recorded the shows I attended and I want to share them with you, but ran into some trouble during the last show, I'll fill you in later. Wow, the last time I was at The Albert was seeing the Weakerthans in 2002 during their 5th anniversary concert series. Similar to this year's event, the band also played 4 shows in 4 nights at 4 different venues, but substituting the Burton Cummings Theatre with Wellington's, a now closed bar that hosted many amazing punk and alternative shows from the 70's right through to the early 2000's. The Albert hasn't changed much, still the same dank looking place I remember, kind of both friendly feeling and scary at the same time. Fortunately, with a band like the Weakerthans, the audience is fairly evenly split male/female ratio so the aggression I've felt at this bar seeing punk bands wasn't evident. I was just thinking about some of my most memorable shows I attended at the Albert. Green Day, (before they were famous), Plumtree (their last ever Winnipeg appearance), and the New Duncan Imperials (still the BEST show for under 10 bucks) are just a few of the bands I've seen there. I staked out a "sweet spot" in front of a pillar directly in front of the centre of the stage and watched the band "perform" Fallow in order from the first track to the end of the album. I'm sure there were songs that they hadn't played live in some time, if at all, but Fallow is a solid debut album and it was a thrill to hear it all live. The second half of their set featured 2 songs each from their other 3 albums and for the encore they played one more song from the other 3 albums. There is something extra special to see a band play at a venue that is "too small" for their popularity and see them genuinely have a good time and I know the crowd was into it as they passionately sang along at the appropriate times, it was a great feeling! A highlight (or low light) was when some drunken guy barged through the crowd and stumbled on stage during Plea From A Cat Named Virtute and grabbed the mic to sing along with Samson. The guy was harmless, he got off the stage after the song, but not before chugging from Stephen Carroll's beer. John K. later told me they just cautiously carried on when he came on stage, figuring as long as he wasn't a threat, no big deal. I guess this shows you the type of security the Albert has or lacks, if this was the Garrick, Pyramid or the Burt, security would have surely beat this guy. Here's a real review of the show. THE WEAKERTHANS Royal Albert Arms Winnipeg, MB December 15, 2010 Fallow Show 01. Illustrated Bible Stories For Children 02. Diagnosis 03. Confessions Of A Futon-Revolutionist 04. None Of The Above 05. Letter Of Resignation 06. Leash 07. Wellington's Wednesdays 08. The Last Last One 09. Greatest Hits Collection 10. Sounds Familiar 11. Anchorless 12. Fallow 13. Tournament Of Hearts 14. Sun In An Empty Room 15. Reconstruction Site 16. Plea From A Cat Named Virtute 17. Aside 18. Left And Leaving Encore 19. One Great City! 20. Hymn Of The Medical Oddity 21. Watermark Songs From "Fallow": tracks 1-12 THE WEAKERTHANS- 2010-12-15. rar (mp3-256 kbps) If you prefer, I've posted this show in lossless FLAC on dimeadozen.org (you need to register to be a member). If you can't download this and you want a lossless copy, leave a message or email me. Please do not sell this recording and please ask before re-posting elsewhere. Thanks!

Merry Christmas From Teenage Dogs In Trouble!!

Yes, this is my actual REAL tree!

I just wanted to pass on Christmas greetings and let everyone know that in the upcoming days I will be posting my reviews and possibly some music from the recent Weakerthans 4-night stand here in my (and the band's) hometown. I attended 3 of the 4 shows, including the all-albums finale at the Burton Cummings Theatre. All the shows were awesome and I'll share as much as I can, but first I want to upload them to Dimeadozen.

I've been so busy for the past week preparing for Christmas, but now I have a few days off before I get back to my real job, to get this blog updated and back on track. Also this week, I will be posting my list of recommended albums from 2010 and reminisce of the past year. So please be patient and keep checking back. I promise it will be worth it!

p.s.- I'm still in the process of re-linking past downloads, but if there's anything you still can't access, please leave a comment or email me and I'll send you a direct link.

Weakerthans Go "All In"!!

This is the start of "Weakerthans Week" here at Teenage Dogs, with the band performing all four albums in their entirety, in four nights, at four different venues. Back on my post from July 5th (4, 4, 4, 4), I previewed the shows and explained my logic of why you should buy tickets for the first two shows first. As it turns out, the first three shows are completely sold out (probably have been for the last month) mainly because they are the smaller venues, but also because hearing the first three albums in their entirety is a rare treat.

Last week, the Weakerthans announced they would go, "all in" and play all four albums at the final show at the Burton Cummings Theatre. The albums would be performed in reverse order beginning with Reunion Tour and ending with their first album, Fallow. When I heard this I didn't believe the news, will the band actually play all their albums in one night? If each album averages over 50 minutes, will the Weakerthans play for over 3 1/2 hours? Not even Springsteen in his prime turned this feat, or at least not often. My wife talked to John K. last week and he assured her this was true, holy shit! This will be an epic show and I quickly considered purchasing a ticket. I bought tickets to the first two shows back in July, but I wrote off the 4th because I had seen the band often recently and felt the earlier albums would more essential. As luck would have it I monitored the ticket availability on Ticketmaster for a few days as I watched the seats sell quickly making it's way to the top of the first balcony. Then on last Thursday night, a single seat became available for row 4 centre floor, strange considering an hour earlier (and after) I would have been 12th row in the balcony. Someone tell me how this can happen, though I'm not complaining, but it does sound weird. Oh well, I have my ticket in hand along with nights #1 and 2, so I'm attending 3 of 4 nights. Stay tuned to this site because if all goes well, I'll try to post recordings from 3 of the shows and hopefully someone will record night #3. (keep your fingers crossed!)
Is anyone attending ALL 4 shows??

• Songs from FALLOW: Royal Albert- December 15, 2010
• Songs from LEFT AND LEAVING: West End Cultural Centre- December 16, 2010
• Songs from RECONSTRUCTION SITE: Pyramid Cabaret- December 17, 2010
• Songs from REUNION TOUR (+ the 1st 3 albums): Burton Cummings Theatre- December 18, 2010

To get you in the mood, here's a show from SXSW in Austin, Texas from 2000. I'm not sure the exact date or the venue or if this is a complete set (might be, the SXSW showcases are shorter sets), but it's an enjoyable set from the Weakerthans circa, Left and Leaving.

THE WEAKERTHANS
SXSW
Austin, Texas
2000

1. Everything Must Go
2. Diagnosis
3. Watermark
4. Left And Leaving
5. Aside
6. Letter Of Resignation
7. Pamphleteer
8. Wellington Wednesdays

WEAKERTHANS- sxsw Austin, TX. rar

30 years Ago Today...

...the world lost one of the greatest songwriters of our time. He formed one of the most successful songwriting teams with Paul McCartney and the Beatles were the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the 20th century. John Lennon will be remembered not only for the music he produced, but also for his political activism and bringing attention to issues that he felt strongly about. His anti-war, "give peace a chance" stand is as much part of the John Lennon persona as John Lennon, the rock star. The unfortunate irony of his death at the hands of a gun wielding murderer, Mark David Chapman, is a message to everyone there is much hate and instability in this country.

As a tribute to John Lennon I'm posting a compilation of home recordings, demos, studio and live recordings with just John and his acoustic guitar. This collection might be geared more towards die-hard fans, but there are many interesting interpretations and plenty of songs worth a listen. I especially like this version of Watching The Wheels. Seven of these songs are previously unreleased. Though this album was released in 2004, all the tracks were recording in the 1970's, thus keeping with my 70's theme this week.
Enjoy!!

JOHN LENNON
Acoustic (2004)

1. Working Class Hero
2. Love
3. Well Well Well
4. Look at Me
5. God
6. My Mummy's Dead
7. Cold Turkey
8. I'm a Man
9. Luck of the Irish (Live)
10. John Sinclair (Live)
11. Woman is the Nigger of the World
12. What You Got
13. Watching the Wheels
14. Dear Yoko
15. Real Love
16. Imagine (Live)
17. It's Real

JOHN LENNON- Acoustic. rar

Lost Links?

I noticed some of the links to the downloads have been reverted to "private mode". For some reason the links to my on-line storage supplier, Adrive have been disconnected. It has only affected the posts from before November, but the good news is I have begun to restore the links.

Everything earlier than May 14, 2010 might be still be temporarily unavailable, but don't worry I'm updating the links and gradually they will all be back. Keep checking back here.

Please let know if you are experiencing any other problems.
Thanks!!

Nick Lowe- The Wilderness Years

The Wilderness Years is a collection of songs Nick Lowe recorded between his time with Brinsley Schwarz and his first solo album, Jesus Of Cool (titled, Pure Pop For Now People, in the U.S.). He recorded a lot of songs during this period, doubling as a house producer for Stiff Records as well as later forming Rockpile with Dave Edmunds. There are a number of rarities with outtakes, covers, a few previously unreleased demos, and singles released only outside of the States. The songs on this compilation range from gems to throwaways, but does exhibit the sense of humour in Lowe's writing that gave him a certain charm that is irresistible.

NICK LOWE
The Wilderness Years (1991)

Fool Too Long
Let's Go to the Disco
Everybody Dance (Nick Lowe, Daniel Adler)
Bay City Rollers We Love You
Allorolla Part 1
Rollers Show
Heart of the City
Halfway to Paradise (Gerry Goffin, Carole King)
Truth Drug
Born a Woman (Martha Sharpe)
Endless Sleep
Shake That Rat
I Love My Label (Lowe, Profile)
I Don't Want the Night to End
So Heavy
Keep it Out of Sight
Heart
I Got a Job

NICK LOWE- The Wilderness Years. rar

The New Favourites Of Brinsley Schwarz

An over-looked band in the early 70's was the influential band, Brinsley Schwarz whose first exposure to America came at the expense of the infamous incident that became known as, "the Brinsley Schwarz hype". The band's manager flew a plane full of British journalists to New York for a show as the band was opening for Van Morrison on April 3rd and 4th, 1970. The band was to arrive in NY a few days before the gig to rehearse, but instead were delayed because of visa problems and only arrived shortly before the gig with rented equipment. The journalists were due the next day, but the flight was delayed for four hours and with a free bar the journalists eventually arrived drunk or hung-over. The band received negative reviews from the critics for the show and panned their debut album. So much for the hype and this drove the band into seclusion before coming back with a different sound and a follow-up album. The band played a more loose, pub rock sound and went on to release six records in total (not counting compilations etc.) before disbanding in 1975. The members of the band went onto other projects, guitarist Brinsley Schwarz and Bob Andrews to the Rumour with Graham Parker and Ian Gomm and Nick Lowe both pursued solo careers. Brinsley Schwarz's final album, The New Favourites Of, was produced by Dave Edmunds and this was as close to a hit as the band came. It received positive reviews and the slicker, more polished pop sound provided a glimpse of the brilliance of Nick Lowe as a songwriter and performer. This album contained the original version of the Nick Lowe-penned, (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding, which became more identified with Elvis Costello (he recorded it for the Nick Lowe produced, Armed Forces album), than Brinsley Schwarz. Lowe and Costello recently played a pair of shows where they both performed each others songs, of course they closed with Peace, Love and Understanding. This album is one of my favourites from the 70's that shouldn't be overlooked when you talk about the whole pub rock, new wave, punk movement of the 70's because without the Brinsley Schwarz band, the careers of Graham Parker and Elvis Costello may not have existed. Enjoy! BRINSLEY SCHWARZ The New Favourites Of Brinsley Schwarz (1974) 1. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding? 2. Ever Since You're Gone 3. Ugly Things 4. I Got the Real Thing 5. Look That's in Your Eye Tonight 6. Now's the Time 7. Small Town, Big City 8. Trying to Live My Life Without You 9. I Like You, I Don't Love You 10. Down in the Dive 11. I've cried my last tear (bonus track) 12. (It's gonna be a) Bringdown (bonus track) 13. Everybody (bonus track) 14. There's a cloud in my heart (bonus track) BRINSLEY SCHWARZ- The New Favourites Of. rar

Alex Chilton- 1970

The theme this week (I just decided right now) on TDIT is looking back to the past, specifically the '70's. That great decade that produced everything from glam, disco, punk and what we refer to as "classic rock". My last post was a sample of some late 70's punk, today we go back 40 years to 1970. Wow, it's hard to believe the 70's was so long ago, I guess I spent much of my "formal" years in that decade and these are the years when I was first introduced to music.

After Alex Chilton left the Boxtops, he recorded a set of studio tracks in Memphis with the intention of shopping them around to labels for a solo release. This record deal didn't materialize and these tracks sat on the shelf while Chilton formed Big Star with Chris Bell. Just think, if Chilton did release these songs in 1970 to launch a solo career, Big Star would never have happened. Anyways, most these songs sat unreleased, except for bootlegs and some tracks that appeared on an album, Alex Chilton's Lost Decade in 1985, until Terry Manning the album's producer rediscovered the master tapes. The resulting album, 1970, is seemingly the missing link between The Boxtops and Big Star with tracks that sound reminiscently like both bands and like many of Chilton's solo records it's an uneven, inconsistent set of music. Some highlights included the beautiful, Everyday As We Grow Closer, that could easily have been fit into Big Star's first two records and covers of Sugar, Sugar and Jumping Jack Flash that are both loose and sloppy, but are fun and tongue 'n' cheek. An interesting collection of songs that gives insight into Chilton's early work and it's a must for any Big Star fans.

ALEX CHILTON
1970 (1996)

1. Come On Honey
2. I Can Dig It
3. Just To See You
4. Free Again
5. Something Deep Inside
6. All I Really Want Is Money
7. I Wish I Could Meet Elvis
8. The Happy Song
9. Every Day As We Grow Closer
10. The EMI Song (Smile For Me)
11. Jumpin' Jack Flash
12. Funky National
13. Sugar Sugar/I Got The Feelin'

ALEX CHILTON- 1970. rar

Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers- L.A.M.F. The Lost '77 Mixes

Even though Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers were a legendary band with many recordings available, the band only recorded one proper studio record. This album, L.A.M.F. (Like A Mother Fucker) was notorious not for it's showcase of the Heartbreaker's classic songs, but instead for it's crappy sound and brutal mix. It's not to say the songs weren't any good, they are great, but instead the mix of the recording caused much grief as the recording went from studio to studio with each mix considered and rejected. Drummer Jerry Nolan threatened to quit the band if the album was released without "a proper mix". It was released anyways with it's inferior sound and Nolan quit during their UK tour.

I must confess I own the original vinyl LP (on the original cover it says, "The Heartbreakers", not "J.T. And the Heartbreakers") that I purchased in Vancouver, I think in 1986 and the first thing I noticed when I played the album was it's flat, muddy sound. The drums on some tracks sounded like Jerry was hitting a cardboard box and the separation of the mix was inconsistent and sloppy. At this time I already had a bunch of Heartbreakers recordings, Live At Max's Kansas City, D.T.K. Live At the Speakeasy and Live At the Lyceum Ballroom and it's pretty bad when the sound is superior on the live records over the studio record.

In 1982, when Track Records went out of business, the band's manager reacquired the band's recordings including the L.A.M.F. sessions and a remix of the tracks was released as, L.A.M.F. Revisited which was sounded somewhat better, but the reviews were mixed. In 1994, an exec from Jungle records reviewed all the mixes (there was 300+ mixes!) which was then narrowed down to a short-list of 50 to be re-reviewed by some friends and colleagues of Thunders. It was discovered that many of the early mixes were actually suited to the band's proto-punk sound and the "rockier and punchier versions" were reissued as yet another re-release known as, L.A.M.F.: The Lost '77 Mixes was released. This version included an extra disc of outtakes, demos and alternative mixes...confusing isn't it? In 2002, a remastered version of the same 2 disc set (plus a video of Chinese rocks) was available. The version I have is the 2 disc set and I must admit it does sound much better. The sound is fresh, the mix is nicely balanced (sounds nice with headphones!) and the songs are essential and classic Heartbreakers. If you're a Johnny Thunders fan you must have a listen!! If you are not familiar with Thunders and the Heartbreakers, this is a good place to start.
Enjoy!!
For a more detailed history of the L.A.M.F.

JOHNNY THUNDERS AND THE HEARTBREAKERS
L.A.M.F.: The Lost '77 Mixes (2002)

Disc one

1. Born Too Loose (aka "Born to Lose")
2. Baby Talk
3. All By Myself (Walter Lure/Jerry Nolan)
4. I Wanna Be Loved
5. It's Not Enough
6. Chinese Rocks (Dee Dee Ramone/Richard Hell)
   
7. Get Off The Phone (Walter Lure/Jerry Nolan)
8. Pirate Love
9. One Track Mind (Walter Lure/Jerry Nolan)
10. I Love You
11. Goin' Steady
12. Let Go (Johnny Thunders/Jerry Nolan)
13. Can't Keep My Eyes On You (Walter Lure/Jerry Nolan)
14. Do You Love Me? (Berry Gordy, Jr.)

Disc two: a collection of demos, outtakes, and alternate mixes.

1. Born To Lose
2. Chinese Rocks
3. Let Go
   • Tracks 1-3 are from the Essex Studios demo sessions, February 20-22, 1977.
4. Goin' Steady (backing track)
5. Baby Talk (backing track)
6. Pirate Love (backing track)
7. Born To Lose (backing track)
8. Chinese Rocks (backing track)
9. Do You Love Me?
   • Tracks 4-9 are outtakes from the Ramport Studio sessions, with studio chatter and false starts indexed as countdown time on the CD.
10. Can't Keep My Eyes On You
    • Track 10 is a single B-side, recorded live at London's Speakeasy in early 1977.
11. Get Off The Phone (alternate mix)
    • Mixed at Olympic Studio, May 16, 1977
12. All By Myself (alternate mix)
    • Mixed at Ramport Studio, date unknown, 1977
13. It's Not Enough (alternate mix)
    • Mixed at Ramport Studio, June 1, 1977
14. One Track Mind (alternate mix)
    • Mixed at Ramport Studio, June 27, 1977
15. Too Much Junkie Business (Walter Lure/Johnny Thunders)
16. London Boys (Johnny Thunders/Walter Lure/Billy Rath)
    • Tracks 15-16 are demos done for EMI Records at Riverside Studio, London, December 13, 1977. These two tracks were produced by Mike Thorne.

THE HEARTBREAKERS- L.A.M.F. The Lost '77 Mixes (disc 1). zip
THE HEARTBREAKERS- L.A.M.F. The Lost '77 Mixes (disc 2). zip

Sarah Harmer- 2010 Winnipeg Folk Festival

Last Saturday, tickets went on sale for Sarah Harmer's concert scheduled for January 22, 2011 at the Garrick. I asked a couple of friends if they were interested in going with me because I wanted to buy the tickets during the pre-sale on Thursday, but I have yet to hear back from either person, so I assume they don't really care. I even offered to buy their tickets for a X-mas gift, but still nothing. Oh well, the show isn't sold out yet, so I guess I'll wait and see before buying a ticket for myself. I've had some bad luck buying advanced tickets without finding someone to go with me, the Hatcher's show I paid for 2 tickets and went alone and that happened a few years ago with Dinosaur Jr. I guess what I need is a concert buddy since it's a lot more fun going with someone else, but if I'm recording the show it doesn't really matter if I go alone. But still, bar shows are slow to get the bands on stage and seem to drag on the evening to score more drink sales, so I hate killing time myself sipping on beers to keep myself occupied.

At this year's Winnipeg Folk Festival I only attended one day mainly because I wanted to see Sarah Harmer. This was my first time seeing Sarah and I must admit I wasn't really a big fan before her latest album. Over the past few years I have been slowly acquiring her music, both her solo albums and her Weeping Tile work. I think her latest album, Oh Little Fire (her first album in 5 years) is a fine pop/folk album full of catchy melodies and memorable songs, that is a serious contender for my favourite album of 2010. I was curious to hear this material live and her appearance on the small stage and mainstage impressed me enough want to see her again in a (indoor) theatre venue.

I captured Sarah's performance on my digital recorder as well as my camera with some distant shots of Sarah and her band. I placed the recorder on the ground (standing up in my shoe) to avoid wind-noise and it has the usual crowd noise and chatter from the nearby tarps. I also recorded Sarah in a small stage performance with Gord Downie, Jim Bryson and the Weakerthans and though CBC promised they would air that concert, they have yet to do so. If anyone is interested I can post that show.

This show brought back some great memories from the summer while sitting in my living room watching the snow fall.

SARAH HARMER
Winnipeg Folk Festival Mainstage
Birds Hill Park
July 11, 2010

01. Captive
02. Around The Corner
03. Careless
04. One Match
05. The Ring
06. Basement Apartment
07. Uniform Grey
08. The Thief
09. Pendulums
10. Silver Road
11. Late Bloomer
12. Escarpment Blues
13. Dandelions & Bullet Holes
14. Washington
15. The City

dimeadozen.org- FLAC download (member's only)

SARAH HARMER- 2010-07-11 Winnipeg Folk Festival. rar (mp3)

Hatcher-Briggs- Bring It Home!

The last time I saw Jeffrey Hatcher perform was with his band, The Big Beat back in 1988 at the Hotel Fort Garry (in Winnipeg) in one of their ballrooms. I had seen the band many times downstairs in the bar, Broadways, so a concert in the big room was a step up. Around this time their album, Cross Our Hearts was receiving much attention and the band toured the country and rode the commercial success of the record, as Jeffrey Hatcher And The Big Beat created quite the buzz. A second album never happened, but Hatcher formed the Blue Shadows with Billy Cowsill and that band developed a devoted following before the band disbanded in 1996. Hatcher relocated to the west coast and has kept a low profile performing with Wendy Bird (who recorded an album of all Jeffrey Hatcher-penned tunes called, Natural Wonder) and a career in music therapy.

When I heard the Briggs-Hatcher band was playing a two night stand at the Pyramid, my first question was, is Jeffrey Hatcher part of this project? This was also an opportunity for the band to launch a CD of new material with original members from the early days when Hatcher and his brothers, Don and Paul as well as David Briggs performed as The Fuse, The Six and later, The Big Beat. The answer was yes, and I rushed off to buy my ticket for night #2 (I was committed to a Moose game for night #1), and I knew hearing the old songs again would bring back fond memories. When I saw the band in the early and mid-80's at socials and small clubs, they inspired me greatly and they were the first local Winnipeg band that I followed closely. Their sound recalled bands like Rockpile and Hatcher reminded me a little bit like Dave Edmunds. Their sound is roots rock, even a little rockabilly and they were a great dance band!

These reunion shows brought back a lot of sweet memories and I saw a lot of familiar faces. They can still draw people to the dance floor and the effortless magic is still there for Briggs and the Hatchers. The new material is good and it's apparent that Don Hatcher and David Briggs have taken a much more active role in the band. Even during the show, for many of the songs from Cross My Heart, Briggs took the lead vocals instead of Jeff, which seemed to me a little odd. Technically, Briggs played only a bit part on the album (keyboards on, In My Hand), though 4 of the songs were co-written by Briggs/J. Hatcher in 1983. My only disappointment was they didn't play a couple of my favourite songs, World Radio, Coming To Collect, but the band was impressively tight and they dug deep in their catalog to include a couple of songs from the Fuse days, along with some classic covers.

An amazing show!
Enjoy!!

HATCHER-BRIGGS
Pyramid Cabaret
Winnipeg, MB
November 13, 2010

Set 1
01. Intro/ That's the Trouble (?)
02. Midnight Trains
03. Goodnight Mrs. Brown
04. Is Anybody Here *
05. Before The Fall
06. Natural Wonder *
07. Satin Sheets
08. The Simple Things
09. My Elizabeth
10. I Believe
11. Never Heard Of Midnight

Set 2
01. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love And Understanding
02. Deliver Me *
03. If I Were You (?)
04. Don't Expect A Reply (Runaway Train)
05. St. Enoch's Road
06. (?)
07. (Born To Be) Riding Only Down *
08. In My House Of Darkness
09. Sad Eyes
10. Writing On The Wall
11. Out Of Time
12. The Last Ones
13. Man Who Would Be King
14. encore crowd
15. band introductions
16. Route 66 [lead vocals- Colin Bryce]
17. encore crowd II
18. Coming On Strong
19. Slow Down
20. Twist And Shout [lead vocals- Luke Kennard]

(?)= unknown song or I'm not sure of the title (help?)
* = lead vocals- Wendy Bird

HATCHER-BRIGGS- 2010-11-13 set 1. rar
HATCHER-BRIGGS- 2010-11-13 set 2. rar