Musicstar

1. October 21 - Ryan Adams, Massey Hall, Toronto

   The last time I saw Ryan Adams I walked out of his double set - to match a just released that day double disc Cold Roses - show at The Warehouse. I had even bought the new disc and listened to it all day before this concert so I could enjoy it. Adams, however, was being an absolute premadona prick to the audience and I left just as the second set start.

   Flash forward to this year and I reluctantly take an extra ticket from a friend. This time, however, the recipe is perfect: Adams is off booze, drugs and anything else illicit. His band is one sickingly tight set of musicians. Adams was upbeat and jovial. The set lasted nearly 2 hours. The range of material played included all the good stuff from now and then. Massey Hall equals indescribable magic.What more could a Ryan Adams fan want? How about the entire concert recorded directly from the board, post-mixed and made available for download with Ryan Adams blessing.

2. November 27 - Neil Young, Massey Hall, Toronto

   I really do not need to write much here. Watch the various YouTubes from any of the four night run Neil did at Massey Hall and you'll know what I mean. I was very very lucky to be given a ticket front row balcony almost centre. He played two of four of my favourites "Heart of Gold" and "Cortez The Killer". This is remarkable for me considering his own commented he made to a really annoying audience (one of the worst I've had to sit with) would not stop yelling out requests: "I don't know that one but I 600 other songs that all sound the same."

3. September 12 - Bill Callahan, Music Gallery, Toronto

   The Music Gallery is one of those venues that every good musician should play one day. It's small, intimate, has beautiful natural acoustics and makes me wish the church I went to as a kid was this cool. Bill brought a band with him. He dressed up nice and fancy. He played a great selection of songs from both his older Smog albums and his latest "solo" effort. His music is so earnest sometimes it hurts but when you see him play it live it's honestly is comforting.

1. Sleep Tonight - Stars (Junior Boys Remix)

   The Stars (technically) released two albums in 2008. The first was a remix of Set Yourself On Fire entitled Do You Trust Your Friends. The songs were preformed by a plethora of good Canadian bands including this one remixed by the Junior Boys. Other notable tracks were those coved by The Russian Futurists, Final Fantasy, Young Galaxy and Apostles of Hustle.

   Unfortunately, their second album, In The Bedroom After The War, was not nearly as good as both the original Set Yourself On Fire and it's remix. Perhaps their next album should be produced by the Junior Boys based on the strength of this as the perfect blend of Stars-pop meets electro-bliss.

2. 1234 - Feist

   My relationship to Feist's music has been an on and off soap opera. Years ago when I first met her, she left the bad first impression of a naive girl without originality or aloofness. As I got to know her, via her last album, she occasionally wooed and seduced me by her charms and wit. Now this year with the release of The Reminder I was initially in denial about my feelings but admittedly, after this song, the forever associated iPod commercial and quirky video, I believe I might be smitten.

3. Amsterdam - Peter, Bjorn & John

   Yeah, I know: "Hype, hype, hype!" But this song is damn catchy, it's sickingly cute and it's incessantly earnest... Not, of course, to downplay Peter, Bjorn & John's main massively catchy song... or the fact that for three guys from Sweden they put on a solid live show (as I witnessed this year in Austin SXSW). I thought at first this album was a happy accident but expect these guys to grow out the hype and remain a solid pop band. This song is proof they will not be one hit!

4. Diamond Dancer - Bill Callahan

   Indie folk with a twist of pop. Bill Callahan (aka Smog) released Woke on a Whaleheart which featured a more upbeat perspective than his previous albums. Diamond Dancer combines Bill's mysterious deep voice with a cheerful almost hoe-down melody in this song of infatuation.

5. Night at the Knight School - Thee More Shallows

   Slacker electro-pop at its best TMS' latest album The Book of Bad Breaks is chock full of ridiculous lyrics and raunchy synth noises like this song. Night at the Knight School is a prefect example of TMS unique song structure paired with phat sounds and nonsensical lyrics. If you catch them live observe the curiousity of the big red suitcase!

It has been a while since there was an official dispatch from blog headquarters.

I will start this one by posting a YouTube video link. This was shot during my "rare" solo gig a while back. Like I said before it's a rare occurrence when I take the stage all by my lonesome but now there is proof that it happened on the Inter-web.

With The Pickups on a break, while Sarah attends school in Halifax, I've been keeping busy playing guitar, lap, bass or whatever has strings for a bunch of other musicians around town. Of course, as always, I'm still playing with the lovely Emily Weedon. I'm now also doing some gigs with singer/songwriters Jonathan Seet and Renee North. I've included a full list of my all my upcoming gigs below.

Emily is actually getting ready to jump in the studio to do some recording. She's holding a recording fundraiser in December which will also include on the bill all of the aforementioned musicians and some others (can you say Gord Light).

On the topic of recording, The Pickups session is long over and the mechanics of our forthcoming EP are complete. We were originally looking to release it in December, however, due to scheduling delays it will now be released sometime in the new year. Regardless we are hoping to setup a gig in December just before the holidays.

Finally, my "solo project", Pirates, Ninjas, Zombies!, is happily producing "demos" and some of the fruits of these labours are available online in various places (CBC Radio 3, Facebook, the website, this blog). In fact, I have just setup the obligatory MySpace page and would love to have some new "friends" (beside Tom).

Well that's all for now. I hope this communique wasn't too long and tedious.

Emily Weedon & Delta

November 9 @ 8:30pm - The Rivoli $6
December 7 @ 7pm - 19 Atlantic Ave PWYC (Recording Fundraiser)

Jonathan Seet

November 8 @ 9pm - The Gladstone Hotel (Rendezvous With Madness Film Festival)
November 9 @ 8:30pm - The Rivoli $6
December 7 @ 7pm - 19 Atlantic Ave PWYC (Recording Fundraiser)

Renee North

November 12 @ 9pm - The Cloak & Dagger PWYC
December 7 @ 7pm - 19 Atlantic Ave PWYC (Recording Fundraiser)

Things have been quieter so far for me in August. What with the end of Wednesday nights at The Cameron House (I think because I had a bar tab bigger than Norm from Cheers) and the disappearance of a singer named Sarah Greene (reportedly to Halifax for some sort of educational experience). Yet, subversively, I have been keeping busy.

The Pickups did make it into the studio with Don Kerr at the end of July. We did manage to nail 5 songs to the digital computer box thingy. And I will be going back in Sept to mix that wonderful stuff with Don. We are going to an EP release when Sarah returns from her adventures in Halifax (around December). So, no fear The Pickups are still.. umm, err.. Truckin'?!?

Additionally, I have been working on my solo project, Pirates, Ninjas, Zombies! I've enlisted the help of vocalist Tanya Philipovich and techno-engineer Neil Parfitt and will have something to listen to soon. I promise. Lots of poppy jingle jangleness provided by DJ Ordinateur.

Finally, I've been doing a few shows with the talented Renee North backing her on the lappy guitar slidy thing that I play.

As for what is coming up...

Once again here is the monthly listing:

Myself (Solo)

August 30 @ 7pm - Stone's Place $10 (Fundraiser)

Emily Weedon & Delta

August 21 @ 9pm - Silver Dollar $7
Sept 20 @ 6pm - Gladstone Melody Bar PWYC

Tonight (July 18) and next Wednesday (July 25) will mark the end of my "multiple-night stand" at The Cameron House with Emily Weedon and Delta. If you have been meaning to come out and see what all the fuss is about, you have exactly two more times before the entire affair turns into a pumpkin!

That said, Emily is busy booking shows in August! So check here for more details. I'm sure I'll also have some sentimental blog entry to stating my love and romance for The old Cammy!

Here is my semi-monthly blog post for July about my life in music for all those interested...

To start things off I must say I have been extremely busy with The Pickups. The story goes that Sarah is about to leave in August for Halifax to study journalism for a year. As a somewhat triumphant send off are having our "Last Show 'Till Christmas" (when she'll be back on break) at Sneaky Dee's on July 12th (this Thursday). We have also been intensely practicing for a studio session booked with Don Kerr to record five new tunes to be released as an EP sometime in the near future. I am very excited about both the new songs and being able to record them with Don!

In between all that craziness I have also been starting work on my "bedroom project" (i.e. solo project ) called Pirates, Ninjas, Zombies! I have been successfully collaborating on some material with the ever-so-talented-agreeable-and-ego-free DJ Ordinateur. I have one song almost complete and ready for online consumption. I expect you'll here more in August from me on this. My goal, as lofty as it will be, is to release some sort of EP this year. More about this later.

Finally, I still continue to keep the fires warm in the homestead with Emily Weedon & Delta at the Cameron House every Wednesday 10pm and beyond, rain or shine or crazy people walking around Queen Street naked!

Once again here is the monthly listing:

The Pickups

July 12 @ 9pm - Sneaky Dee's 5

Emily Weedon & Delta

July 11 @ 10pm - The Cameron House PWYC
July 18 @ 10pm - The Cameron House PWYC
July 15 @ 10pm - The Cameron House PWYC

Emily Weedon & Delta

May 1st @ 9pm - CIUT 89.5 FM's It's Alive
May 2nd @ 10pm - The Cameron House PWYC
May 9th @ 10pm - The Cameron House PWYC
May 14th @ 10pm - The Bovine Sex Club
May 16th @ 10pm - The Cameron House PWYC
May 23rd @ 10pm - The Cameron House PWYC
May 30th @ 10m - The Cameron House PWYC

The Pickups

May 19th @ 9pm - Mitzi's Sister PWYC

Cheers to William Self for taking some great picturs of yours truly at Emily Weedon and Delta CD release party!

Also to help y'all out, you can listen to the CIUT It's Alive show (from the comfort of your own home) either on the radio (yes you know that thing with a dial and static sounds), or the Internet (yes, that thing hooked up to the computer driven that needs a mouse). Check the CIUT website (www.ciut.fm) for the how.

The other night I had a dream that my apartment was littered with kittens the size of my hands. As the dream progressed puppies started showing up within the mess of kittens. I told my roommate about this dream and said that all I needed was a pony to show up and I would have officially had the dream of a four-year-old girl. My roommate then wondered what some poor four-year-old girl had dreamed that night.

Wanted to make a quick post on night's CD release party for Emily Weedon and Delta while I have a bit of energy left in my body. From the children's recital show at 5pm until the last chord struck on Clark Street at 1am, it was a marathon hootenanny that left me sweating profusely and forgetting about the frigged temperatures outside.

There was a good audience in attendance at The Cameron House and the band, including yours truly, were rawking it hard, giving it like it was our last night on earth!

We were also fortunate to have talented photographer William Self on hand to take a number of great pictures to document the occasion. Check 'em out (as well as his other great pictures of Toronto).

Ok, back to bed, to recover from a good night...

Shameless self-promotion for April 11th, 2007: Emily Weedon and Delta (of which I am a musical participant) will be celebrating the release of All Out In The Open. Matinee at 5:30ish (including a children's recital, super cute) and then the full on rawk show at 10pm until late. Pay-What-You-Can. CDs are 10$. Special guests include Adam Warner (yeah!), Sarah Green (of my other band The Pickups) and newly minted rockstar Eileen of Les Parallelions. It looks to be a long and exciting night. Time to go practice!

Now ending the shameless self-promotion for April 11th, 2007.

The past couple of blog entries on SXSW '07 the Austinist have shown a lot of love for the CanRock indie rock overlords Sloan.

The former entry Tom Thornton includes them as his number five as part of the "Austinist Top Fives for SXSW 2007". He also gives respectable props to Malajube's and Martha Wainwright's performances.

The later post, however, is the more entertaining. It is a video on the fashion and style of SXSW. For some reason they interviewed both Jay and Andrew of Sloan — Sloan being one of the most unfashionable bands I can think of. Best parts of the video include: Jay proclaiming his love for denim, Jay being embarrassed over wearing two tones of denim (they do fade at their own rates, it's true) and Andrew accusing Jay of always wearing the same shirt that he wears. It's actually rather ridiculous to think that at an event such as SXSW that this type of a video be a good idea (those independent, unsigned, unknown artists sure wear a mean cloth with their "I'm a poo musician that spent all mo money on instruments!" style).

Someday you will die somehow and something's going to steal your carbon
Somehow something else will die someday and you will steal its carbon

I guess in the new world of Kyoto, Carbon Exchange Markets and Taxation of Carbon Emissions the new currency symbol is C. There is probably an Orwellian-type novel in a group of bandits that grave rob for carbon. Too bad I don't have the discipline to write it!

As for the rest of the new Modest Mouse album I am still digesting. As per usual it is a dense and contorted masterpiece. Initially, I can say that it is less accessible than its predecessor and is more to the Modest Mouse routes of angular-obtuse rock.

Well apparently I am a fast driver. I have in the past couple of days received two tickets from New Zealand for doing 70km in a 50km zone. Yikes, these aren't cheap too! They are from my last few days driving around Northland. So as a warning to all other tourists driving around Northland watch out for the photo radar. In fact I am amazed that they tracked me down considering it appears the car rental agent spelled my street name wrong. I guess I don't technically have to pay, except that I'd like to be able to return to New Zealand some day soon. Sigh.

Here is the long awaited SXSW blog entry (okay, long awaited for myself only). If I could summerise a typical day in SXSW it would go as follows: 9am wake up, 10am catch a panel or two, 2pm catch a day party, 4pm drink free beer, 6pm eat free BBQ, 8pm catch the first showcase show, 3am hunker into bed. Needless to say 5 days of that schedule is bound to take at least a couple years off my life.

Now for the fun stuff..

First off, the picture to the right is of Buck 65, Sage Francis and Skratch Bastid at Spirro's courtesy I my friend 2nd Floor Living Without A Yard.

And now for the highlights in nomination category form...

In the category of Biggest Surprise Rock Show...
Peter, Bjorn and John — I have been enjoying their latest CD Writer's Block since I returned from New Zeleand. It is fun, quirky and dancable. It is also though musically rough around the edges so I was wondering what type of a show would translate and although they were high on my list of must see, I wasn't expecting much. Suffice to say the band rocked it hard putting on the high energy one would expected from country mates The Hives.

In the category of Biggest Disappointment...
Kiwi rock bands — Sorry, I love the country but the show case, aside from the free food and wine was boring.

In the category of Pregnant Dummers that Rock...
Imperial Teen — I was amazed that Lynn Perko, so obviously late in her term, was able to handle the kit with such gusto and energy. This was another high on the list to see band that did not disappoint (despite a bit of roughness from being out of practice). They played new stuff from an album coming out on Merge in the fall. This show also made it into the categories of Hipsters Not In Their 20s That Inspire As I Enter My 30s and Cute Boy/Girl Harmonies That Make You Dance.

In the category of What's in the Water in Montreal (aka The Next Big Thing)...
Kukai — I gives me great joy to see French Canadian bands, like Malajube, are coming out with a relevant sound to today and singing in their native language. Kukai were on the M Is For Montreal showcase and pretty much floored me. Their live show was tense and their hooks and melody indispensable. They will be the next big thing from Canada! As an aside apparently Malajube sold out their tour in the US!

In the category of I Wanted to Hate Them But Couldn't...
Tokyo Police Club &mdash Why? Hometown jealousy and nothing more! They are truly deserving of the hype they are receiving. It was 45 minutes of high-energy angular rock. They also proved to be the fasted band to setup and tear down at the entire festival. 10 minutes folks, seriously is all you need!

In the category of You Have To Be French Canadian To Understand...
Call Me Poupee — Entertaining, arousing and bizarre. Songs about beaches, long distance relationships and KY jelly. What is not to love? Makes me glad I took French immersion in grade school.

In the category of Who Needs to Understand the Words...
Asakusa Jinta &mdash Either described on MySpace sites as "Musical Gangsters from Tokyo" or "Pychobilly punk marching band". Caught them at the Japan night showcase and was completely overwhelmed. I had no clue what they were signing about but the groove they formed was so intense I couldn't help but dance.

Other bands I saw that were worth the trip to Austin included: The Pipettes (cute, adorable Brit girl pop), Sparklehorse (somber and beautiful), Apples In Stereo (scattered and catchy), Skratch Bastid (rap theatrics) and Luc Doucet (cause I've missed him all this time).

Other bands to check out that I discovered: Dosh (solo, loop station madnesss), Thee More Shallows (music out of a suitcase) and Midnight Movies.

Phew, done...

The official web site for Emily Weedon and Delta is now life! I help put it together before I left for SXSW, where I used my technical abilities for good not evol.

Delta is the band that I, of course if you know me already, play guitar and lap steel for every Wednesday at The Cameron House at 10pm until late (PWYC). The talented Weedon had recorded a handful of songs last year and is now officially releasing them as an EP named after one of the tracks All Out in the Open. The work is brilliant and although I had nothing to do with the recording I am very happy to be a part of the music now. So buy one and support the troops!

Thus ends shameless promotion for March 20th, 2007.

I am not one to promote my own shows on this blog — like tonight myself with Emily Weedon and Delta for our usual Cameron House gig at 10pm — let alone my friends bands shows. However, today Basia Bulat is an exception.

Why? One reason is that I personally cannot go, because of aforementioned gig, and feel that I must empower someone else to go in my place. Another more important reason is that Basia and her band are a bunch of really talent musicians that are also the nicest sweethearts (all of 'em) you'll ever meet.

They is an album on the way sometime over the next few months (April I think) that you can hear a sample of on MySpace. So, tonight if you're not going to see myself playing I urge you to go see Basia Bulat at The Horseshoe Tavern!

Today I decided to complete my list of methods of travel and took a helicopter ride to White Island off the coast of the Bay of Plenty. White Island is essentially an island the is comprised of an active volcanoe. It is privately owned and can be only accessed by a tour operator. I had the great fortune to share my ride with a woman from Rotorua who's great uncle was in fact the man who bought the island in 1936, for what I found out was only 150 pounds! There were some interesting details I got to learn on the trip, that I likely wouldn't have without her on the ride. It was in fact her first time ever on the island. The ride from Rotorura to White Island was 45 minutes each way and we spent about anouther couple of hours wandering around the island itself. One day a glacier the next a volcanoe. This country is brilliant!

I think Rotorua and I have a special kinship. Ever since Jr. Kindergarden when Dan Kelly christened me with the nickname Fart¹ I have had a special association with fart smells. In grade school I was dogged with the nickname and was the obvious candidate, by namesake only, when someone "let one rip." The name stunk until high school when in grade nine people realised we were immature to continue using such a childish name. Phew!

So, as warned by people and books, now in Rotorua I am greeted to the delightful smell of sulfur. In fact the plane had barely broken the clouds on descent into Rotorua airport when the smell entered the cabin. How odourific!

In ones adult years, farting is a childish enjoyment, less appropriate for public spaces. My social decencies tell me to hold it in for fear of embarrassing myself as the one who "dealt it." But here I am letting them fly with satisfaction in knowing that I am contributing to the local economic touristic potential engine of Rotorura!

And I promise that will the be the one and only skatagorical (sp?) blog I post (on this trip).

¹To be fair if not for Dan, then someone else once playing the name game with Martin, would have figured out for sure. So no bad feelings held here

Okay, for anyone who has been to Fox or Franz Joseph Glaciers, you'll know that money will buy you anything and the ability to do anything... however, regardless I still want to shout that: "I walked on a F**kin' Glacier!" There I've done it I've dropped the F-Bomb. It was bound to happen given the sailor-sized mouth I have been known to have. Given the excitment I want to convey, however, I feel it appropriate. I didn't slip and fall, unlike numerous attempts on smaller tracks of ice (i.e. winter in Toronto, hey, do we still have that, no fair on the weather reports!).

I had the good fortune, however, of having a nice sunny moment while clilmbing the ice. Usually the best you can hope for is rain. Something is smiling down on me.

Oh, yeah. I never pose for shots, but then again I am on a Fuckin' Glacier!

It has been a while since I've imparted some detail of my adventures. This would be because I've either been running from one destination to another or in the bush tramping around. So let's play some catchup!

Christchurch

Arrived in Christchurch after spending a night in Murchison, or actually just outside on a farm with some friends of Laura's. We stayed in tents and got soaked in the morning as we packed them up. The drive to Christchurch from Murchison started off very rainy in the mountains that run along the West coast of New Zealand. As we left the mountains the sun was shining and the day turned quite hot. This would be the standard fare for the South Island. Whatever the weather is on one side it's the complete opposite on the other. Yes, I'm Canadian and specifically from Toronto where all we talk about is the weather!

In Christchurch we arrived stinky and tired. We hadn't showered since Picton before the Queen Charlotte Track, so of course showers were of top priority. Here we stayed with more friends of Laura's.

As for Christchurch itself, it was comparatively flat compared to any other city I've been in New Zealand so far. Explore the beach, the one main mountain range that divides Christchurch from the ocean. Found the small harbour "suburb" of Lyttleton to be quite charming and unlike the spotlessness of the rest of Christchurch. The downtown is small to what I'm used. The Art Centre and Art Gallery are both beautiful places to walk around. There is also a botanical gardens, which yes I managed to shoot more flower pictures of.

Dunedin

Left Christchurch on what was looking again to be another rainy day. As we headed down the East coast the rainy disappeared and it was back to a decent sunny day. We stop in a couple of places briefly, Timaru and Moeraki, and eventually descended in the city of Dunedin.

Dunedin, which is a student town, was at this time of year very dead. Many things were closed and aside from the setup for the New Years Eve Party in the Octagon there was no one around. In fact when we finally ventured on New Years Eve to the Octagon we were surprised there was anyone there to watch! The city itself is by far the most gritty of cities I've seen. Lots of graffiti and stencils on the walls, which was actually humourous and interesting. Countdown to the New Year and then on our way!

The Catlins

Our mad dash continued with one night in the Caltins, which is on the South end of the South Island. It features a rain forest-like climate intermixed with farms and mountains. We stayed in Papatowai. Here we visited the Lost Gypsy Caravan "gallery". It boasts lots of Gizmos, Gadgets and Automata and does not disappoint with many little trinkets you crank handles and flip switches to experience something truly unique. Most notable are the "Southern Gurglers" which uses a sea shell to create a bubbling noise as you turn the crank. Lots of fun.

The Catlins features some really beautiful forests. They are littered with ferns and moss which leave you with a stunning impression of the colour green. Most people, like myself, barely spend a night here. There are lots of great little sights, that had I the time would have liked to have seen more of.

Stewart Island (Rakiura)

Onward to Stewart Island to tackle the Rakiura Track. Took a flight across the straight as the word on the street is it's one of the roughest crossings in the world. The plan was small. I'd never flown on one that small in fact. The flight there was painless, no bumps, no scares. The flight on the way back, however, was a very, very, windy days. Until recently I had barely enjoyed the thrill of a roller coaster, now I can say this was much more um-thrilling!

The tiny town of Oban which is supported by both tourism and fishing is actually very enjoyable. It is nestled in Halfmoon Bay and has all the necessities needed to relax and escape. Of course one night here and onto the track. Three days in the woods. Lots to say, but again like the Queen Charlotte Track, I'd rather show it (see another blog entry below).

I now sit in Invercargill on a rainy day in the Internet cafe. And now we are all caught up!

A few friends of mine always bounce around emails this time of year with our favorite songs and albums of the year. Since I am travelling at the moment I cued up this list prior to my departure from Toronto.

Top Songs 2006

• White Collar Boy - Belle & Sebastian
  Positively the most poppy track released in 2006. Kitchen dance party must!
  
  
• Out of Your League - Henri Fabergé and The Adorables
  Brilliantly egotistical, deliciously addictive.
  
  
• Running with Your Eyes Closed - Mojave 3
  Another one to add to the pile of really, really good Brit music you can dance and sing to.
  
  
• Music is My Hot Hot Sex - Cansei De Ser Sexy (CSS)
  Brazilian rock that makes you feel dirty, gritty and sweaty just listening to it!
  
  
• Doctor Blind - Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
  The album was a disappointment but this track is erie and dramatic worthy of some recognition.
  
  

Top Albums 2006

• The Bicycles - The Good The Bad and The Cuddly
  No surprises here: 2006 was the year of The Bicycles with their locally long awaited debut. It will please anyone who loves pop music from the 50s until now.
  
  
• Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche (and) Songs for Christmas
  This guy is way too prolific for his own good. The Avalance, outtakes from his 2005 Illinois album, and Songs for Christmans, a 5 disc holiday set accumulated over the past 5 years, is proof there is no stopping this machine!
  
  
• Kat Burns & Forest City Lovers - The Sun and The Wind
  Forest City Lovers is a backing band that meshes beautifully with Kat Burns' slightly dissident melodies and open-tuning music. Not overpowering just the right balance. For folkies looking for something more edgy and indie-rockers looking for something to woo their hearts.
  
  
• Joanna Newsom - Y's
  Perfectly orchestrated, whispy, elegant. A tangent of creativity that will require your undivided attention, although, offers great reward for your patronage.
  
  
• Calexico - Garden Ruin
  Inevitable for me to include this in my list. A departure from the usual Calexico fare and a move to pop music put together by some of the best musicians around.
  
  

There are of course many other albums missed worth mentioning: The Dears, The Flaming Lips, The Golden Dogs, Ohbijou, Grandaddy, Jon-Rae and The River to mention a few.