Indie Anna Jones & The Curse Of The Nu-New Wave....

Kate Fenner, I Love You

2006-03-05T16:27:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while you will hear a voice that stops you in your tracks.
Possibly the most gorgeous-sexy sound you have ever heard.....

I went to see Sarah Harmer's old band Weeping Tile back in good ol'1998 and Chris Brown and Kate Fenner were the opening act that fateful night high atop Big White Mountain.

My adoration has never ceased.

One of the most beautiful voices in music today... Kate Fenner.

Please Listen to:
Never Done
Apology
Snow

Tell Me what you think of that....

or better yet - Show the Love - BUY IT HERE

Montreal? It's All About The Vancouver Scene ....Part 4.

2006-03-04T16:20:00.000-08:00

Just so you know now.... Destroyer with the new album "Destroyer's Rubies" (Merge) has already made my Top Albums of 2006 list....

AND,
As you probably already know, Dan Bejar is also a "guest star member" (and the best voice) of The New Pornographers, and with this album that indiepop musical style has started to rub off on him....
- the results are abfab.
...it's filled with sprawling epics...Stories set to music lightly basted in his lighthearted sardonic wit...

-----> For godsakes just listen to Watercolours into the Ocean and then go buy the album.

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THE NO NO SPOTS!

I saw the No No Spots a year and a half ago when they opened for Tegan and Sara on the Western Leg of their Canadian Tour.
They actually impressed me so much I splurged and spent 10 bucks of my beer money on a 3 track CD sampler.
I even e-mailed them and got an e-mail back. Now that's a music experience!

They then went on to open for The Killers for a few shows in the fall of 2004. Not a bad gig...

....Unfortunately tho, they just opened for the whiny-ass kid-punk band Simple Plan.... uuuugggh
(Ya gotta get your name out there somehow I suppose.)

----> So anyways, It's yet another new spin on the Retro-New Wave sound, but these hot chicks seem to pull it off...
I absolutely love Original 78's
catchy, catchy, catchy....I just can't get enough.

Anna Jones Top Tones Of The Week.....

2006-02-26T15:11:00.000-08:00

These are THE Top 3 songs I listened over and over to this week....
Maybe you should too.

#1 Beth Orton - Conceived

There was a time in the late 90's when Beth Orton was my absolute fave and there wasn't a friend of mine alive who wasn't subjected to hearing the sweet sounds of "Trailer Park" or "Central Reservation" many many many times over whilst riding in my car...

Well Beth is Back with a fresh new album of acoustic numbers called "Comfort Of Strangers" (Astralwerks)...

You know, I'm not sure how I feel about the Album as a whole just yet. It is not bad - but it doesn't knock my socks off like her earlier stuff did... Maybe I've just grown distant in my old age.... Maybe I just need a few more listens....

------> That said, I really do get off on the first single Conceived

#2 Morningwood - Jetsetter

Morningwood Rocks!....
***Alas! The Nu-New York sound!***

You must hear Jetsetter from the self-titled Album (Capitol)

#3 People In Planes - If You Talk Too Much (my head will explode)

And I quote...

"As Far As The Eye Can See (due March 28 on Wind-Up) is a richly atmospheric, sometimes challenging album that doesn't stint on inviting melody and anthemic choruses."

---->Well, ain't that a hearty sugesstion!

I just like this song from a band called People in Planes from Cardiff,Wales.
Have a Listen to If You Talk Too Much
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Montreal? It's All About The Vancouver Scene ....Part 3.

2006-02-24T15:54:00.000-08:00

Vancouver songwriter Marc Morrissette (also of Kids These Days) is the main man behind the Folkeriffic sounds of Octoberman.

----> The debut album (released in October 2005) is a travelogue of sorts aptly named "These Trails are Old and New" (White Whale) featuring some really gorgeous acoustic numbers reflecting back on Morrisettes jaunt thru Europe and Asia and what it means to be back home again.

Listen to the leadoff track Ex-Pat....

- a sentimental song seriously questioning "just why is it that all Canadians who travel the world wear a Maple Leaf patch on their backpacks?"..... (Hmmmm...Is it a pride thing or is it that we don't want to be mistaken for Americans????....really??)

Also, while you still have your folkin' groove on, Bend your ear's around Merci Cornerstore

....Lovely Innit.

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The Winks... Strange and beautiful, Mandolin and cello laden "Baroque Punk" (whatever the hell that is)

----> Personally, I liken it to what music would be like if Belle and Sebastian went on an acid fuelled bender after listening to Bjork for 12 hours straight....

Well, maybe not that bad, but you get the idea...

Listen to the sweet arty sounds of Abalone from the New Album "WINKS + TIGHTS" (Drip Audio) and you can see for yourself.

captivating ain't it....

Montreal? It's All About The Vancouver Scene ....Part 2.

2006-02-21T02:03:00.000-08:00

The Organ - What Joy Division would have sounded like if fronted by a gothed-out Pat Benetar channeling her inner Morrissey...

Katie Sketch's vocals, so intense over top of the pumping Hammond Organ, yet beautifully sweetened by the undeniable catchy guitar-action of Deborah Cohen.

Check it Out ----> from the 2004 album "Grab That Gun" (Mint) Basement Band Song

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You just have to love The New Pornographers.....
The Vancouver based conglomerate of super-talent started by the fantastic A.C. Newman, notably starring such indie darlings as, Neko Case, Dan Bejar from Destroyer, Kurt Dahle of Limblifter.

-----> I'm a sucker for the frenzied keyboard and crashing percussion accompanied by the girl-boy melodies contained inside this unique (to say the least) brand of power-pop....

Man, If you haven't heard them yet, Just listen to Use It from the new album "Twin Cinema" (Mint).... You'll pick up what I'm throwing down.

AND, here's an oldie from their fantastic genre-bending "Mass Romantic" (released in 2000) The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism.... Just for the memories.

Anna Jones Top Tones Of The Week.....

2006-02-18T11:06:00.000-08:00

These are THE Top 3 songs I listened over and over to this week....
Maybe you should too.

-----> So, Winter magically appeared again here in Western Canada, and temperature fell dramatically after a few lovely balmy days.... makes you long just that little bit more for summer....

#1. Of Montreal - Wraith Pinned To The Mist And Other Games

Bass line... "Lets have Bizarre Celebrations!"
There is something about Of Montreal that makes me feel whimsical... Free of all that bothers me for just a couple minutes anyways....
"Let's Pretend We Don't Exist~>"

Have a Listen of Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games from "The Sunlandic Twins" (2005)

They are Of Montreal (outta Athens, Georgia) after all....

#2. The Pink Mountaintops - Plastic Man You Are The Devil

The The Pink Mountaintops have just the drawling on song that makes me want to smoke cigarettes and drink rye and coke till I sleep in my ultra-comfortable deck chair on a supremely warm Friday night in august with the remenants of BBQ smoke and sun screen wafting off my glistening skin.
Just listen to Plastic Man, You are The Devil from the new Album "Axis of Evol"

They are of Vancouver afterall....

#3. Neko Case - Star Witness

- I Heart Neko Case.
Neko Case is delectable.

She plays solo and with the Vancouver BC based New Pornographers and she is super-sexy-cool alt-count-pop-punk fantastica!

Neko Case....New Song, New Album....
Excellent. The most lovely intro... Classic, classic voice.

Her harmony and voice is flawless for a rough and tumble song.

If you have never heard Neko Case, It is Time you did.
Star Witness from the forthcoming album "Fox Confessor Brings The Flood"

Montreal? It's All About The Vancouver Scene ....Part 1.

2006-02-14T21:57:00.000-08:00

Black Mountain are a group of mental health workers from the notorious lower eastside of Vancouver.
Their self-titled album (JAGJAGUWAR) is their after-work decompression therapy....

What results is a classic Velvet Underground meets Led Zeppelin in a seedy blues bar.... To talk about their day....

Listen to Druganaut from Black Mountain released in 2005.

Beautiful.

(oh, P.S. ----> Black Mountain has a sister band called The Pink Mountaintops that also happens to showcase the West Coast "Indie Prodigy Du Jour" Stephen McBean....)

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Dammit all to hell, I love the Yoko Casionos

I stole this "bio" from their website, as I couldn't have said it any better myself.....

"The Yoko Casionos have been hooking the hearts of fans since 2000 with their explosive melodies, adrenaline-fueled live show, and pure, bare-it-all honesty calling from a time when music was supposed to be one thing: exciting.

The Yoko Casionos are a swirling ball of urgency, putting the 'harm' in 3-part harmony and the 'hit' back in sh*t-hot. The band finds the double-barreled, twin brother-sister shotgun of Chad and Misty sharing the stage with inventive and charismatic drummer Juice and tasteful guitarist Kieron, the quiet bullet. Instruments and vocal duties are traded with wild abandon, the beats induce dancing and the songs will leave you singing. Bound for life, the Yoko Casionos fight the good fight to bring truth and integrity to commercially viable music.

Have faith, it'll be okay. The Yoko Casionos are here."

-----> Have a listen to a couple songs Here

Jack And Meg Vs. Tegan And Sara

2006-02-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

Almost 2 years ago now the fauxlk-punk thespians Tegan and Sara released a pretty great album "So Jealous".
***It was even named one of 2004's best in Rolling Stone.***

***UPDATE! It is now Nominated for the "ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR" at the 2006 (Canadian Music) Juno Awards.****

The time had finally come for the "cult followed" Calgary Alberta Twins.....

The first single released was Walking With a Ghost
Now, personally I always thought this was one of the weaker songs on the album....Catchy as hell, but still it started to bore me after just a few listens.

----> So, just imagine my shock and awe when I hear the unmistakable "way" of Jack White from The White Stripes half rejuvenating and half annihilating The Cover of Walking With a Ghost

I laughed, I wept, I exclaimed "WTF!"

Just like me you might be wondering How, where and why did this happen?
Read This article in Seattle Weekly..... It ties it all up into a bizarre little bundle.
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So yeah, whilst we all are Tee and Essing over here why not hear the H.O.T. dancemix version Tegan and Sara Vs. Mylo - Walking With a Ghost in Paris.....

Hell! - I even have a video clip from vh1

Dykehouse - It's True, I Still Need You.

2006-02-11T20:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a little tounge-in-cheek lyrics set to an old-school shoegaze electro-beat with killer melodies is just what your ears need when you start to feel like you've heard it all.....

Maybe a bit of amazing electropop created in Mike Dykehouse's bedroom on a home computer is the answer.......
Most certainly an homage to My Bloody Valentine, this Ann Arbor, Michigan native has created a catchy conglomerate of gorgeous synthesizers and soaring guitars with a definite lo-fi feel.

Listen to the leadoff single from the Ghostly International album Midrange Chainsmoking and tell me if you don't get just a little hooked.....

Hear more from the sweet sounds of Dykehouse Here

Jason Collett and His Broken Solo Scene....

2006-02-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

Jason Collett is the guitarist for the Toronto indie super-band Broken Social Scene.

The Hype is fo' real - They are VERY good.
(Here's a splendid Live @ KVRX recording of 7/4 (Shoreline) to help you feel the love....)

But I digress.....
Jason has a couple of nice n' rootsy solo album called "Motor Motel Love Songs" and "Idols of Exile" that land somewhere between Tom Petty and Ryan Adams.
Very listenable Americana. Decidedly warm and mellow with a distinct dark edge - nothing too shocking.

Side projects are what they are......

Why not take a Listen to a song or two from Motor Motel that I quite like.

- Bitter Beauty
- It Won't Be Long

Check out more about Jason Collett Here....

Fresh Music Blog Action

2006-02-10T17:57:00.000-08:00

Greetings music friends,

I am here to bless yer earholes with the greatest new, old, and most-often underplayed independent/alt-rock/emo-nu-punk/alt-count tunes that, unless you have a satellite radio, rarely make the smaller town airwaves.

My format will showcase artists of every classification and genre, attempting to accompany each review with a streaming mp3 link of some shape or form for your aural pleasure.

I have quite the affection for the highly celebrated burgeoning Canadian "indie" scene (that is quickly turning mainstream.), and a bit of a closet affinity for the joys of the Alt-Count-Y'allternative offerings out there these days.

A bit of a music slut - I will listen to anything once......

------> So sit back and relax....Let me do the research and you do the discovering.

Cheers,
Anna Jones

Questions, comments, and Band suggestions are always appreciated.
Of course, all the Music displayed here is bought and payed for by myself, or has been borrowed from a legal website...
That said, I will respect any friction caused by my free publicity on Indie Anna Jones and remove any links ASAP.
Email me at indieannajones@gmail.com