Jay Bennett R.I.P. - (November 15, 1963 - May 24, 2009)

I came home last night after the stunning Leonard Cohen show at the John Labatt Centre to the terribly sad news that former Wilco guitarist and songwriter Jay Bennett passed away this weekend at his home in Urbana, Illinois. Bennett was only 45 years of age. So far no cause of death has been announced for the talented singer songwriter.

It’s an unfortunate footnote that Bennett is mostly remembered for the way he departed the Wilco camp. If you’ve seen the I Am Trying To Break Your Heart film that chapter makes for some high drama in the band’s history. Bennett and Jeff Tweedy memorably lock horns over the mixing of "Heavy Metal Drummer" before Bennett is later unceremoniously kicked out of the band. What a shame though he is not remembered more for the great artistry he brought to the band via production and songwriting from Being There, Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – a trifecta of recording brilliance.

Only last month Bennett launched a legal suit asking for $50,000 in damages from frontman Jeff Tweedy, claiming he never received compensation for appearing in the local band's 2002 documentary.

Bennett had released a number of solo records post-Wilco, the latest of which - Whatever Happened I Apologize - came out last year and is available for free download here. He was working on his sixth, Kicking At the Perfumed Air, at the time of his death.

Rest in peace, Jay… You gave us some fine music.

“Where Your Treasure is, There Will Your Heart Be Also”

We all have our small treasures… Those things that make our hearts swell and evoke knowing smiles with only a mere glance. Ah those trinkets, baubles, reminders, mementos, souvenirs, and collectibles that fill our desk drawers and line our bookshelves. They are the physical reminders of our lives lived. They symbolize our very experiences, our reminiscences and special occasions. Oh what vivid stories these ornaments can and do evoke. That is their magic.

It is specifically those stories that I am compelled to tell and hopefully so will some of you that read this- Now, considering the numbers of personal treasures I have currently lining my bookshelves et al, I might just turn this into a semi-regular feature. A brief preface is in order though. This whole concept came about after a recent “blipping” session on Blip.FM. (That being the social networking DJ/ VJ phenom that is currently ‘a sweepin’ the nations. (I posted about it earlier.)) One of the curious outcomes about said site is the users desire to share the music that they love; sometimes very obscure music. This is precisely what I did. I blipped a John Oswald (Plunderphonics) song, “O’Hell” and a short confession to fellow ‘Blipeur’ Barb the Bad Tempered Zombie spoke of my love for the avant garde musician/ artist. And thus the kernel for this post was born. His music is one of my treasures.

John Oswald is one of those artist/ musicians that truly speaks to the music lover in me. For the uninitiated John Oswald is a Canadian composer, saxophonist and media artist. His best known project is Plunderphonics, the practice of making new music out of previously existing recordings using “electroquotes”; (not unlike sound collage and musical montage). Inspired by William S. Burroughs' cut-up technique, Oswald had been devising plunderphonic-style compositions since the late '60s.

As a result of using music on these terms you can imagine this music is not without controversy The greatest of which was the 1988 release of the Plunderphonics EP, which he distributed to the press and to radio stations. It contained four plundered tracks: "Don't" by Elvis Presley, "Pocket" by Count Basie, "Pretender" featured Dolly Parton singing "The Great Pretender" but progressively slowed down so that she sounds like a man by the end, and "Spring", a version of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. In 1989, Oswald released an expanded version of the Plunderphonics album containing twenty-five tracks, each using material from a different artist. In 1990, notice was given to Oswald by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) on behalf of several of their clients (notably Michael Jackson, whose song "Bad" had been cut up, layered, and rearranged as "Dab") that all undistributed copies of Plunderphonics be destroyed under threat of legal action. An excerpt from a press release on the plunderphonics website is repeated below:

"I wasn't selling the disc in the stores, so I let listeners tape it off the radio for free," explains Oswald, who paid for the production and manufacture of the CD out of his own pocket. He receives no royalties or financial compensation for airplay. Brian Robertson, president of CRIA says, ``What this demonstrates is the vulnerability of the recording industry to new technology...All we see is just another example of theft." Oswald received notice from CRIA's lawyers demanding that he cease distributing Plunderphonic as of Xmas eve '89. "They insisted I quit playing Santa Claus," Oswald observes.

His body of work is one of the jewels of my music collection and I have gone to great lengths to track down his recorded output. To say that his CD’s and LP’s are rare is a huge understatement. He is not a traditional artist in any sense whatsoever and therefore distribution methods are often unorthodox. As a result, all of his CD’s have come to me from diverse areas of the world. (And yes, I have a copy of the famous aforementioned disc.) I have acquired most by luck, by fortuitousness and by sheer determination. From Paris, Vancouver, Seattle, London, San Francisco, Tokyo to Toronto these discs have seen more of the world than I have. All have a back story and each made me love music a little more. It is the stuff that enthralls me and totally captures my imagination. Consequently they constitute some of my greatest treasures.

I have also had the great fortune to have corresponded with Mr. Oswald on a couple of occasions although I have never met him in person. He has patiently answered my fanboy questions and even signed a number of my favourite discs. Admittedly, the art of John Oswald may not be for everyone but it is for me. Indeed my heart does swell when I see that section in my collection dedicated to him.

So that’s Volume I of this little segment. I’ll definitely do this again but I know that you have your own treasures to write about. Allison, Barbara, Amity and Matthew, tell us about your bookshelf treasures sometime. No deadlines though, when inspiration strikes...

“Artists Are Just Children who Refuse to Put Down Their Crayons.”

I have to admit, I am a bit of a sucker for tribute albums. For some they represent an opportunistic attempt to resurrect careers of much loved artists and usually feature rote remakes of better known hits and crowd pleasers. Imagination free, artistically safe, and ultimately destined for the cut-out bin- Those I generally try to avoid. Conversely, other compilations pay homage to the greatness of a particular musician’s craft and allow artists to reinterpret a particular canon on their own terms and styles. Ratcheting it up a notch, said compilation will also feature new and current artists tackling influential musicians that many people have barely heard of. Then you can definitely count me in! It’s all about the discovery folks.

Sooo, next up for rediscovery is Judee Sill. Judee was a California singer-songwriter who released two amazing records chock full of religious overtones, alcoholic reveries, and Graham Nash collaborations before dying of a drug overdose in 1979. In 2005, Asylum Records lovingly reissued both of her albums. And on September 22nd, the American Dust label will release Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill. Final Fantasy, Marissa Nadler, and Grizzly Bear/ Department of Eagles mainman Daniel Rossen all contribute Sill covers. (I am a little disappointed Andy Partridge of XTC fame did not participate. It was his interview a few years back that pointed me in the direction of Ms. Sills’ most wonderful art. ed)

Curiously, the album also features versions of two unheard Sill songs. Sill wrote the music for both tracks, but no recordings of either one have yet been discovered. Beth Orton takes on one song, "Reach for the Sky", and Bill Callahan ((the (SMOG) genius)) handles the other, "Like a Rainbow".

Tracklisting:.

Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill:


01 Ron Sexsmith: "Crayon Angel"
02 Beth Orton: "Reach for the Sky"
03 Daniel Rossen: "Waterfall"
04 Frida Hyvönen: "Jesus Was a Cross Maker"
05 Shalants: "Lopin' Along Thru the Cosmos"
06 Final Fantasy: "The Donor"
07 Nicolai Dunger: "Soldier of the Heart"
08 Trembling Blue Stars: "Lady-O"
09 Colossal Yes: "The Phoenix"
10 Marissa Nadler & Black Hole Infinity: "The Kiss"
11 Princeton: "Down Where the Valleys Are Low"
12 The Bye Bye Blackbirds: "There's a Rugged Road"
13 Meg Baird: "When the Bridegroom Comes"
14 Bill Callahan: "For a Rainbow"
15 P.G. Six: "Til Dreams Come True"

How You Found Me – Part Deux

I’ve posted about this ‘Google-acular’ phenomenon before and my latest assessment begs to be shared with you. Yes, it’s the ubiquitous Keyword Search results segment I now like to call, How You Found Me.

Once again, I considered commentary for each but I think I’ll let the actual keyword searches speak for themselves. The question this time though… Just what is “booty poping”? Apparently at least one Everything is Pop reader wants to know.

1 0.61% xx shoot blogspot
1 0.61% sexy +London +blogspot
1 0.61% HEY HEY MY MY T SHIRT
1 0.61% childrens songs about the gold rush
1 0.61% thom yorke red pants buy
1 0.61% phil selway listening too in entaglement
1 0.61% booty poping
1 0.61% "So, where's the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?"
1 0.61% best music blogs canada
1 0.61% Merge XX, wouldn't it?
1 0.61% how old are The Pixies
1 0.61% patchouli stink store out
1 0.61% "It's Made Me Cry" blogspot
1 0.61% jimmy neutron's dog pictures
1 0.61% dust for vomit
1 0.61% wheres is cannes

Your explanations and confessions are, as always welcome in the Comments section.

Dark Night of the Soul Streaming at NPR

UPDATE: From Billboard.com - Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse Album Release Scrapped

The latest installment in NPR's Exclusive First Listen series, where they offer streaming versions of albums before they're released, is the mysterious new collaboration between Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous. Could this be any more brilliant? I would swear dear reader that projects like this one were tailor made for me. I can not tell you how much this one appeals to me in every way. In a perfect world, this is exactly the kind of thing I would love to be doing myself…

Personal aspirations aside, until very recently, there wasn’t a lot known about Dark Night of the Soul besides its portentous title. Details have emerged that the mysterious record accompaniment includes contributions from the likes of Frank Black, Iggy Pop, the Flaming Lips and the Shins' James Mercer. Danger Mouse and Linkous apparently wrote and recorded the material, with plenty of help from all those guest musicians, to be packaged with a book of photography by visionary director David Lynch.

Regretfully a dispute with EMI Music has delayed the release of the audio component of this package. (Details to come.) Whether the album sees the official release or not, get over to NPR and listen to it while you can, because this is great stuff and demands your attentions.

The Dark Night of the Soul book is now available here and apparently limited to 5000 copies. No tunes as of yet but you will get a nifty cd-r for now, to do as you see fit.

Fingers crossed that this thing gets released.

The Burning Circle

I received a note recently from a fellow blogger with a most creative proposition. At his request I am including a post linking to his idea to solicit your participation. If you enjoy sharing and listening to great music I urge you to check out the idea here.

If this does not appeal to you I bet this will.

Thanks Ted I’m looking forward to participating myself.

Circle (the first)

As I may have mentioned elsewhere, I want to start up
my own Burning Circle.

The guidelines are few, and open to negotiation. What I am interested in (and which complements my other interests) is a multicultural, global perspective on music. I’d love to be able to connect with other music snobs as far away from me as possible.

Which, specifically, would be Calgary, Alberta. Canada.


And so, if you’re interested in discovering new musical stuffs, feel free to read a page or two. And then leave some comments, here, and let’s see if we can’t put something together. All I need is eleven good women. Or men. Or combination thereof.

Hmm? Awesome!

I Am Trying to Break Your Bandwidth

This one might be akin to opening your Christmas presents before the big day, but June 30th is just so far off! This is your chance to hear the new Wilco album (imaginatively) titled Wilco (The Album) streaming on their website. Sure the sound quality is a little hinky and you’ll have to put up with some jerky audio but this is new Wilco and that’s just plain exciting. It’s also very good.

Soooo, what can be found on this disc, their seventh? Eleven tracks, including “Wilco (The Song)”, as heard on The Colbert Report, and “You and I”, a duet between Tweedy and Feist. And the rest:

1. Wilco (the Song)
2. Deeper Down
3. One Wing
4. Bull Black Nova
5. You and I (feat. Feist)
6. You Never Know
7. Country Disappeared
8. Solitaire
9. I'll Fight
10. Sunny Feeling
11. Everlasting

Go here to listen and gaze at the lovely album art below.

"Children by the Millions, Sing for Alex Chilton"

Big Star Reissues Due

Paul Westerberg once triumphantly exclaimed in song, “(he) never traveled far without a little Big Star” and now circumstance will dictate the same for music fans everywhere. Pitchfork is reporting that Big Star, one of the greatest bands ever in the known universe and the pride of west Tennessee, will have their first two albums re-issued by Ardent/Stax on June 16th. 'Ardent' fans will note that both albums, #1 Record and Radio City, are currently available on a single disc collection, and yes I’ve railed about these reissue opportunities previously. But this time, its different. What's really cool about this news item is that the label will also be releasing both sets individually on vinyl once again. As a music fan I must wholeheartedly endorse this format for the discerning listener. These are perfect pop records that should be in everyone’s collection. Vinyl the perfect medium for this very perfect pop music.

Be first in line for these people. You will not be disappointed.

“You Can't Really Dust For Vomit”

This Is Spinal Tap Gets 25th Anniversary Deluxe Reissue

The motion picture that started the ‘rockumentary’ genre is a quarter-century old this year. The good news, it still wears its spandex trousers well and this one my friends goes to 11! This Is Spinal Tap, the Rob Reiner music film classic chronicles the world’s "loudest British hard rock band" through a dreadful U.S. tour. The film has now become ‘de rigeur’ for any musician or music fan. (It is said to have even fooled a certain UK brother duo into thinking they were the real deal.)

If you are a fan of music though, this one belongs in your collection and this anniversary edition would be a welcome addition. The band's official website notes that this is an “aggressively-priced” CD/DVD package that boasts the 19 original Tap songs as well as an exclusive hour-long DVD featuring track-by-track video commentary by the band and a unique pop-up diorama package that unveils three 12-inch action figures (courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles) of the band along with a proportionally sized Stonehenge. (I know what I’ll be asking for, for my birthday! ed.)

For the real 'Tap-heads', there is now a free download of the previously-unreleased “Saucy Jack” tune referenced in the film as well as exclusive digital versions of “Sex Farm” and “(Listen to the) Flower People.” Vinyl junkies will be treated to limited-edition eleven-inch version of the album. (Will the witty nostalgia never end?)

Now I know you've been curious... So what has the ponderous, pipe-huffing rocker (Derek Smalls) been doing all these years? According to Harry Shearer.

"Derek was in therapy for Internet addiction at a small therapy centre in rural England," Shearer said over the telephone from Houston. "He has kicked that,
that was very successful therapy."

Spinal Tap — David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) and bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) — will also be releasing their first new album since 1992's Break Like The Wind. Called Back From the Dead, the album will hit store shelves on June 16th. It features studio versions of songs featured in the film accompanied by six new tracks.

Back From The Dead tracklisting:

"Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight"
"Back From The Dead"
"(Funky) Sex Farm"
"Rock 'n' Roll Creation"
"Jazz Oddyssey I"
"Gimme Some Money"
"Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare"
"Heavy Duty"
"America "
"Jazz Oddyssey II"
"(Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Stylee)"
"Hell Hole"
"Big Bottom"
"Celtics Blues"
"Jazz Oddyssey III"
"Warmer Than Hell"
"Stonehenge"
"Short and Sweet"
"Cups and Cakes"

Oh, and my favourite line from the film?

“Yeah, well, it's part of a trilogy, a musical trilogy that I'm doing in D... minor, which I always find is really the saddest of all keys, really, I don't know why. It makes people weep instantly to play.”

The Coolest City in Canada?

Hopefully the snow will have melted by the time THIS rolls around. Go HERE * for unparalleled event coverage.

(I think I want to move to Alberta this summer.)

* Thanks for the tip Barb.

Guelph Hillside Festival 2009

One of Ontario’s best annual music festivals has announced a tentative line-up and ticket information. The 26th annual Hillside Festival will take place July 24-26, 2009 at Guelph Lake Island, Guelph Lake Conservation Area.

Confired Performers to date:
Loreena McKennitt (Friday)
Xavier Rudd (Friday)
Tokyo Police Club
Buffy Sainte Marie (Saturday)
Final Fantasy
David Francey

I will update this information as more acts are announced.

All tickets will go on sale Saturday May 2nd, 10am. Please see their tickets page for complete info.

All camping is booked directly through the Guelph Lake Conservation Area contact them at:
Guelph Lake Park: 519.824.5061
Reservations Line: 1.866.668.2267
Website: http://www.grandriver.ca/
http://hillside.on.ca/

All tickets will go on sale THIS Saturday May 2nd, 2009 at 10am
Tickets will be available:

On-line
ticketpro.ca - Bookmark this page now to allow for easy navigation tomorrow!

By Phone
1.866.598.4455

Hillside Office
123 Woolwich Street East, Guelph

Encore Records
54 Queen Street South, Kitchener

Soundscapes
572 College Street, Toronto

For additional information on box office policy, visit their website.

This Machine Kills iPods

New Wilco Download Available

This week’s abbreviated Download Lowdown is a goodie; mind you a small donation may be in order. (Providing JPEG proof of your barrel only wardrobe will also suffice.) A new Wilco performance of Woody Guthrie's once-again-timely "The Jolly Banker" is available now on the site by going to http://wilcoworld.net/woody/ with suggested donation to the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives. Listen to Jeff Tweedy talk about it on Public Radio's "Marketplace" at http://marketplace.publicradio.org/.

…In the gentle reminder portion of this post. The Wilco tour is on and dates/tickets for the summer portion are available now. The highly recommended and entirely excellent Ashes of American Flags DVD is available pretty much everywhere now as well. Wilco (the album) is out June 30th. Info at http://wilcoworld.net/

Isn't it great to be a Wilco fan?