Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)

So the most recent issue of Rolling Stone featured a list of the 50 greatest hip-hop songs of all time. I've always been a sucker for music lists and countdowns, rarely agreeing with them but always enjoying them. Rolling Stone has created some of the most memorable music lists such as the 100 greatest singers of all time, the 100 greatest songs of the 2000's, and the 70 greatest Bob Dylan songs. The 50 greatest hip-hop songs was no different, combining a mix of the obvious classics with lesser known yet highly influential tracks. "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" came in at number 12. I have always liked Pete Rock but had only heard a few singles. Then I listened to this one and my mind was blown. Such a sick beat that samples the saxophone from an old jazz song by Tom Scott and the opening guitar part is unreal. But it's the rhymes and storytelling of C.L. Smooth that really makes this song a masterpiece. He's talking about their friend Trouble T-Roy, a dancer with Heavy D and the Boyz who died after falling off a stage in 1990. It's a beautiful tribute to their fallen friend that is very elegant but would not seem out of place at a wake at a bar. Stolen from RS: when producer Pete Rock first played the finished track "we just started crying". Very cool.

 and a must-listen.

Some thoughts...

- Less than 2 weeks until I'm off to SE Asia. So fucking stoked but still lot's to do before we go!

- I'm in a hella tight battle in fantasy hockey this week. Need a big night from my recent free agent pick up Zack Kassian!

- Went to a very cool bar last night on Granville Island called Backstage Lounge for a good friend's going away party. Great live band playing funk covers, super cheap beers and dancing all night long!

- Coachella lineup looks sick as usual, although the headliners are sorta weak, especially when the Rolling Stones were heavily rumoured

Yacht Club - Flash

"Flash" by Yacht Club is a song whose video I stumbled upon a while back yet only recently got around to downloading it. Ever since I did that it has been on repeat on my iPod. Just a great 80's style, synth driven track. The uptempo beat brilliantly aligns itself with the smooth, R&B voice of singer Ben Cook (best known as the guitarist for the punk band Fucked Up). He lightly croons before bringing the house down with the hyper-catchy, aching chorus. Just a fucking awesome song; it is the one that Duran Duran, Soft Cell, and Tears For Fears wish they'd wrote! The old school style of the video is a refreshing take in a world of super HD and perfect images (not that there's anything wrong with that... just a nice change of pace). I'm really hoping for big things from this Toronto group who, along with Trust (whom if you've read this blog know that I am quite a big fan of), are bringing the early 80's back to the T-dot.

Some thoughts...

- THANK FUCKING GOD HOCKEY IS BAAAAAAACCCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!!!!

- So unless Canucks GM Mike Gillis can get a very solid player in return, Roberto Luongo should not be dealt this season. We are a better team with him on the roster AS LONG AS the 2 goaltenders can buy into some sort of sharing system. Difficult in today's ego-maniacal sports society but certainly not impossible.

- What the fuck is this thing!?!?!?!

- That is the Tardigrade, aka water bear. It is a small animal that can handle many of the most extreme conditions on earth. Pretty creepy but pretty rad too ;) Go Google it now!

- So long Seahawks, it was a great season and truly the start of great things to come with a very talented core group of guys that can beat you on both sides of the ball. Just hope Pete Caroll can start managing the late stages of the half and game a lot better...

Punch Brothers - Movement and Location (Live)

An incredibly haunting performance by a superb bluegrass band. Punch Brothers perform "Movement and Location" on Conan with a tender elegance that begs your utmost attention. The stage is pitch black with just a few floor lights illuminating the five band members and their instruments. They are in perfect sync with one another, fading in and out in order to allow for one instrument to take the lead while the others follow along with a beautiful subtlety. The violinist is absolutely brilliant, hitting the high notes and timing them just right while the rest of the guys finger pick like madmen. I must warn you that if you're in a particular mood this song just may make you cry.  If you like this track be sure to check out their album Who's Feeling Young Now? and the song "Dark Days" from The Hunger Games Soundtrack.

Some thoughts...

- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is an awesome and, yes, epic movie. I saw it in IMAX 3D and enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. Make sure you check it out before it's out of theatres.

- So I paid $400 for 2 vaccinations to protect me from Japanese Encephalitis when I'm in SE Asia. I have since learned that I really didn't need these shots... Fuck.

- I find it absolutely hilarious how the brilliant GM Mike Gillis has turned Roberto Luongo from a long-contract, high-paid burden into a highly sought after commodity from many other NHL teams. Now we basically get our pick of some top prospects and/or top 2 line scorers. Pretty neat.

John Legend - Who Did That To You?

Here is an excellent new track from the soundtrack to the even more excellent movie Django Unchained. This is the latest film by director Quentin Tarantino which stars Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, and the brilliant Leonardo DiCaprio. This is a fantastic movie! It has incredible acting, awesome bloody violence, a superb soundtrack, hilarious scenes and an overall great story. It's Tarantino at his finest and if you are at all a fan you must see this and preferably in theatres! Cool fact: when DiCaprio gives his big monologue towards the end of the film he slams down his fist quite hard, causing it to bleed. He keeps going on the take and the blood keeps flowing. This makes for an even more dramatic shot as DiCaprio takes what most would see as a retake and runs with it, turning it into cinematic magic. Watch for Leo to get a supporting actor Oscar nod.

I've always loved John Legend's voice; one of the purest in modern soul. He sings the hook on some of my favourite hip-hop songs ("The Believer" by Common and "The Fire" by The Roots). This particular song has a hip-hop feel to it but Legend stays true to gospel and soul. He sings with tortured pain and angst, perfectly utilizing his gospel background to convey the message of African Americans "living" before the end of slavery. This song is featured prominently in a key scene near the end of the movie which made me like it even more. The whole soundtrack is great, featuring tracks by the likes of Rick Ross, Jim Croce and 2Pac rapping over a James Brown beat. It is also scored by the master Ennio Morricone, famous for that epic theme to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. And, as usual for Tarantino soundtracks, it has great quotes from the film.

Some thoughts...

- So I made it all the way to the finals of Fantasy Football, facing a top regular season team but one that had been struggling near the end, never posting more than 85 points over the final 4 weeks... But his team stepped the fuck up for the final, putting up 105 points. My team did solid but leading up to Sunday Night Football (a game which I was going to between the Seahawks and 49ers) and I was 28 points back. He was out of players and I had only my running back, Marshawn Lynch. After grabbing 2 beers with my buddy before the game, causing us to be a little late, we got to our seats just as Lynch scored a TD. Cool, but still needed more points. Then BOOM! another TD! Suddenly this thing could get real interesting. Then late in the game I was 4 points back and the Seahawks were 2nd and goal about to hand it off to Lynch. I needed a TD for a 6 point play and fantasy victory. Lynch got the ball but  only picked up a few yards :( The next play the 'hawks threw a TD and that was it... so close...

- My 2 friends and I bought our flights today. We will be flying out of Vancouver at midnight on February 6th and heading to Manila, Philippines. We plan to spend the next 4 months or so tromping all over SE Asia visiting Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea and others along the way. So stoked!

- The Seattle Seahawks were victorious in the first round of the NFL playoffs this weekend, the only away team to win. We now face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday morning. Can't fucking wait!

The Sheepdogs - I Don't Get By

So Merry Christmas, Happy New Year yadda yadda hope you had a great one! I was quite intoxicated most of the Winter break and therefore almost broke my key and door handle off trying to get into my car to go to work this morning... Also why I haven't posted in a while... But without further adieu here is a review of The Sheepdogs at the Commodore Ballroom on December 20th.

The Sheepdogs fucking rock. They're basically the only true rock & roll band to emerge in the 21st century (obviously The Black Keys too... but they're a duo). I've talked about them and their history with the Rolling Stone cover contest in prior posts so refer to those if you've been living under a rock and still don't know much about this great Canadian band. 

This is about how The Sheepdogs are retardedly ridiculously radical live. This is the third time that I have seen them live. The first they were an opening act that completely stole the show, the second was a 12pm set at Sasquatch that they just slayed, enduring the brutal start time. But this third show, at the world famous Commodore Ballroom, was by far the best one yet. This was the second of 2 sold out shows and the boys came out to rock. The entire crowd was buzzing, as well as buzzed or beyond ;). I went with yet another large crew and we were there to party to some good ol' rock & roll.

Opening with a blistering "How Late, How Long" the 'dogs were in top form as lead singer Ewan Currie belted out the vocals and the band chugged along behind him. Next came some new tracks followed by the classics "Southern Dreaming" and "Right On". Then one of my favourites off the new album, "Feeling Good" and I was exactly the same, underneath a haze of seemingly never ending smoke. My memory gets a little foggy from this point onwards but I know that it was totally fucking awesome!

Some highlights included the trippy guitar work of "Alright OK" which led into the great organ blaster "The One You Belong To", the cool instrumental "Ewan's Blues", today's song, a personal fave of our crew, and an epic version of "Learn & Burn" which has insane duelling guitars and was a great peak of the show. Finally after over 2 hours and cutting it close to the final SkyTrain departure the band invited out openers Yukon Blonde and local talents Dan Mangan (Epic!) and some guys from Said The Whale for a finale rendition of The Band's classic "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". A perfect ending for a perfect night! A shit load of talented Canadian musicians performing a Canadian classic.

Openers Yukon Blonde put on a raging set. They were the first opening band that we had all deemed were more important that drinking/smoking more and they completely delivered. This was perfect because it forced The Sheepdogs to top them, which they certainly did.

Not much more I can say about this incredible band other than listen to them!