Kendrick Lamar - Celebration

Domination & Celebration

So the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl! Wow that felt great to type. As I sat in my drunken, stuffed stupor, moments after the final whistle from Super Bowl 48, it had not quite sunk in yet. I mean, how am I supposed to feel? No sports team that I am passionate about (Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Seahawks, Vancouver Whitecaps) has ever won a championship. Well I gotta say it felt fucking amazing! 

This was supposed to be one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time, with the #1 offense of all time facing one of the best defenses in years. All week leading up to the game all the hype was surrounding Peyton Manning and his legacy and the potent Denver receivers and tight ends. Very little attention was paid to the Seahawks. Virtually nothing to quarterback Russell Wilson and the wide receiver core. The only attention we got was in a negative light, that being the antics of one Richard Sherman and the unwillingness of Marshawn Lynch to speak with the media. But this was no worry to the 'hawks; in fact this is exactly what they wanted. This team is full of guys with chips on their shoulders, from coach Pete Carroll never finding true success in the NFL to the countless players who were drafted way later than they should have been. Being a west coast team without a long, storied history, the Seahawks have been quite unknown to the rest of the NFL and its fans. Well, they are sure as fuck known now! Sucks that it had to take a dominating Super Bowl performance to turn heads, bu hey, I ain't complaining. Now the rest of the sporting world HAS taken notice, the Seattle Seahawks are the best team in professional football and will likely remain that way with a great young core all signed and no real salary cap worries just yet.

As for the game itself, boy oh boy did it ever get loud at my house, and fast. Holy shit a safety on the first play! We couldn't believe it and after only one play my poor kitty was freaked hiding under the couch and had to be taken upstairs for the rest of the game lol. This was a very good thing as huge defensive plays from the likes of Cliff Avril, Cam Chancellor, and Malcolm Smith had us rocking in the first half. The offense was clicking too and many skittles were being passed around. Then at half time came shotgun #2 and chili time! After watching Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who were outstanding by the way, I was still in my kitchen grabbing 2nd half food and booze when the kickoff occurred. I quickly ran into view and will always remember standing and yelling Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! with everyone as Percy Harvin returned the kickoff for a brilliant touchdown! Game, Set. Match. At this point I was completely confident that we were going to be World Champions and the party was on. I cracked out my epic Super Bowl dip and some Seahawks cupcakes before the 3rd and final victory shotgun. I partied into the night with my friends and awoke still in slight disbelief and still very drunk.

Last week I made several predictions for the big game and actually fared quite well.

What I got right:

- Seahawks won! Tho my score of 23-20 was certainly off...

- Jermaine Kearse with another HUGE play. He scored Seattle's fourth touchdown in epic style as he alluded 4 tackles and ran it in for a 15 yard score

- Richard Sherman did NOT have an interception but still made some big plays

- Julius Thomas did NOT have a big game and Demaryius Thomas DID (tho not really as that entire team 

shit the bed

- Beast Mode did score TD #1

What I got wrong:

- Knowshon Moreno did not cry during the National Anthem

- The Chili Peppers did not do any classic rock covers (tho they were fucking awesome!)

Not too bad if I do say so myself! Sure hope you enjoyed the game (basically only if you were a Seahawks fan) and not sorry if you didn't lol.

"Celebration" by Kendrick Lamar is from his self-titled 2010 EP. This was his first album using his real name; in previous efforts he used the name K-Dot. This EP is absolutely amazing and I have no clue why it wasn't the one that provided his first big hit and superstardom. Success seemed to somewhat elude Kendrick as even his next album, Section.80, also brilliant, did not take off right away. It wasn't until good kid, M.A.A.D. city that he became a global superstar. So if you like Lamar but only know his more recent, popular work than I strongly recommend checking out the EP. Tracks such as "I Do This", "Pussy and Patron", "Thanksgiving" and "She Needs Me" are just as good, if not better than any of the standout tracks from good kid. "Celebration" is my personal favourite from the EP. With its smooth xylophone beat over soulful backing vocals, Kendrick spits some uplifting verses displaying how he has always been wise beyond his years. It's a great feel good song that perfectly sums up the end of Super Bowl 48 for myself and countless other Seahawks fans.

Pearl Jam - State Of Love And Trust

Let's Go Seahawks!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls we are officially 2 sleeps away from the insanely over-the-top amazing sporting event of the year. On Sunday, February 2 the Denver Broncos will battle my Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl in New York City for football's biggest prize, the Lombardi trophy. The game pits the record-setting #1 offense in the league Broncos against one of the greatest defenses in years Seahawks. Both teams were the #1 seed in their respective conferences and have numerous big-time playmakers on both sides of the ball. It's gonna be one for the ages so make sure that you have plenty of chilled beverages, delicious and fatty snacks and a prime view of that television set so you can take in all the epic action. 

Some Interesting Points on the Big Game

- The Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Russel Wilson is in his 2nd year in the pros and during that time has NEVER lost a game by more that 7 points

- If he should hoist the Lombardi trophy on Sunday he will become ONLY the second black quarterback to do so (Doug Williams did it first for the Redskins back in 1988)

- If the Broncos are victorious then their quarterback Peyton Manning will cement himself as the greatest quarterback of all time. If he loses, well there's always next year but a debate will always exist and he likely will be on the outside looking in

- This will be the first Super Bowl in quite a while to be played outdoors in a cold climate. Earlier in the week the forecast looked terrible and some even suggested that the game be moved. But since then the forecast has improved and it looks like the weather really shouldn't be much of an issue, even though it will be cold

- Seahawks' injury ridden wide receiver Percy Harvin only participated in 33 snaps ALL SEASON but he will suit up on Sunday. The offseason acquisition has the ability to be a game-changer with his big-play potential as a receiver and kick returner and will be a key factor in the hawks' success

The Top 5 Bands/Artists from each City/State:

Seattle

1) Jimi Hendrix

2) Nirvana

3) Pearl Jam

4) Foo Fighters

5) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Honourable mentions: Soundgarden, Heart, Alice In Chains, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, The Cave Singers

Denver

1) Earth, Wind & Fire

2) John Denver

3) OneRepublic

4) The Lumineers

5) The Fray

Honourable mentions: Pretty Lights, DeVotchka, Dead Kennedys, India.Arie, Yonder Mountain String Band

I dunno about the rest of you but I certainly know which city's soundtrack I'll be listening to all weekend!

Pearl Jam are one of my favourite bands. They are also one of the best bands I've seen live (twice). The first time I saw them in 2005 they had been playing for 3 hours when the union lighting guys left, leaving just the house lights on as the band continued to perform 3 more songs. I'll always remember Mike McCready playing the final "Yellow Ledbetter" guitar solo while crouched on his knees at centre stage while the rest of the band lay around him, exhausted. A brilliant end to a brilliant show.

"State Of Love And Trust" is my favourite pump-up song by Pearl Jam. It was released as a single when they put out their first greatest hits 2-disc compilation Rearviewmirror. The band plays at a wicked fast pace as lead singer Eddie Vedder howls and screams over them. I plan on playing this at full volume Sunday afternoon for the mandatory pre-game shotgun and I hope you do too! Time for the Seahawks to claim their first Super Bowl title!

Bold Predictions:

- Seahawks win 23-20

- I called it last game and was right so I'll do it again for this game: Jermaine Kearse will come up with a HUGE play for the Seahawks

- Knowshon Moreno (Denver running back) WILL cry during the National Anthem

- Chili Peppers and Bruno Mars will be awesome and they'll play some classic rock covers (Zeppelin???)

- Richard Sherman will NOT have an interception but will make some key plays

- Julius Thomas (Broncos tight end) will NOT have a big game but Demaryius Thomas WILL (Broncos wide receiver) 

- Beast Mode scores TD #1

Enjoy the game and the greatest Holiday that technically isn't a Holiday!!!

#1. Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Full Album

Arcade Fire - Porno

After much anticipation here it is, the best album of 2013! In fact it is actually a double-album so you're getting great bang for your buck on this one today. After taking the world by storm in 2010 with the Grammy Award-Winning The Suburbs the Montreal indie rockers decided to take a few years off. During that time husband and wife Win Butler, vocals and guitar, and Regine Chassagne, vocals, keyboards, accordion, etc. had a baby and the band decided to not release anything new until Regine was comfortably off maternity leave. In their absence they left many fans waiting for and wondering about a return. The wait was definitely worth it as Arcade Fire stormed back with over 100 minutes of brand new music that completely changed their sound, yet was so obviously still them.

Arcade Fire are quite possibly the coolest band on planet earth and here's why: during recording sessions in New York City the band was hard at work on lead single "Reflektor" when David Motherfuckin' Bowie decided to drop by for some tea. He listened to what they were working on and dug it so much that he asked if he could participate on the track. So just before the 5 minute mark you can hear the backing vocals from a living rock n' roll legend. And, no, he isn't even credited on the song, solidifying the coolness. So something like this, along with the fact that they have updated and improved their sound for each successive album, made numerous award-winning music videos, are one of the best live acts in the world (#4 according to Rolling Stone Magazine), value family, and are Canadian, simply cements them as the coolest band on earth.

Reflektor opens with the title track, a seven minute epic that rumbles along with frantic energy, claiming new instruments at every break until it erupts with an explosion of horns and piano. Immediately the presence of producer James Murphy (frontman of LCD Soundsystem and disco-funk DJ extraordinaire) is apparent as Arcade Fire's anthemic rock sound is upgraded and given a sonic boost of horns and percussion, making it extremely danceable. Up next is "We Exist" in which the bouncy bass line resembles a great 80's movie made in the 21st Century and "Flashbulb Eyes", a bombastic, dark tale of losing part of your soul to the camera flash that reaches a blaring climax before fading to the sounds of party-goers. This begins the centrepiece of the album, "Here Comes The Night Time", a song that begins with a blitzkreig of percussion, guitar and horns that will get even the laziest, soberest person off their ass and into full party mode. It then completely breaks down into full chillout mode as Caribbean beach sounds and percussion take over, reflecting the Haitian background of Chassagne and an inspirational trip she and Win took there last year. The first disc closes with straightforward rockers "Normal Person" and "Joan of Arc" and the bouncy "You Already Know" which I foresee being a hit this year.

The second disc begins with "Here Comes The Night Time II", a quiet, slowed down version of the disc 1 counterpart. Instead of the frantic, party energy it sounds almost as though Butler laments this version of the night time. Other standouts from this side include the heavy guitar beat and dual vocals from Regine and Win on "It's Never Over (Of Orpheus)", the perfect indie-pop melody of second single "The Afterlife" and today's chosen song "Porno" with its very 80's vibe and haunting chorus. A plethora of instruments grace "Porno", from the synth beat to the string breakdown to the epic sax solo near the end. Also the fan made video found above is quite well done and the lyrics are there as an added bonus.

Once again Arcade Fire have stepped up to the plate and knocked a grand slam out of the park; it seems that they can do no wrong. It is true that they did receive some criticism from fans that wanted to hear The Suburbs again but I feel that changing your sound and style is what artists do. Plus had they just made another similar album that would've been too easy and they would've received criticism anyways. I strongly recommend that you catch these guys live if you can. As of right now they are not playing in Vancouver this year, but they are at The Gorge Amphitheater, quite possibly the best venue in the world, in August. Also I have a feeling that they are going to headline Squamish Valley Music Festival this year, which occurs right after the Gorge show, so fingers crossed for that (lineup announced Jan. 29).

So with another year in the books here are some other albums that I have to acknowledge as honourable mentions: Kanye West - Yeezus, Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork, Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City (Rolling Stone Magazine's #1), Atoms For Peace - Amok, Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg, Washed Out - Paracosm, Jay-Z - Magna Carta Holy Grail, Shad - Flying Colours, Beyonce - BEYONCE, and Hallow Moon - Hallow Moon. I hope you enjoyed reading and listening to them as much as I did. Cheers!

#2. A$AP Rocky - LONG.LIVE.A$AP

Full Album

A$AP Rocky - 1 Train (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson & Big K.R.I.T.)

The #2 album of the year actually came out almost an entire year ago, on January 4, 2013. Often these early releases are forgotten and I almost missed it myself and had to double check the release date. But there it was at the bottom of my iTunes for the year, and as soon as I saw it I knew it had to be in the top 5.

A$AP Rocky, aka Rakim Mayers, was born in 1988 in Harlem, New York City. He started out as a member of the hip-hop collective A$AP Mob and then released a critically acclaimed mixtape LIVE.LOVE.A$AP in 2011 and then this, LONG.LIVE.A$AP, his debut album in 2013. His debut mixtape is solid and has several amazing tracks including the anthemic "Palace", the xylophonic "Peso" and the bluesy "Trilla" but I feel it loses focus in parts, favoring heavy bass over slick production. But then for LONG.LIVE.A$AP the rapper became much more focused on production, and backed by the major label power from Sony, was able to get A-list guest artists and production help. 

The album opens with the thunderous boom of "Long Live A$AP", where Rocky raps about where he thought he'd end up (prison, on drugs etc.) and then where he actually has (Bentleys, stacks of money, etc.) which is basically the complete opposite. The production is sparse yet glossy and the hook reels you in, providing an excellent snapshot of what this album is going to be about. Up next is the brilliant "Goldie", a track that makes one feel like a total boss/badass at the same time. Beneath the pulsating beat lies a sinister reverberating chant that illuminates the boss/badass mood. Other highlights include the top 40 smash "Fuckin' Problems" which features Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and the ridiculously catchy shout-along hook from 2 Chainz, "Wild For The Night" which features production from EDM Megastar Skrillex and is a song that truly makes you want to go fucking bonkers for the night, and "Fashion Killa", an ode to Rocky's love for stylish clothing with lush production from Rocky himself. 

Today's chosen song "1 Train" features six of the biggest names in the game: Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, & Big K.R.I.T. It is an American hip-hop summit as these rappers come from all corners of the country, from LA to New York and Detroit to Mississippi. 20 years ago, a time that many would consider to be the artistic peak of rap music, something like this could never exist as the two coasts and various other regions were too busy beefing and fighting with one another to even consider collaborating. I mean 2Pac, from Compton, California, the same city as Kendrick Lamar, and The Notorious B.I.G., from NYC, the same as Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson and A$AP himself, were the two biggest names in the game yet would never ever consider working with each other. In fact their rivalry ended with each man being sent to his grave way too early. But back to "1 Train". This track has a continuous, haunting string beat courtesy of producer Hit-Boy. I love Danny Brown's verse but my favourite has got to be Big K.R.I.T. who closes out the track with some emotional and prophesizing spitting.

I also can't ignore some of the tracks that close the album as well as the bonus tracks. "Phoenix", produced by the one and only Danger Mouse, is almost more indie rock than hip-hop with its laid back vibe and sung chorus. Then there's "Suddenly", a haunting ode to early sixties gospel and soul records. And finally the bonus track "I Come Apart" features Florence Welch (of Florence + The Machine) bringing down the house as usual with a killer hook and Rocky rhyming over the percussion heavy beat that sounds vaguely like Kanye's "Runaway".

Overall this is an awesome album by the young Rocky. I cannot wait to hear what he has in store for us next. This is also the top hip-hop album to grace my list. Yeezus was awesome as a whole but not enough great individual tracks imo. Stay tuned for #1

#3. Bombino - Nomad

Bombino - Azamane Tiliade

Well it's December and that means time to reflect on the past year in music. This year saw highly anticipated releases from household names such as Kanye West and Justin Timberlake, brilliant introductions from the likes of Jake Bugg and Chance the Rapper, and grizzled vets proving they still have what it takes to compete in the music biz in 2013 including David Bowie and Paul McCartney. All of these albums were great but they still could not make the cut (you'll see some in the honourable mentions section to come). So without further adieu I shall continue Some Strange Storm's Top 5 Albums of 2013.

In 2013 I discovered Bombino, aka Omara Moctar, a singer and insanely gifted blues guitarist from Niger. I wrote about him earlier this year in July. He has a crazy history of exile, executions, and the struggle for peace and I strongly recommend that you quickly check it out here:
http://somestrangestorm.blogspot.ca/2013_07_01_archive.html

Nomad is an album that commands multiple listenings. Produced by Black Keys guitarist and lead singer Dan Auerbach the album is deeply rooted in the blues and Dan gives it an electric, sonic boost. The album opens with "Amidinine", a catchy track with blazing guitar and sing-along chorus. Things tone down a bit with the chill "Ahulakamine Hulan" before kicking into another high gear for today's tune "Azamane Tiliade". This is one of those songs that instantly pumps you up. Although you can't understand a word he's saying, unless you are fluent in the Tamashek language of the nomadic Tuareg people, you know that this is a political song. Bombino sings with an intense fury that is echoed by his guitar shredding. Whenever I'm pissed off about something I turn to this track for inspiration in my writing. A brilliant song that you must check out as well as the psychedelic video that features Auerbach.

Other album highlights include the instrumental "Niamey Jam" with its buzzing organ part and choppy guitar, "Her Tenere" which must be a love song as Bombino sings with romantic passion, and the closer "Tamiditine" which is an incredibly peaceful statement song. You can hear the sadness in Bombino's voice but lurking close behind is hope; a hope for peace and happiness to his people. A brilliant desert blues song.

I won't be able to make another post til after Christmas so I'll say Merry Christmas! Be safe this holiday season and just "enjoy getting drunk and stoned with your friends and family, because that is really what Christmas is all about." - Ricky

Stay tuned for #2

TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2013

#4. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Full Album

Daft Punk - Beyond

Well it's December and that means time to reflect on the past year in music. This year saw highly anticipated releases from household names such as Kanye West and Justin Timberlake, brilliant introductions from the likes of Jake Bugg and Chance the Rapper, and grizzled vets proving they still have what it takes to compete in the music biz in 2013 including David Bowie and Paul McCartney. All of these albums were great but they still could not make the cut (you'll see some in the honourable mentions section to come). So without further adieu I shall continue Some Strange Storm's Top 5 Albums of 2013.

With the recent surge of EDM (Electronic Dance Music for those unaware), especially and finally in the USA, the undisputed Kings, Godfathers, Legends, whatever you want to call them, of the genre had been absent for quite some time prior to this year. In late 2010 the duo of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter released their first new material in over five years causing widespread hysteria in the music world. Turns out they were only releasing an original score for the Disney film Tron: Legacy which really only contained one EDM/Daft Punk song, the futuristic party-starter "Derezzed". Then three years later, in Spring 2013, word finally got out that the duo was releasing an LP of all new, original material and the industry went berserk. A 30 second teaser trailer which was played during the Coachella music festival and during an episode of SNL showed the robot-masked Daft Punk alongside R&B crooner/producer Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, guitarist and producer extraordinaire of the disco group Chic. I vividly remember being shown this while at a hostel in Thailand and it got me extremely excited for the album and that particular single, "Get Lucky", to come.

The album begins with the proclamation "Give Life Back To Music" which features fantastic orchestration paired with the instantly recognizable riffing of Nile Rodgers; a sound that thankfully graces much of the album. This is quite the statement from a group that basically created the EDM genre through blips and bleeps of computers and synths. Yet here they are ready to move past it, bringing back live instruments and production to a genre that has been loathed by many as being too artificial. Basically they're proving that they can make an incredible EDM album without computers and are moving forward, ahead of the competition. Following the opener is the 9 minute epic "Giorgio by Moroder" which features a spoken word intro by Giorgio himself as he tells of his beginnings in the discotheques in Berlin in the early 1970's. The song then goes through a whirlwind of buzzing synths and spacey beats before crashing down with gorgeous strings.

There isn't a single throwaway track on the album but other standouts include "Instant Crush" featuring Julian Casablancas of The Strokes on lead, auto-tuned vocals over a laid back groove, another epic in "Touch" which showcases the voice and songwriting of Paul Williams and includes a brilliant middle frame of exuberant horns and strings, and "Lose Yourself To Dance" and "Get Lucky" which feature vocals by Pharrell Williams and guitar from Nile Rodgers. The latter is the definition of a perfect pop/dance song. Rolling Stone named it their song of the year and by now you have heard it a million times and may be sick of it but hopefully, like me, you still can't get enough of it and turn it up every time it's on.

The track I chose for today is "Beyond", co-written with Paul Williams. This is classic Daft Punk that uses auto-tuned robot vocals over a killer groove but also reflects their new live instrumentation with flourishes of orchestra strings and beautiful pedal steel guitar fills. I struggled to choose just one song from this excellent album and didn't want to use my personal favourite track "Get Lucky" since unless you live at the North Pole you have most definitely heard it many times before. Daft Punk decided to come back into the music world just when EDM was getting its most attention, putting a ton of pressure on the masters to come through with a hit. Well they certainly delivered, in fact they went above and beyond the call. Now if only they could do an epic world tour and finally start headlining all of those festivals that they are consistently rumoured to be at. I know I'll be there.

Stay tuned for #3

TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2013

#5. Danny Brown - Old

Full Album

Danny Brown - Lonely

Well it's December and that means time to reflect on the past year in music. This year saw highly anticipated releases from household names such as Kanye West and Justin Timberlake, brilliant introductions from the likes of Jake Bugg and Chance the Rapper, and grizzled vets proving they still have what it takes to compete in the music biz in 2013 including David Bowie and Paul McCartney. All of these albums were great but they still could not make the cut (you'll see some in the honourable mentions section to come). So without further adieu I begin Some Strange Storm's Top 5 Albums of 2013.

Old finds Danny Brown at an introspective point in his career. The rapper is known for his crazy antics and wild partying which are illuminated on tracks such as "Blunt After Blunt" and "Die Like a Rockstar" from his 2012 LP XXX. On Old Danny takes a more serious look at his life and questions what he is doing. On "Clean Up" he raps about being in "hotel rooms crushing pills and menus / daughter sending me messages saying 'Daddy, I miss you' / but in this condition I don't think she need to see me." This brutal honesty proves that Danny can be an intelligent rapper and that he understands the consequences of his lifestyle. This sentiment is echoed during the hook when he proclaims "it's time for me to clean it up / I came too far to fuck it up." It's refreshing to hear an artist admit that their lifestyle is damaging to themselves as well as family and friends.

The album is split into two halves, side A and side B, with side A being more focused on introspection and personal feelings. In the opener "Side A (Old)" he laments how fans and critics want the 'old' hair-braided and dope selling Danny Brown back, telling the listener that this album is going to be different and you're gonna have to deal with it. Highlights of side A include "25 Bucks" which features vocals and production from Montreal duo Purity Ring and is about how Danny and his parents grew up without much money, the ridiculously awesome hook of "like open wide ho" from "Dope Fiend Rental" which features ScHoolboy Q, and the aforementioned "Clean Up" with its deep lyrics and excellent, haunting production.

But the brightest light of this half has to be today's song "Lonely". This song finds Brown opting to rap in a deeper voice, foregoing his higher pitched, unique style. What this does is allows the listener to really listen to his lyrics as he tells of his past and how he's lonely "'cause don't nobody really know [him]." A funny voice also states in French in the intro "well, maybe the bird / the bird sleeping inside of each of us / will rise up", alluding to his desire to change. This deeper style of rapping is brilliantly complimented with the production; gorgeous chiming guitars over a solid back beat and piano flourish plus the gospel break in the middle make for a truly beautiful song.

Side B definitely begins to stray back to Danny Brown's wild, party side as the production gets heavier and angrier. I like to compare this half to Kanye West's brilliant Yeezus which I call his angry workout album. I personally don't like this half as much and it is the main reason why it is #5 and not higher (had the album just consisted of side A it would rank as high as #2 on my list). Highlights include "Dubstep" featuring Scruffizer and some womp womp production, the after party/sesh anthem "Kush Coma" featuring A$AP Rocky and some great spaced out vocals, and the lush closer "Float On" featuring the beautiful vocals of British chanteuse Charlie XCX.

So Danny Brown's style and sound change definitely worked and I can't wait to hear what he has to come in the future. Stay tuned for #4...

Hallow Moon - Waiting For Chimera

http://neptoonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hallow-moon

Hallow Moon are a band from Vancouver, BC that features a friend of mine from way back, Dan Ross on guitar. They play bluesy garage rock with brilliant splashes of psychedelia. The band recently released their self-titled first album through Neptoon Records, Vancouver's oldest independent record store. It is available for digital download or on vinyl from the website above (also free to stream!). 

The album kicks off with today's song "Waiting For Chimera", seven minutes of cosmic stomp rock with wailing guitar flourishes. It sets the tone for the rest of the album, showing that these guys aren't fucking around. The next track, "Don't Know Why", starts out with a pulsating, lightning speed riff that is one of the best I've heard in years. This song is the only one that I had ever heard before by Hallow Moon as it is their only video up on YouTube. I fell in love with it right away, digging the catchy chorus and cool video which you can check out below. Other highlights of the album include the chilled out guitars of "Sermons" and the thumping and chiming of "Single Life". Overall it's a great album and one that can be listened to over and over. Whether contemplating serious life decisions, working hard to get something done or just relaxing with a beer and a doob, it provides the perfect soundtrack. Support these guys and purchase the album today for only $7.

Hallow Moon - Don't Know Why

Some thoughts...

- A HUGE thank you to the staff at Sportstown tavern where I left my cell phone last night (what a moron!), as it was waiting for me behind the bar when I went back to hopefully find it today.

- On a related note the ND Grizzlies (men's competitive indoor soccer) are finally above .500. After starting out 0-3-1 we have clawed all the way back to 5th place with sights set on a top 4 finish and the postseason. However, the final week of the regular season features a must-win game for us as well as some help from the teams above. Fingers crossed!

- Holy shit it's already December! My oh my how the time flies nowadays. Guess that's the case when shit is getting done faster and faster all the time.

- Made the playoffs in fantasy football for the second season in a row. Here's hoping my boy Cam Newton and triple threat RBs Jamaal Charles, Danny Woodhead and Knowshon Moreno can lead me to victory.

Midnight Runners - There's No You In Us

http://www.reverbnation.com/midnightrunners

A couple weeks ago Midnight Runners played the Friday Night Rock headlining slot at Joe's Apartment in Vancouver. The band features four friends of mine from high school who have been playing together, on and off, since those days. Rhejis Wicks is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitar player, Joel Harrison plays lead guitar, Andy Lee is on bass and Jesse Harder on drums. Their music is a solid mix of alternative rock and bluesy R&B. And in terms of alternative rock they definitely lean towards the "legit" alt rock bands such as Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, and Matthew Good Band while straying from the "popular, shitty" modern rock that used to dominate airwaves such as Nickelback and Papa Roach.

Earlier this year in June I saw Midnight Runners play another headlining gig at The Roxy in Vancouver. However that was on a random Tuesday night and the crowd, other than friends and family, was basically what you'd expect for a weeknight. The band was great, it just wasn't an ideal environment for them. This time on a Friday night there were more people there who had probably never heard of the band and were just out for a night at the bar. And I bet that many of them were pleasantly surprised with the great rock show that they witnessed.

About 45 minutes before their set, drummer Jesse told me that he was really nervous because the house drum kit sucked. The kit he's used to has a large variety of different drum types and apparently this kit was lacking much of that variety. He was now forced to simplify his rhythm and had to improvise some of the beats so the rest of the guys could follow along. Knowing next to nothing about drums and drumming I simply wished him good luck and told him he'd do fine... I hope.

The set started with ferocity as they played one of my favourites, "Neck Tie Noose", early on. The track is very hard rocking with an almost punkish vibe as Rhejis sings of the dirty tricks and trades of businessmen and politicians with a howl of bitter disgust. Until about midway through the set I had completely forgotten the conversation I had earlier with Jesse about the shitty drums. He sounded great as usual and I don't think anyone in the audience had a clue about what he was dealing with. Up next came the only cover of the night, "Everything Is Automatic" by the Matthew Good Band. This was a brilliant choice as it really showcased Rhejis' vocals and Joel nailed the guitar parts. Then they played another one of my favourites and today's song, "There's No You In Us". This song featured spot on, bluesy guitar from Joel that culminated in a stunning solo.

Towards the end of the set quite the crowd had gathered on the floor with everyone watching and listening very intently. A group of younger girls on one side were even trying to out dance and out rock an older couple across from them. I love to see shit like that and I'm sure the band dug it as well. Finally at about the 40 minute mark came the set closer "Misery River". This was a great song that I had not heard before with some great guitar soloing. It ended with the whole band chugging along to a climatic burst. The crowd really loved this one and gave Midnight Runners a much deserved ovation for an awesome show.

In my last review of the Roxy show I criticized Rhejis for his awkward comments and cheap jokes made in between songs. This time around he did no such thing, opting for the basic "How's it goin' guys?" and "Thanks to the venue/opening band" stuff. This was fine and much better than before but I'd still like to challenge him to do something more. A great story or really funny joke at a show can be an amazing, unforgettable moment for the audience. I will refer to Macklemore who I saw at Squamish Fest this summer. He was someone that I wasn't super stoked on going into the show but his charisma and brilliant story telling had me and the 10,000+ in the crowd hanging onto his every word and made us like and respect him that much more.

Midnight Runners will be playing at the newly renovated Mirage Night Club in Surrey next Friday, December 6th. Tickets are usually only $10-15 and are worth every nickel! (That sounds weird a pennies no longer exist lol). Be sure to check these guys out live as well as online at their Reverb Nation page listed above which features songs to listen to and download, cool pics, and other info.

EpiclyUnreal is no more! It was a name that I quickly came up with 2 years ago and never really liked. I have been trying to come up with something better for a while now and finally stumbled upon Some Strange Storm which is a lyric from one of my favourite songs by my all-time favourite band. More changes and betterness to come!

Missy Elliott - Sock It 2 Me (Kaytranada Remix)

So after an excellent show by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth at Fortune Sound Club last Saturday we decided to stick around for DJ sets by Jerome LOL, Groundislava, and headliner Kaytranada. Two shows for the price of one is always awesome, especially when I would have paid and seen each separately! While about half the crowd was leaving we grabbed more beers and went back to the dace floor where they were playing an excellent mix of classic hip-hop by the likes of Souls of Mischief ("93 'til Infinity") and Eric B. & Rakim ("Don't Sweat the Technique"). Then before we knew it a crowd had appeared on the stage and helming the turntables was L.A.'s Jerome LOL. I had never heard of him before but my buddy told me he was dope and dope he sure was. He played a set of house music with serious hip-hop influences, including a great remix of A$AP Ferg's "Shabba". The overall vibe was very tribal, making for some fresh grooves and a sound that I look forward to following. Click the link below for his soundcloud page:

https://soundcloud.com/jeromelol             or               http://www.jeromelol.com/songs

Up next was Groundislava, also hailing from L.A. and also who I had not heard of before. I wasn't digging his set as much as Jerome LOL, but the big guy worked the crowd well and played a solid mix of house and pop remixes. Though I certainly could have done without his Miley Cyrus "We Can't Stop" remix lol.

Finally it was time for the main man, Montreal's Kaytranada. A friend of mine introduced me to his stuff a few months ago. That stuff is a mix of hip-hop and R&B remixes from TLC and Erykah Badu to K-OS and Danny Brown. He has gained a large following recently and one can certainly see why. His chilled out remixes provided the perfect ending to a great night of hip-hop. Near the end of his set Kaytranada played his remix of Danny Brown's "Lie4" that really got the crowd going. He then ended with my personal favourite and today's song, Missy Elliott's "Sock It 2 Me". His remix is bloody brilliant, slowing down the original, upping the bass and emphasizing the horns so they sound like the horses of the apocalypse riding toward the earth and its impending doom. He also eliminated Da Brat's shitty verse which was an excellent call. He continued to play this track while some nerd from the club stood right next to him, glaring at him to stop so that No Fun City could become quiet and peaceful again. Kaytranada went on for a few minutes to the delight of the audience. The image of his goofy smile and determination to continue, coupled with the dork glowering and standing over him while he plays the dooming "Sock It 2 Me" beat was something I will forever remember. As usual, the institution won and the house lights went back on as Kaytranada announced the address of the after party.

Coming from Montreal, Kaytranada must have certainly been shocked at the lameness of the curfew hours in this city. Especially considering that it was daylight savings and was technically only 1:30am. For a supposed world class city we sure do not know how to party with all bars closing by 3 and the SkyTrain ending service at 1am! Oh well, the city definitely is much better and prettier during daylight hours.

Some thoughts...

- Arcade Fire's new album is fucking incredible. This band continues to amaze me with each new album by completely changing their sound and style while keeping the same obvious Arcade Fire sound. There's only one other band on earth that has been able to do the same, albeit an entire decade longer, and that is Radiohead.
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Andy Samberg's new police officer sitcom is hilarious and a must watch for any fan of the guy.
- Remembrance Day is almost here. Be sure to buy a poppy and where it proudly while remembering the sacrifices of those in our armed forces so that we can live like we do today.
- And a big FUCK YOU to the government/health insurance people. My grandfather served in the Royal Canadian Navy for 40 years, working as the head chef on a supply ship. He is now enduring some serious health issues and is receiving no financial help because his (along with the entire crew's) "service" is not considered "active duty". Give me a fucking break!!! That is a disgusting way to treat the men and women who risked their lives for us. I want to strangle the dipshit cocksucking cunt who came up with this!

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - The Basement

This past Saturday the legendary hip-hop duo Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth performed at Fortune Sound Club in Vancouver. They were touring behind the 20th anniversary of their classic 1992 album Mecca & The Soul Brother, playing the album in its entirety. Now these throwback/reunion shows can go one of two ways: the artist(s) simply show up to play their biggest hit songs in a lazy, just-give-me-my-paycheque-now sort of way, even making the crowd sing most of the songs. Or they can step up there and leave it all on the stage, making the audience wonder why they ever stopped making music together and put on an amazing show. Last Saturday Pete & C.L. definitely chose to do the latter. 

Holy shit can C.L. ever rap and work a crowd! The 45 year old was spitting rhymes like it was '92 and moving up, down and all around the stage, including standing on the front pillars for some intensely focused rapping. Today's young rappers can certainly learn a thing or two from the grizzled vet. And Pete was steady as ever in the back working the DJ booth like he's done countless times in the past. He came up to spit a couple verses and get the crowd going but his best moment came two thirds through the show when C.L. left the stage for a much deserved break and Rock did a mini DJ set of the classics. He spun and remixed tracks by the likes of Al Green, Dennis Edwards and the Bee Gees and the crowd was certainly digging it.

As for the rest of the set, highlights included the funky "For Pete's Sake", the sexy and smooth "Lots of Lovin'", the politically charged banger "Straighten It Out" which samples Ernie Hines' 1972 classic "Our Generation" and, of course, the final encore of the duo's most beloved track "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)". The crowd went wild when Pete played the opening sax bit from the track and C.L. got the crowd singing along to it. Then they launched fully into the song with C.L rapping with a ferocity that echoed the original. At the end of it all both guys hugged in front of the crowd and genuinely looked stoked to be there at this stage of their careers. It truly was amazing to see these guys get the respect they deserve while returning that same respect to their fans.

"The Basement" is one of my favourite tracks from Mecca & The Soul Brother. The beat is fucking ridiculously good with the short jazz horn breaks melding into the longer ones at the "chorus". The song is also only one of two tracks on the album to feature other rappers. Grap Luva, Heavy D, Rob-O and Deda all provide slick verses, making it an incredible crew cut. If you have never heard Pete & C.L. then I strongly recommend you educate yourself on classic, lyrical hip-hop and cop this album now. This was an early show and we decided to stick around for the DJ show with sets by Jerome LOL, Groundislava, and headliner Kaytranada. Review coming soon!

J. Cole - Get Free ColeWorld (feat. Major Lazer)

Trip Part 4: Sanur, Bali, Indonesia. After enjoying the incredibly clean financial capital of Southern Asia it was time to head somewhere cheaper, dirtier and, hopefully, more fun. Singapore was great but its absurd (by Asian standards) alcohol prices and lack of beaches and party atmosphere was less than desired. 

As this was our first true third world country, and the fact that my friend and I are dumbasses, we got off to a hilariously embarrassing start before we even exited the Denpasar, Bali airport. Of course we didn't prepare our $25 USD to pay for the one month VISA and had to go to an ATM. And, of course, there were none to be found anywhere near the immigration area. After finally tracking one down and withdrawing an exorbitant amount of Rupah (Indonesian currency where $1 CAN/USD is equivalent to roughly 10,000 Rp) we paid for our VISAs in the local currency and went on our way to grab our backpacks. When we finally arrived at the luggage claim our bags were on the floor next to it being watched by two Indonesian dudes with uniforms on. The two guys each picked up our bags and called their two buddies over to carry our smaller, side bags. They then led us about 20 feet to the final security bag check and another 20 feet to the currency exchange where we got rid of our last few Singapore Dollars. I had already taken my side bag back and at this point wanted my big bag back too. As I was doing this my friend in front of me was already negotiating payment for these guys! Sure enough they wanted something from me too so I reluctantly obliged and gave them each small bills that I had just received from the exchange. They weren't having any of this and told me I had to give them what my friend had already given the other two and pointed at the correct bills in my wallet (at this point the ladies behind the currency counter chimed in too, agreeing with the bag dudes). These were the only other bill types I had and I gave them each one. We each gave each guy a 100,000 Rp bill... something we soon later realized was the equivalent of $10 USD each! The whole thing happened so fast and they seemed legit with their uniforms and all. We got totally fleeced, two nice Canadians with freshly filled wallets and no sense of reality in the third world. We felt quite stupid for a while after that but now laugh at it looking back. That $20 means very little to me now but I'm sure the two dudes got a much needed bonus pay day and probably laughed their asses off at the stupid white guys for the rest of the day!

Next we had to make our way to the hostel via taxi. If you've driven or been driven in the third world before then you must certainly know that for the first time it is RIDICULOUSLY FUCKING SCARY!!! There are basically no rules to the road in southern Bali (this goes for almost everywhere I traveled in SE Asia) as taxis, motorbikes, shoddily built service and work trucks, and passenger vehicles all battle for space on the ever congested roads. Passing anything and everything is a delicate, dangerous skill that few have mastered yet all attempt. Our taxi driver passed through chaotic roundabouts, unnecessarily changed lanes way too many times (in fact he mostly created his own lane in the middle of the two!) and narrowly avoided three other vehicles, including a motor bike that decided to cut in between us and the vehicle in front of us that we were passing. This was an insane experience and we were incredibly relieved once we had arrived safely at our destination.

Our destination was the Big Pineapple Hostel in Sanur. This place had it all: an incredibly nice and helpful owner/host, a big screen TV with hundreds of movies and TV shows, a pool that you could see the TV from, full kitchen with a large table, air conditioning, wi-fi, and, most importantly, dozens of other travelers looking to make friends and have a good time. This made the hostel one of the best that we stayed at on the trip, if not the best. The large table near the kitchen was the epicentre of some excellent drinking games before crews were assembled to go out partying in nearby Kuta (more about that in part 5) and made meeting others very easy. I made several great friends that I have kept in touch with and hopefully will continue to.

The city of Sanur was very laid back and featured many empty bars, a few resorts, dirty streets, bumpy, hole-filled sidewalks, countless feral dogs and lots of ex-pats. The beach was nothing spectacular but still had warm water and lots of sun; a great place to relax and cure a hangover. A highlight of the area was definitely the Linga Longa Bar which hosted an all-you-can-eat pig cookout every Sunday. The meal was amazing and featured wonderful live music as well; so good that we stayed an extra night to go again. Eventually I became more accustomed to the chaotic, dirty lifestyle of Southern Bali, immersing myself in the culture and delicious cuisine. Check below for some pics of the area.

Today's song "Get Free ColeWorld" uses the sublime beat and chorus from Major Lazer's "Get Free" and features J. Cole spitting some slick rhymes over it along with a spoken word 2Pac outro. I chose this song for its laid back island vibe, a vibe and mood that perfectly encapsulates Southern Bali. After the hustle bustle of the first two cities (Taipei and Singapore) it felt great to just relax and stay at a great place for more than a week. If you're not a fan of hip-hop be sure to check out the original version of "Get Free" by Major Lazer and featuring Amber of Dirty Projectors singing the hook.

Some pictures...

Outside Big Pineapple

View from the beach in Sanur

The best bar in town, the Linga Longa Bar. Two pretty cool dudes to rep the place!

Mmmm Pig

Tommy James & The Shondells - Crystal Blue Persuasion

The greatest television show ever is down to its final episode and oh boy is it gonna be good! Over six enthralling seasons (technically 5 as that season was split into two 8-episode parts) we saw the transformation of Walter H. White, a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with lung cancer, from normal family man to drug kingpin. As the title goes, Walt "Broke Bad" as he continually did more and more bad things in order to keep up with his new lifestyle; a lifestyle that he only ever started because he thought it was a way to earn a lot of money in a short period of time that he could leave to his family before the big C claimed him. I've set up the main premise and will not go any further as most of you know the whole story. And for those of you who do not I strongly suggest you start watching, like yesterday.

What I really want to talk about is how this damn thing is gonna end. What we know: according to the two flash forwards that begin the fifth and sixth seasons Walt is now 52 (he celebrated his 50th birthday in the first season), he has left his safe haven in New Hampshire and is back in New Mexico, he has a huge ass gun, he is still coughing a lot, he returns to his former home in Albuquerque to find it boarded up, spraypainted with "Heisenberg" and teenagers using the empty pool as a skate park and, finally, he goes back to the electric outlet to get the ricin poison he left behind the panel months ago. So now two big questions come to the surface: a) who does he plan to use the gun on and b) what is he going to do with the ricin?

a) My gut tells me that he's going after Uncle Jack, Todd and their whole crew. This would explain the need for a huge ass gun and he already revealed to Saul that he wanted to get his revenge for them killing Hank and taking most of his money. I feel he will get Uncle Jack and his guys but not Todd. Todd, along with the neurotic Lydia, will be the main two characters to get away unscathed.

b) Now for that ricin. This one I truly have no real idea for but I'm gonna say that he wants to use it on Jesse. The two will meet in a final confrontation near the end of the episode/series and only one of them will walk away. I think/hope that Jesse kills Walt. It would be a fitting end to a spectacular series.

Now everything that I have just guessed can be tossed out the window. This is because, from what has happened so far this final season, whatever you think is going to happen, the complete opposite will actually happen. Enjoy!

"Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James & The Shondells appears at the end of season five during a montage that shows Walt and Todd cooking up a storm while Lydia distributes it to the Czech Republic and a shitload of money is exchanged and counted. Check out the video below for the whole scene, a great piece of cinematography (something that Breaking Bad has come to redefine the necessity of for television shows) and camera trickery. The song itself is brilliant. From the backbeat bongos and pulsating organ to the lovely spanish guitar and James' magnificent singing this track has everything. It fits the show perfectly in talking about "crystal blue" and the Spanish guitar for the New Mexico setting (lot's of Spanish music appeared throughout the series). The song is from 1969 but sounds incredibly relevant and timeless.

Black Seeds - One By One

Here's another great track from the great show. This one comes from season two when Walt and Jesse are heading out to the middle of bumfuck nowhere in the New Mexico desert in the RV to cook. The song has a super laid back, good times vibe, which is fitting for this period of the show, before anything very dark occurs. Also the song is sung by Bret McKenzie who is one half of the comedy singing duo Flight of the Conchords. Pretty neat! The majority of the Breaking Bad soundtrack is amazing and features a wide variety of genres and music styles. Also the songs are typically unknown gems which is always great for discovery. Some guy has even created torrents of every single song that has appeared on the show so far so be sure to look for that on isohunt if you're interested.

Now we wait...

Washed Out - All I Know

Washed Out played a sold-out show at Fortune Sound Club this past Tuesday. Washed Out is a band created by Ernest Greene, from Athens, Georgia that specializes in the drowsy, distorted dance-pop that bloggers dubbed "chillwave". He started out making recordings in his bedroom at his parents' house and caught some major attention from those same noteworthy bloggers that began sharing his myspace music. Alongside peers such as Toro Y Moi, Neon Indian, and local upstart Teen Daze, Washed Out has been at the forefront of this easy-listening and mellow yet danceable genre for the past 4 years.

Before I arrived at the venue I was trying to figure out how he would perform. Knowing that Greene does his own vocals I figured it would be pretty hard to sing and DJ at the same time, especially with the vocals being so distorted. It turned out that I was completely wrong as he performed with a full 5-piece band and played everything live. This turned out to be most excellent as they were able to make the songs much more upbeat and full of life while still sounding very similar to the solo-made recordings.

Washed Out played a great mix of their three most prominent records, 2010's excellent EP Life Of Leisure, 2011's major label debut Within And Without and this year's brilliant Paracosm. Opening with the first single from the latter album, "It All Feels Right" the band sounded incredible, the lights were wonderfully trippy and colourful, and Greene was great as a frontman, engaging with the crowd a lot and really letting loose on his vocals, something he has shied away from in the past due to shyness and thinking that he didn't have a good voice. Other highlights included an even more upbeat and rockin' "Get Up", an even more chilled out and subdued "Feel It All Around", and the sublime "Amor Fati" which was the set closer and my personal fave. The above song was played near the end of the set and sounded beautiful with the band nailing the intricate percussion and synth layerings. The entire crowd was digging it, bobbing along to the catchy chorus. If you've never listened to Washed Out I'd highly recommend it the next time you're relaxing, especially outdoors.

I was only able to catch the final few songs from opening band HAERTS. The Brooklyn crew have been one of the year's most buzzed bands with only two tracks available online and their debut album slated for release later this month. I didn't get to hear either of those songs, "All The Days" and "Wings" but they are both incredible and have been on repeat ever since I heard them. Lead singer Nini Fabi has incredible pipes and the rest of the band play superb indie-pop. This is one of those bands that has the potential to become even bigger than the band they opened for. I am very excited to follow their career.

HAERTS - Wings

The instant I heard this song I absolutely loved it. Fabi's emotive singing is gorgeous, especially when she hits those high, sustained notes. The video is really cool too, showing ordinary people and using a cool flying camera. Be sure to check out "All The Days" (their only other song on YouTube) as well, but beware: you will be listening to it nonstop for the rest of the week.

Squamish Valley Music Festival Day 2

Day 2 of Squamish Fest started with a slight hangover and another unbearably hot tent at 8:30 in the gaw damn mornin'! It was another full day of the familiar campground activities of beers, buds, yard games, BBQing and mingling. On the way back from a pilgrimage to the pit stop (yes the porta-potties were far from our site and featured lengthy lineups) a group of campers were admiring my David Bowie t-shirt and before I could even thank and cheers them they had made me a tantalizing proposition: would you like to do a Louisville Chugger? Having no idea what I was getting myself into I responded in the only way I know how: Fuck Yeah! Next thing I know I'm pouring the final 3/4 of my beer into the end of a blue plastic baseball bat. Then I'm chugging it as the others count how long I'm taking. For every second that I took I then have to spin around with my head on the bat that many times. I have no recollection how long it was but it was definitely double digits. Finally once the spinning was over it was time to hit the lightly tossed whiffle ball outta the park. Well I think I came sorta close... but completely missed and fell with style onto the grass. Everyone cheered and had a good laugh as I high-fived everyone and grabbed a new beer. Another classic music festival moment.

After what would be the final shot-gun of the weekend myself and a few others made our way into the grounds to listen and party to the wild gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello. The 3rd best live show of the day was one that I have become very familiar with; a grimy spectacle of intense moshing to the crazy, undefinable slurry of music by eight immigrant punks that together make up one of the best live acts on planet earth. I have seen Gogol Bordello four times now and every time they absolutely crush it, packing a dozen or so songs of relentless high-energy into a whirlwind show that will always leave you dizzy and wanting more. The Brooklyn-based band is really a true global band. The members are from countries such as Ethiopia, China, USA and Ecuador. Their fearless and crazy frontman, Eugene Hutz, who hails from Ukraine, leads the band through a tour de force of intense energy through gypsy punk music. I'm simply running out of adjectives to describe this band and will just say that if you have never heard of or seen Gogol Bordello live it is an absolute must; something to check off your bucket list. The song I have chosen by them is "My Companjera" from their 2010 album Trans-Continental Hustle inspired by the music and sounds of Brazil. They played it dead smack in the middle of their set and, as usual, the crowd and band went berserk.

3.) Gogol Bordello - My Companjera

After the intense gypsy punk we made our way to the second biggest stage to catch Fitz & The Tantrums. After sitting and relaxing through most of the set we got up and danced our asses off for the final few songs which included the new single "Out Of My League" and their most famous number, "MoneyGrabber". That song was definitely the highlight as they nailed it and the crowd loved every second of it. It also truly is a great song; one of the best of this decade in my opinion. After all the dancing and moshing I was feeling very parched so it only made sense to head back to the beer garden by the main stage where Band Of Horses were playing. I like and respect Band Of Horses but am not a huge fan so they provided the perfect background soundtrack to our crushing of beers. They played my favourite, "Ode To LRC", near the end of a solid set and then quickly got out of the way for the main attraction of the night.

Queens Of The Stone Age are one of my absolute favourite modern rock bands. Singer, lead guitarist and main writer Josh Homme is one of the best dudes in the biz right now. After momentarily dying on the operating table a few years ago he and his bandmates came back with a vengeance, recording ...Like Clockwork, an early candidate for album of the year. It's always awesome to see bands that you've loved for a long time and that have a full catalog of classic hits to play. But there's something very awesome about seeing a band with a great history of music that is also currently at the top of their game. 

QOTSA came out blazing with hits like "No One Knows", "Burn The Witch", and "My God Is The Sun" off of their newest album. Then Homme brought things down a bit with the haunting ballad "The Vampyre Of Time And Memory" where he played piano and guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen played the stabbing, Neil Youngish solo. Right after that song came my personal favourite and another early candidate for song of the year, "If I Had A Tail" (this would be the featured song had I not already used it earlier this summer) and Homme told the crowd to "get ready to shake your ass and dance". This was an early highlight as the band hit every note while the crowd did Josh proud and danced our asses off. During the next song some dumbass fan decided to hop onto the stage. Seeing no security going after him right away, Homme left his post behind the mic and gave the kid a good shove off the stage and back into the crowd. This was greeted with a huge cheer that came to an abrupt halt when the band stopped playing as Homme pleaded with the crowd to stop beating the poor bastard up and said something along the lines of "don't fucking come up here but don't hurt him either... now where were we" and they kicked back into gear. Up next came another personal favourite, "Make It Wit Chu" which the band just slayed and is my chosen song to represent the best live band of day 2. Another very danceable track, "Make It Wit Chu" comes from QOTSA's 5th album, Era Vulgaris. The chug-along beat makes you bob your head along and the high-pitched chorus is ridiculously catchy. The Queens closed out the set with even more hits such as "Little Sister" and "Go With The Flow" which both featured blistering extended guitar solos and early hit "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer". By the end I was supremely satisfied with the show and was feeling quite fucked up and ready to hit up the dance tent for the final act of the weekend.

1.) Queens Of The Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu

Right before the final artist came on I decided to try to grab a quick bottle of water. The area that I went over to happened to be the smallest stage where BC band Bear Mountain were playing their unique brand of live-band electro-pop. I never did find water but did catch their first two songs which also happened to be my two favourites, "Faded" and "Congo". These guys seem to have a lot of talent and potential and I look forward to following their career. Had it not been for the fact that Pretty Lights was the final act I would've stayed to watch them.

For the first time of the weekend the entire crew was together and ready for Pretty Lights to take the stage. We made our way up close on the side and set in for a whirlwind of EDM, dancing, and some very pretty lights. I had seen Pretty Lights last year as the night one headliner at Sasquatch. At that show the spectacle of the stage, screens, and light show was incredible but the music lacked that punch, often all sounding quite similar to each other. This time Pretty Lights didn't have a crazy stage setup or even screens; just a dude behind his DJ gear mixing some incredible tracks. The songs were distinct from one another yet still flowed seamlessly. The entire crowd was grooving and just in a great mood. Highlights included the track below, "Finally Moving", a super bluesy chilled out tune that samples Etta James' "Oh sometimes I get a good feeling..." and my personal favourite "I Can See It In Your Face". When the horn sample kicked in I remember looking over at my friends and the ecstatic looks on their faces summed up an incredible weekend. I had an absolute blast and would recommend Squamish Valley Music Festival to anyone; the gorgeous setting, solid lineup and overall great vibes will keep fans coming back.

2.) Pretty Lights - Finally Moving