The 1932 film White Zombie introduced the zombie to popular culture. While going through different waves of popularity since then, fittingly, the phenomenon couldn't remain dead.
Zombies have never been more popular than they are today. The Walking Dead is the most popular show on cable television and there are zombie walks, zombie runs, zombie weddings, zombie obstacle courses, zombie conventions, zombie commercials, zombie video games and more being lapped up like brains by a ravenous public. Hell, an international zombie strategy was even discussed in the Canadian House of Commons last year.
Doc of the Dead, an 82-minute documentary directed by American Alexandre Philippe, examines the rise of the zombie through interviews with the likes of the head of the Zombie Research Society, zombie authors and scholars, scientists, the Toronto zombie walk founder and even a sex therapist. Zombie film and television show actors, actresses, directors and producers -- most notably Shaun of the Dead star Simon Pegg and genre king George Romero -- also talk about the phenomenon. Some even share their zombie survival strategies and engage in the slow versus fast zombies debate.
There are clips of director Romero's classic films -- Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985) and Land of the Dead (2005) -- as well as discussions of them. But we also see and hear about other zombie and zombie-related movies, including I Walked With A Zombie (1943), Invisible Invaders (1959), my longtime favourite Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959), Return of the Living Dead (1985), Re-Animator (1985), Dead Alive (1992), Army of Darkness (1992), 28 Days Later (2002), Resident Evil (2002), Shaun of the Dead (2004), The Infected (2009), Contagion (2011) and World War Z (2013).
You don't have to have worn tattered clothes, covered yourself in goop and makeup and shuffled awkwardly down the street (which is something Romero says he can't see the pleasure in), or even visited Haiti (where turning people into zombies is part of the criminal code) to appreciate Doc of the Dead.
Zombies have seeped into pop culture so much that you can't escape them, no matter how slow they may lumber along. So while there's no need to hoard supplies or build a bunker to ward off a zombie apocalypse, there may be a desire to be mildly entertained while learning more about why the phenomenon has become so widespread. Doc of the Dead can provide that.
Watch the Doc of the Dead trailer.
Doc of the Dead will make its international premiere and be screened in Toronto as part of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival at: 11:59 p.m. on April 26 at Bloor Hot Docs Theatre; 9:30 p.m. on April 27 at Hart House Theatre; and 9:45 p.m. on May 3 at The Royal Cinema.
Even if you weren't a wrestling fan in the 1980s, you were almost no doubt aware of Hulk Hogan. But "Hulkamania" probably wouldn't have existed if it wasn't for the pivotal role played by Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri.
Before you wear your finger nails down too much from the head scratching that will accompany your puzzlement from that name, Vaziri was -- and somehow still is -- better known as The Iron Sheik. And a new documentary illustrates that this man has a story to tell, and the creators have even provided subtitles in case you have difficulty understanding his sometimes broken English.
Vaziri was born poor in Iran in 1942 and became an amateur wrestling champion and a bodyguard to the Shah before, fearing for his life due to the complicated political and social situations in his homeland, he moved to the United States. He was the Amateur Athletic Union Greco-Roman wrestling champion in 1971 and went on to become an assistant coach for two U.S. Olympic teams later that decade.
Professional wrestling legend Vern Gagne invited Vaziri to turn pro, but he was also forced to train other wrestlers, drive trucks from city to city, referee and set up and tear down the ring in addition to grappling. It wasn't easy, but things started taking an upward turn when he adapted the Iron Sheik persona and became a hated heel -- which wasn't difficult considering the Iran hostage crisis of the era and Vaziri's constant insults of the stars and stripes.
Vaziri defeated Bob Backlund, who had held the World Wrestling Federation title for six years, to capture the championship belt. He lost it a short time later to Hogan. "Hulkamania" was born, pro wrestling became a phenomenon, and stars like Vaziri lived like rock stars.
While Vaziri continued to fight on his own, he increased his villain status by teaming up with "Russian" Nikolai Volkoff under the tutelage of manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Waving Iranian and Soviet flags, and Volkoff singing the Soviet national anthem before bouts, raised the heat against them and death threats from overzealous fans weren't unheard of.
Things came crashing down in 1987 when Vaziri and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan were pulled over by New Jersey police, who discovered that they were drinking and high on cocaine, and marijuana and coke was found in the car. But the drugs didn't seem to be the primary concern of WWF president Vince McMahon. He was more upset that the public now knew that these two in-ring enemies were actually friends. The curtain had been removed from the heavily scripted world of pro wrestling.
Vaziri was dropped from the WWF and while he later made a brief comeback with the organization (as Colonel Mustafa) and continued to wrestle wherever he could, his days of Iron Sheik action figures and stardom had passed. The same couldn't be said for his drug and drinking habits.
Vaziri used his "medication" to ease the pain from his many ring injuries and the murder of his oldest daughter, but it also put a huge drain on his finances and relationships with his wife, two remaining daughters and many others.
It's around this point that Toronto twins Page and Jian Magen enter the picture. Their father and Vaziri had been friends in Iran and the boys were big Iron Sheik fans. When they found out how troubled their hero was, they travelled to his home in Atlanta, Ga. to try and help him. It was hard to break through to the stubborn wrestler but, even if they couldn't completely free him from his demons, the two entertainment promoters were able to launch another career for him.
Vaziri became a social media favourite with a variety of YouTube videos and outrageous tweets that have attracted 419,000 Twitter followers. He's become a popular guest on Howard Stern's radio show, makes a variety of personal appearances and even made headlines by appearing at Toronto City Hall to mock Mayor Rob Ford last year.
The next step in re-establishing Vaziri's place in the public's mind is The Sheik, which deserves credit for showing the man's dark side and doesn't just act as a promotional tool even though it was produced by the Magen brothers. A crowd-sourcing campaign raised more than $40,000 for the film, which includes interviews with wrestlers Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Mick Foley, The Road Warriors, Bret Hart, Koko B. Ware, "King Kong" Bundy, The Nasty Boys, Sunny, Bob Orton, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Hogan and Duggan, as well as managers Brother Love and Jimmy Hart and WWF announcer Jim Ross. Actors Jack Black, Mos Def, Seth Green and Ron Jeremy also make appearances.
While familiarity with pro wrestling from the '80s will give you a good background on The Iron Sheik, I don't think it's necessary to enjoy this film about the up and down life of a man who can, in turns, be hated, appreciated and pitied.
Here's the trailer for The Sheik.
The Sheik will make its world premiere in Toronto and be screened as part of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival at: 9:15 p.m. on April 26 at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema; 4:30 p.m. on April 27 at TIFF Bell Lightbox; and 6:30 p.m. on May 3 at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema.
Love Me opens by asking several men what love is, and it turns out that they think the way to find it is through the mail-order bride business.
This documentary, directed by American Jonathon Narducci, profiles five American men and one Australian from a variety of places and backgrounds who use the international online matchmaking services A Foreign Affair and Elena's Models to find wives from the Ukraine, where there are just 87 men for every 100 women. The major similarity among them is that they've become frustrated and claim they can't find compatible women in their countries. And most of them seem to prefer younger women.
A Foreign Affair has offices around the world and invites men to sign up on its website and then pay to send messages to women in other parts of the world. It also offers "romance tours" to male clients, where they're often outnumbered 10 to one by women at organized social events.
Love Me follows the trials and tribulations, the successes and failures, of these men and the women they fall in love with from a distance and then in person. These guys have spent thousands of dollars to find the woman of their dreams, and it sometimes seems like they're living more in a dream world than the real one.
There are two success stories, where Ukrainian women Vitalina and Inna form a bond with their American suitors and move to the United States and marry them -- hopefully to live happily ever after.
Another man finds the Ukrainians unfriendly and insincere and vows not to use these matchmaking services again. He later says that the experience helped give him a greater appreciation of local women and he ends up involved with one of them.
We're also introduced to A Foreign Affair founder John Adams and former mail-order bride and now Elena's Models owner Elena Petrova. They both seem like decent enough people who believe they're providing valuable and legitimate services that can bring happiness to men and women around the world. But I can't help but feeling that there's an underlying sleaziness to them and their business practices.
The most interesting stories, to me at least, are the relationships that don't go as planned. They show the desperation of the men and portray the women as either manipulative opportunists or confused damsels who maybe aren't sure what they want.
Michael travels from Australia to Kiev to meet Svitlana and her two daughters. He thinks he knows her well from their correspondence and, after seemingly enjoying their time together, he proposes and she accepts. A wedding in Bali is planned, but before that he receives an ominous email from the Ukraine that claims his bride to be is scamming him. The wedding goes ahead anyway, but the marriage isn't consummated and she cuts off communication with him after they return to their respective countries.
Svitlana admits to the camera that she has similar relationships with other men while she decides the best options for herself and her daughters. Michael doesn't give up, however, and returns to Ukraine to find out what's gone wrong. Svitlana says she doesn't love him and that the wedding was a mistake. He asks for his ring back and she walks out the door and out of his life.
Wisconsin farmer Travis falls for a woman just after meeting her in Ukraine, but he has to return to the U.S. and plans to keep the relationship going from a distance. He heads back to Ukraine three months later to ask her to marry him and, while something doesn't seem right, he thinks it will turn out okay. But when men show up to her apartment demanding $4,000 they claim she owes, he gives them the $200 he has with him and heads to the airport without proposing. The romance ends, but her online demands for money don't.
Bobby spent almost $10,000 on sending messages to a beautiful Ukrainian woman and flies there to see her. He's stood up at first and believes he may have been scammed, but meets her a day later. With a translator provided by A Foreign Affair, they talk, but he has doubts that it's the same person he's been communicating with online. But that doesn't stop him from asking her if she wants to move to the U.S. and marry him at that first meeting. Bobby believes that she's agreed and returns home thinking he's engaged.
But responses to the overweight and reclusive Bobby's messages are vague and he gives up hope. She's removed from the A Foreign Affair site because it's unclear if she was legitimate, but he was still out all of that money and went into state of depression and stopped his attempts at online dating before admitting to trying A Foreign Affair one more time. We're shown photos of a beautiful brunette and left with the feeling that he'll be heartbroken again.
Watch the trailer for Love Me.
Love Me will make its international premiere and be screened in Toronto as part of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival at: 9:30 p.m. on April 25 at Scotiabank Theatre; 1 p.m. on April 26 at Scotiabank Theatre; and 7 p.m. on May 2 at Fox Theatre.
I've dug the Old 97's since first hearing the Dallas, Texas-formed band's Wreck Your Life album almost 20 years ago. There may have been some minor lulls since then, but not enough to make me lose interest. Still, I wasn't prepared for how consistently excellent the group's new Most Messed Up album is. There may not be a "Victoria" or "Timebomb" ear worm here, but, from start to finish, it's the best Old 97's album yet.
Most Messed Up opens with the almost six-minute "Longer Than You've Been Alive," where guitarist/lead singer informs and entertains while exuberantly chronicling the band's career. And things don't let up from there.
Miller, bassist/vocalist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea and drummer Philip Peeples hold little back, musically or lyrically, resulting in a rockin' record with tales of sex, booze and reckless living sprinkled with a handful of F-bombs.
This aura of rock and roll excess is given a distinct air of authenticity by the appearance of Tommy Stinson. This guy's been a member of The Replacements and Guns 'n' Roses, so he knows a thing or two about depravity. The musician joined the quartet while it was recording in Austin, Texas and played guitar on several tracks, adding an extra edge to the proceedings.
Though some of the words are dark, they're shrouded by joyously upbeat and up-tempo tunes that should be a hoot to hear live. Even "This is the Ballad" isn't.
I thought Old 97's showed a strong return to form on its two The Grand Theatre albums, but Most Messed Up illustrates that this group is now at the height of its powers.
I liked the guitar and drums-pioneering Flat Duo Jets and enjoyed Dex Romweber Duo's three previous albums, but I think I've fallen in love with the new Images 13.
Okay, the cover looks a bit amateurish and is kind of ugly. But beauty is only skin deep and it's the music, not the packaging, that wrapped me in its arms.
Romweber has made a name for himself over the years as a man who knows how to cunningly combine Americana, surf, blues, rockabilly, pop, punk, country and garage rock elements and envelope them all in eerie darkness. He doesn't veer far from the formula here, but, with older sister (and former Let's Active member) Sara providing focused percussive support on the snare drum, he's done it better than he ever has before. And that's saying something for a guitarist/singer who's been a professional musician for more than 25 years.
The album opens with lead single "Roll On," a dark and smouldering blues rocker infused with surf licks that sets the tone for the next 11 songs. "Long Time Coming" offers a bluesy shuffle and you'll hear some '60s pop in “Baby I Know What It’s Like to be Alone” before coming to a happy surprise: a cover of The Who's "So Sad About Us," complete with jangly guitar and an upbeat sound that belies the title and lyrics. Southern Culture on the Skids' Mary Huff contributes vocals to the track, adding to a SCOTS connection established by Images 13 being recorded at Rick Miller's Kudzu Ranch studio in North Carolina.
The foreboding "Prelude in G Minor" is the album's first instrumental, followed directly by "Blackout!," which alternates crashing drums with a "Peter Gunn Theme" vibe but showcases guitar mastery throughout. "Blue Surf" is a frantic surf rocker and the final instrumental is album closer "Weird (Aurora Borealis)," a more experimental number featuring Melissa Swingle (Trailer Bride, The Moaners) on the saw.
The record is rounded out by: "I Don't Want to Listen," where Dex displays some deep, '50s doo-wop crooning; the acoustic but still edgy "Beyond the Moonlight;" the '60s pop-influenced "We'll Be Together Again," which was written by Eddie Cochran's girlfriend Sharon Sheeley after he died in a car accident; and the country-ish "One Sided Love Affair."
Jack White and Exene Cervenka have professed their admiration for Romweber. After hearing Images 13, you probably will, too. This is bound to remain one of my favourite 2014 albums when the end of the year rolls around.
The 1980s was probably the least successful decade of Johnny Cash's long and storied career, but his only album from that era in my collection until now -- 1987's Johnny Cash Is Coming To Town -- held up well then and still does. And the only time I saw the man in black perform was in the mid-'80s, and I thought he was great.
So I'm not as surprised as many other people seem to be by the quality of the recently released "lost" Cash album, Out Among The Stars. Its 12 songs, recorded in 1981 and 1984 and originally produced by CBS Records Nashville A&R head Billy Sherrill, are definitely of a high enough grade that they should have been released 30 years ago. But, had they been, there's no way that they would have had the same commercial impact as they have now -- with Out Among The Stars debuting at #3 in the U.S. and #2 in Canada.
Cash parted ways with Columbia Records after 25 years in 1985 and he hadn't had an album chart in the top 100 since 1971. It wasn't until 1994, when he began his association with producer Rick Rubin with the first in the series of American Recordings albums, that he started registering with consumers again.
While Cash may have been largely ignored in the early '80s, he was by no means a has been. And Lost Among The Stars proves it.
"Baby Ride Easy" sits easily alongside the classic duets Cash recorded with his wife June, and she can also be heard on "Don't You Think It's Come Our Time?" Waylon Jennings joins Cash on the Hank Snow hit "I'm Movin' On," which predates their teaming up in The Highwaymen but which would have fit well on one of that group's three LPs.
Cash's familiar speak-singing style adds depth to "She Used To Love Me A Lot," which is on the album twice -- in its original version and as a bonus track produced by Elvis Costello. You should definitely check out the recently created video for the song, made by film director John Hillcoat. While it may not be as moving and powerful as the clip for "Hurt" that was shot shortly before his death in 2003, it packs a punch and vividly captures Cash's legacy.
Cash's penchant for story songs is shown on "I Drove Her Out Of My Mind" and "Tennessee," which features a children's chorus. The playfulness of past hits like "One Piece At A Time" and "Boy Named Sue" shines through on "If I Told You Who It Was," which features a cameo from fellow country legend Minnie Pearl.
And if there was ever any doubt, Cash proves he's equally comfortable in his "Rock and Roll Shoes" as he is writing and singing gospel numbers like "I Came To Believe."
Cash was originally backed on these tracks by some A-list Nashville session musicians, and the restored versions also include contributions from the likes the likes of Marty Stuart on guitar and mandolin, Buddy Miller on guitar, Jerry Douglas on dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin and Carlene Carter on harmony vocals. The musicianship is as solid as you could want and is further proof that this project wasn't just a slap-dash attempt to cash in.
I don't know if John Carter Cash will find any more previously unreleased material of this magnitude in the family archives, but this will suffice if he doesn't. It's always nice to have Cash on hand.
I haven't heard The She's' Then It Starts to Feel Like Summer debut album, but my introduction to the all-woman group from San Francisco via the new Dreamers EP makes me want to.
These six songs convey images of classic '60s girl group pop, but with an updated edge, courtesy of guitarists Hannah Valente and Eva Treadway, bassist Sami Perez and drummer Sinclair Riley. The songs are dreamy and melodic, the three-part harmonies are tight (most notably on "Lots to Hide") and the listening experience is just plain fun and leaves you wanting to hear more.
The guitars gently chime in "Violet" and are more up front in the introduction to "Mystery," where the vocals are flatter in some places but don't hamper the song because the hooks are still there. "Jordan Baker" has the twee element of the other tunes, but a larger emphasis on the drums gives it a more forceful sound overall.
These girls are young but full of promise, and this EP shows that they're achievers as much as they are Dreamers.
Ontario's best beers were recognized at the 12th annual Ontario Brewing Awards at Toronto's Gladstone Hotel on April 3.
Servers walked around the venue with trays of bacon-wrapped shrimp, spring rolls, mini hamburgers and small pizza squares to give attendees a base in their stomach to help absorb the dozens of Ontario craft beers that were available to sample from glasses provided at the entrance. Here are the eight that I tried for the first time:
Descendants Harbinger Pale Ale is brewed in Wellesley and has a nice gold colour. The 5.5-per cent alcohol, 38 IBU beer poured with a thin head and a pleasant hoppy aroma. The easy-drinking ale, which comes in a distinctive bottle, had a bit of a citrus twang, refreshing hoppiness and a pleasant finish.
Beyond The Pale Imperial Super Guy is a 9.1-per cent alcohol, 90 IBU imperial rye India pale ale from Ottawa. It had a nice, foamy head on top of its amber base. The aroma wasn't as hop-forward as I was expecting. There were hints of pine and citrus along with a decent maltiness. It was crisp but slightly heavy. The high alcohol content wasn't overpowering and it was smooth on the palate.
The Publican House Ale, from Peterborough, was my least favourite of the evening. The 4.8-per cent alcohol lagered ale was a pale straw colour and poured with a small white head. It had a citrusy aroma and a somewhat biscuity, but pedestrian, flavour. The finish was boring.
Sudbury's Stack Brewing produces Angry Moose, a nine-per cent alcohol imperial IPA. The dark gold ale with a thin white head had a mildly hoppy aroma and similar flavour. The high alcohol content wasn't noticeable at all, and it left a pleasant, tingling sensation in my mouth afterward.
Nickel Brook Cuvee 2013 Reserve Ale is aged in bourbon barrels, which helps give it its rich auburn colour. Its ingredients include European and North American malts, Demerara sugar, dried figs, orange peel, raisins, cinnamon, cardamon, all spice, black pepper and vanilla beans. All of these elements seem to balance out in a non-distinct aroma but very complex flavour. The raisins, all spice and Demerara sugar seemed to be the most dominant elements of this 8.5-per cent alcohol beer, which didn't leave me with a good taste in my mouth.
Highlander Brew Co.'s Lion Grass is made in South River with lemongrass and dandelion leaves, although I couldn't really notice them. The 5.4-per cent alcohol beer is pale gold and pours with a thin head. It's a wee bit bitter and is fairly malty, which gives it a biscuit element. It's okay on the palate but has a dull finish.
Terrestrial India Brown Ale from Guelph's Wellington Brewery is a very dark brown and had a rich tan head when it was poured. It's pretty complex, with a bit of malt along with smokiness, bitter chocolate and some nuttiness coming through from a combination of Cascade, Amarillo and Sorachi Ace hops. The 5.9-per cent ale has a lingering, slightly bitter finish.
I ended my tasting on a high with Ottawa's Big Rig Saison. The 5.5-per cent, 25 IBU beer is light amber in colour and had a rich white head when poured from a growler. It has a very pleasing, fruity bouquet, a taste that offers a good mix of fruit and spice, and a lovely finish. This is an excellent saison.
The winners were chosen from 251 beers submitted by 46 breweries from across the province, and certified judges chose gold, silver and bronze winners in 31 categories.
The gold, silver and bronze winners were:
North American Light Lager
Brick Laker Light
F&M Stone Hammer Light
Flying Monkeys Antigravity Light
North American Lager
Hogsback Vintage Lager
Lake Of Bays Top Shelf Classic Lager
Amsterdam Natural Blonde
Pilsner
Brick Waterloo Pilsner
Molson Coors Rickard’s Blonde
King Pilsner
Amber Lager
Hop City Barking Squirrel Lager
Great Lakes Red Leaf Lager
King Vienna Lager
Dark Lager
Side Launch Dark Lager
Brick Waterloo Dark
King Dark
Bock
King Bock
Cameron’s Deviator Doppelbock
Mill Street Weizenbock
Honey/Maple Beer
F&M Stone Hammer Maple Red
Mill Street Royal York Stinger
Bayside Honey Maple
Hefeweizen
Big Rig Hefe
Denison’s Weissbier
Magnotta True North Wunder Weisse
Belgian Witbier
Mill Street Belgian Wit
Amsterdam Boxer
Molson Coors Rickard’s White
Flavoured Wheat Beer
Amsterdam KLB Raspberry Wheat
Clocktower Raspberry Wheat
Beyond The Pale Pink Fuzz
Farmhouse Ales
Stack Portes De L’enfers
Big Rig Saison
Big Rig Belgian Blond
Lagered Ales
Publican House Ale
Clocktower Kölsch
Big Rig Gold
British Pale/Bitter
Muskoka Cream Ale
Black Oak Pale Ale
Highlander Scottish Ale
American Pale Ale
Great Lakes Johnny Simcoe
Collective Arts Rhyme & Reason
Great Lakes Crazy Canuck
British IPA
Mill Street IPA
Kensington Baldwin FishEye-PA
Brick Waterloo IPA
West Coast IPA
Cameron’s R.P.A.
Muskoka Twice As Mad Tom IPA
Beyond The Pale Imperial Super Guy
Dark IPA
Big Rig Black IPA
Flying Monkeys Netherworld
Wellington Terrestrial India Brown Ale
Amber Ale
Kilannan New Zealand Red
Clocktower Red
Sawdust City Ol’ Woody Alt
Dark Ale
Magnotta True North Copper Altbier
F&M Stone Hammer Dark
Amsterdam Downtown Brown
Porter
Nickel Brook Maple Porter
Highlander Blacksmith Smoked Porter
Six Pints Beer Academy Porter
Stout
F&M Stone Hammer Coffee Stout
Sawdust City Skinny Dipping Stout
Big Rig Stout
Fruit Beer
Amsterdam Framboise
Mill Street Frambozen
Turtle Island Smash Cherry Pale Ale
Vegetable Beer
Grand River Highballer Pumpkin
The Ship’s Rations
Big Rig Pumpkin
Flavoured Beer
Amsterdam Full City Double Tempest
Sawdust City Red Rocket Cinnamon Vanilla Cayenne Coffee Stout
Big Rig Triple Chocolate Cherry Stout
Strong Beer
Descendants Prologue Belgian Blonde
Sawdust City Princess Wears Girlpants
Amsterdam Vicar’s Vice
Gluten-Free
Nickel Brook Gluten Free
(This was the only beer entered in this category.)
Barrel Aged – Whiskey
Amsterdam Double Tempest
Wellington Frost Quake Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine
Cameron’s Bourbon Barrel Deviator Doppelbock
Barrel Aged – Wine
Amsterdam Rye Peppercorn Saison
Sawdust City ODB
Great Lakes Gary
Imperial Stout/Baltic Porter
Muskoka Brewery Winter Beard
Big Rig Imperial Stout
Wellington Russian Imperial Stout
Newcomer Of The Year
Publican House Brewery
Beer Of The Year
Muskoka Cream Ale
Jason Narducy formed and fronted Verbow in the mid-'90s, but he's since become better known as a sideman through playing bass and providing backing vocals for Liz Phair, Bob Mould, Robert Pollard, Superchunk and Telekinesis. He's back in the centre stage spotlight again now, however, with Split Single.
A guy who has a resume as impressive as Narducy's has probably met a lot of talented musicians over the years, and he invited two of them to join him in what started as a solo project. Narducy sings lead, plays guitar and keyboards, while Britt Daniel (Spoon, Divine Fits) plays bass and sings backing vocals and Jon Wurster (Superchunk, Mountain Goats, Mould, Pollard, Ben Gibbard) sits behind the drum kit.
They recorded Fragmented World's 10 songs in four days at Los Angeles' renowned Sound Factory with producer Ken Sluiter (Jerry Lee Lewis, Kelly Hogan, OK Go, The Mekons).
The album title is fitting since the music is somewhat fragmented in its diversity. The propulsive "Monolith," a short and to the point rocker, reflects Narducy's punk roots and comes closest to what I envisioned Split Single sounding like before I played the album. "Made For Breaking" is also short and punchy, while opener "Waiting for the Sun" and "Last Goodbye" are slower and more melancholy.
"Searches" features more prominent keyboards along with some '80s indie rock jangly guitar, while the sub-two-minute title track reaches back farther and is reminiscent of Big Star. "Never Look Back" and closing number "My Heart Is Your Shadow" update those power pop influences and round out an album that's not going to set the world on fire as the next big thing, but which illustrates the trio's terrific talents.
Split Single will perform at the record release party for Fragmented World on April 5 at Schubas in Chicago.
If you've ever seen Toronto trio Brews Willis perform, the term "Great Energy" would likely be among the first to come to mind.
Well, that's about to become more ingrained in your mind, as the lo-fi, garage-rocking punk outfit has just issued an entertaining new video for the title track of its five-song Great Energy EP. It's the first clip that drummer/vocalist Pare Bruce has directed on his own and follows the equally entertaining "Ride the Island Baby" and "Where the Sharks Swim" videos from the group's raucously fun Nerped By A Zircon debut album.
If those samples are enough to make you a fan, new Brews Willis T-shirts are on the way.
If that's not enough, Bruce, singer/guitarist Ross Carvelli and singer/bassist Sam Vipond will travel to Los Angeles this month to record a new LP. Party's Over will move the group toward "a bit more alternative/'90s grunge-inspired sound," according to Bruce.
Perhaps the boys can visit the Beverly Hills home that their namesake actor listed on the market last year for $22 million dollars while taking a break from recording. And fingers are crossed that the album turns out better than The Return of Bruno.
I usually try to do my part to honour Earth Hour, where people are asked to turn off non-essential lights and electronics for 60 minutes from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., and did so again on Saturday night.
Instead of sitting at home in the dark, I decided to take advantage of Mill Street Brewery's "Lights Out" promotion. At 60 bars across Toronto, the brewery was donating 50 cents for each pint of its beer sold to Earth Day Canada. And each of these bars was supposed to feature a candle-lit, acoustic music set. Using a formula based on proximity and artist recognition/enjoyment, I decided to see By Divine Right at the Drake Underground.
I did my part by ordering a pint of Tankhouse upon arrival right around 8:30, and then proceeded to wait. I walked to the stage and saw a lot of plugged-in instruments, including two keyboards, which I've never seen at a By Divine Right show before. I also saw Kevin Drew, Charles Spearin, Andy Kim, Kevin Hearn and a few media folks and other social scenesters I might not have expected to see at this show.
Time went on and no-one took the stage until just before 9 p.m., when Drew came on with his new band that's supporting his newly released Darlings solo debut album. I guess the By Divine Right acoustic set got blown out, but a lot of people who care and must have been in the know more than me turned out for Drew's warm-up show before his first tour, where he'll be opening in support of Feist.
Drew and his bandmates, which included Spearin on bass and sometime Broken Social Scene member Ohad Benchetrit on guitar, played their first gig in front of an audience and played songs from Darlings. Drew brought lyric sheets with him and didn't seem totally at ease, but he was good-natured and the crowd was appreciative.
The songs weren't doing a lot for me and Earth Hour had finished, so I left before Drew and company finished and went home to watch an NCAA basketball "Elite Eight" game between Arizona and Wisconsin and crack open large bottles of Bellwoods Lambda and Beau's Tom Green Beer. The game was good, but I found the the two beers -- like Drew's music -- to be no more than average.
So, while my house went dark, I really didn't get much of an Earth Hour experience this year. Can someone tell me what happened to By Divine Right?
I'm not sure how Random Order has flown under my radar for so long.
It's a local Toronto band that's been around for almost 25 years and has drawn previous comparisons to The Au Pairs, The Slits and The Clash -- and I like all of them. So my interest was piqued when I read about the release of the group's third album, Black Lipstick Kiss, a little earlier this year.
The 11-song, 39-minute LP opens with a bang and a sextet of strong songs before (to my taste at least) tapering off a bit until a big finish.
You can tango to the percussive "The Morning After Kill," provided your footwork is nimble enough when the song speeds up as it goes along. The title track has a video but, if you just listen to it, you can envision Amy Winehouse interpreting it. That's not to say that Random Order singer/guitarist Lynn Phillips doesn't have a good voice. She definitely does, and its blend of sultriness, soul and power fits her repertoire well.
Phillips' main musical foil is John Jowett, whose trombone (and occasional trumpet) are key to the success of "Black Lipstick Kiss," surf rock instrumental "Do It In Quattro" and the ska/pop "Living On A Deadline."
Veteran singer, songwriter, musician, producer and jack of all trades Bob Wiseman arranged "10 Things," which effectively mixes reggae and rock. But it's on "Spoiled" where his arranging expertise is perhaps most appreciated. It begins as a relatively low-key, ska-based song that significantly picks up in intensity near the end and features nice female harmonies in the chorus.
"Excess Or Rise" is more of a rocker, but adds a Latin twist. The ska/reggae mix pops up again, and succeeds, on "Subway Girl." The album ends on a high note with "Pink Cloud," which was originally released as a single in 2007. The track's combination of ska and spy movie theme music may not rival The Selecter's "James Bond" or The Specials' "Sock It to 'Em JB," but it's definitely worth hearing.
Black Lipstick Kiss is available through Random Order's website.
Just say the name Nudie and you think country music -- or perhaps grainy porn flicks from the '50s and '60s.
But this Nudie -- who adopted his name from cowboy couturier Nudie Cohn, who outfitted the likes of Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Elvis Presley and Gram Parsons -- is all about the former. And the former frontman of Nudie and the Turks, which released two albums and toured extensively before dissolving two years ago, has released his first solo album.
The 12-song, 36-minute effort often harkens back to the earlier days of country, when western was often appended to it, even though Nudie was born in Ontario and now resides in Prince Edward Island. The west meets east model shines through on opener "If A Heart Could Tell," which features guest vocals from Molly Rankin -- the youngest member of the prolifically talented and Maritime-proud Rankin Family.
I'm listening to songs from 1960's Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams as I type this and, while I can't put Nudie in the class of those two gentlemen, his music fits in that niche.
The title song, a mid-tempo ballad given added depth via organ, is being highlighted as the focus track. It's nice, as is the entire independently released album, but there are other songs I'd personally push.
The roots-rocking "Sex Kisses," the Bakersfield country-influenced "You Try To Be Right," the vintage-sounding "Walking The Streets" and the gently chugging "Why Do We Keep Hanging On?" all get the thumbs up.
Maybe it's just me, but I hear bits of Van Morrison and Them's "Gloria" at points throughout "My Sweet Ache." That's a good thing.
Want to hear a hurtin' country ballad? Try "Fiona."
Like a range of tempos? "The Pain In You" features some impressive picking and is the fastest song on album. Right up next is "I'm Tired of Living With No Fun," an old-time country tune that plods along at just the right pace.
"I Miss The Love (But I Never Miss You)" closes the album on a high note and leaves you with a smile on your face.
Nudie isn't doing anything new, but he knows what he's doing and does it well.
You can purchase Remember This from Nudie's website.
I recently saw the film I Love You, Man for the first time and it reminded me of an interview I did with Rush a few years back. Since MSN.ca has removed all of the blogs I wrote for it three times a week from August 2009 to August 2011, I've decided to repost the article here.
Here we go:
From Nov. 28, 2009
Rush members are now movie stars as well as music stars
Rush has sold more than 40 million albums in its 35-year recording career, and that total continues to grow with the Nov. 17 release of the live best-of Working Men CD and DVD collection and a new studio record expected next year.
"I'm sure that over the next couple of months we'll get right into the meat of songwriting," singer, bassist and keyboardist Geddy Lee told me backstage at a recent awards show in Toronto presented by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).
Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson were on hand to receive SOCAN's International Achievement Award, while drummer/lyricist Neil Peart remained at his Los Angeles home with his wife Carrie and baby daughter Olivia, who was born in August. The two musicians kept their acceptance speech mercifully short, but were still appreciative of the honour.
"It's nice to be recognized as a songwriter," said Lee. "It's not something that happens very often when you're in a rock band that plays really fast. That's what you usually get recognized for. But it all begins with the song."
Rush has won seven Juno Awards, been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, and all three members are Officers of the Order of Canada. They also have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame, which is located right outside Roy Thomson Hall, where the SOCAN Awards were held.
I asked the pair if they'd checked their star, which is located between hockey legend Gordie Howe and comedy troupe The Royal Canadian Air Farce ("That kind of says it all, doesn't it?" quipped Lee.), before the ceremony.
"I didn't notice if anyone was sleeping on it," Lee replied with a chuckle. "My mother comes down and cleans it once a week."
Having a place on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is also appropriate, since the members of Rush have also become minor movie stars of late.
Rush had a cameo role earlier this year in the bromance flick I Love You, Man, which starred Paul Rudd and Jason Segel.
"The two key characters go on a man date and one of the common things they share is a love for Rush," explained Lifeson, since I haven't yet seen the comedy. "Our role was playing a gig at a club they attend.
"It was so much fun to do that. We basically played 'Limelight' for about 11 hours. We must have played it 2,000 times while they did their scenes. We watched from the stage and it was absolutely hilarious seeing Jason Segel and Paul Rudd go through their scenes and do different takes. They were all very, very sweet and very charming."
"It was a really great experience for us," added Lee. "The director (John Hamburg), who also wrote the film, is a huge Rush fan.
"He just wouldn't settle for doing that film with any other band. He was very considerate of our time and the way he presented us in the film was kind of an homage. We really appreciated the way it all turned out. It was really a lot of fun."
Peart played a role in the recently released Adventures Of Power, which won awards on the film festival circuit and is described as "an epic rock'n'roll comedy about the American dream, love, and air-drumming." It was written and directed by Ari Gold (Groove), who also stars in the film along with Michael McKean (This Is Spinal Tap), Jane Lynch (Glee), Chiu Chi Ling (Kung Fu Hustle), Shoshannah Stern (Jericho) and Adrian Grenier (Entourage). Peart describes the film on Rush's web site as "the best rock movie in many a year."
Some might argue that Suck could also be in the running for that title, though I wasn't that knocked out by the black comedy that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The movie focuses on a band called The Winners who are anything but until they become bloodthirsty vampires.
Alice Cooper appears as a vampire bartender, while Moby plays Secretaries Of Steak frontman Beef, Henry Rollins is a radio DJ, Iggy Pop portrays a rifle-toting record producer, Rough Trade's Carole Pope appears as a nightclub ticket-taker, Burning Brides' Dimitri Coats plays vampire leader Queeny and Lifeson cameos as a border guard.
Lifeson has also appeared in the hilarious Canadian television series Trailer Park Boys, and he'll also have a part in an off-the-wall-sounding new series starring that show's Robb Wells (Ricky), John Paul Tremblay (Julian) and Mike Smith (Bubbles) that's slated to start shooting in May.
"It's very, very bizarre, but it should be a lot of fun," explained Lifeson. "I think we're doing six episodes.
"I play one of the secondary characters in the story. It's about them as the actors from Trailer Park Boys who are putting together this kids show. I think the working title is Drunk And On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour, or something like that.
"The premise is that I'm a German scientist who develops this potion and everybody in the town gets high on this hallucinogenic berry. The three actors from Trailer Park Boys become all these other characters in the town. That's about all I know about it so far."
Jim Fidler's latest album, RPM, is a definite departure from his work with Pressure Drop, his collaborative efforts with other musicians and his solo catalogue.
It took the St. John's, Nfld. artist exactly eight months to make the 11-song, 54-minute album at his Roots Cellar studio. As in the past, he wrote, played and sang almost everything, while also producing the record. What's different, though, is the sound.
Fidler first became known as a reggae artist through Pressure Drop, embraced Celtic music in his early solo work, added sounds from other cultures to make what can loosely be described as world music, and has also mixed in pop, blues and folk to those elements to create a unique niche for himself. But RPM adds a new wrinkle, with distinct 1970s pop and rock influences.
Some of opener "Mister Man" sounds like it could have been included on Pink Floyd's The Wall, the piano introduction to "What I'm Going to Do" is reminiscent of Supertramp's "Bloody Well Right" and "Not the Thing at the End of the Line" also elicits vague memories of the decade of Watergate, oil crises and Archie Bunker.
"Mama's Little Boy" and "Dancing at the Rubber Ball" are more rhythmic, the fairly mellow "The Weed" sings the praises of marijuana and "We Need A Revolution" cites the importance of open communication. The album ends relatively quietly with the trio of "The Final Curtain Call," "Sleep" and "Dream (The Awakening)."
The other thing that sets RPM apart from Fidler's earlier work is that the lyrics came to him in a stream of consciousness after he laid down the bed for each track. There was no sitting down and jotting notes to guide him along. The result is what can be described as a concept album, as it traces the life and career of a fictitious musician named Mickey Finn.
Fidler may call for a revolution, but RPM also illustrates his continuing musical evolution.
