12-January continues...

First of all, I just want to put it out there that I was personally offended when I heard those horrible ads for the that stupid award show last night that proclaimed "music's biggest night". You've got to be kidding me! That monstrosity has NOTHING to do with music. Why don't they just call it an idiot's guide to a popularity contest and be done with it. Why do they have to drag music into it? Clearly it has nothing to do with with actual music that is being put out around the world. UGH. It's just pathetic so I have to put my 2 cents in on the subject since it's so irritating... So onto the GOOD stuff.

I have another new release favourite this past week! It's the latest from Basia Bulat-"Heart of My Own" (2010). This album is just terrific from beginning to end. Really, it just feels like a logical continuation of what she did on her debut "Oh, My Darling" (2008), which I had to go back and listen to immediately after hearing the new one! I liked her debut when it came out and I think this one is stronger, as it should be, and I give this new album a strong 4 1/2 star rating for she really delivers!

The band Clipd Beaks have just put out their 2nd album "To Realize" (2010). I'd read about them before but hadn't tried anything from them until now. They have been compared to This Heat and The Homosexuals so I figured it had to be interesting. Well, it is. I've decided it will take some more listens before I can really decide if I like it a little or a lot. I just wasn't quite sure what I really thought once it was over, so jury out on this one...

As much as I gushed over Jon Dee Graham and Basia Bulat this past week, I must give my favourite album of week #4 to Citay-"Dream Get Together" (2010) is their new release and it's PERFECT!!!!! This is clearly a talented band that has gotten better with each album. Wow, I fell in love at the first song and it just kept getting better and better so I have to give it the 5 star rating it definitely deserves. Will be in my top 5 of January for sure.

Deas Vail-"Birds & Cages" (2010). This is another band I've read about before but hadn't tried until now. Apparently they've been (plagued?) by the "Christian band" tag. However, I couldn't really find any evidence of that on this record. The songs are good and once I decided that I did like the singer, all was well. !!! I have a feeling though that this album falls into the "guilty pleasure" category making it the 2nd one for me this month. I'm CERTAIN that my friend James would really love this album for it's right up his alley musically. I like it and didn't find it insipid or "twee" and am curious about their earlier music now. I would give it at least a strong 3 1/2 star rating. As an aside, I notice my 2 guilty pleasures this month are records that I would definitely recommend to my friend James... There is a theme here I'm sure.

Franck Roger has been making a name for himself in the techno/dance world for at least the past 5 years. "Singles Collected" is 2-cd's worth of dance heaven. The sound is fantastic as it should be and of the 17 trax here most are worthy of repeat listens when one is in the mood for such things. I give it a strong 3 1/2 rating. Oh, and it's not bogged down with silly vocals!

Another Electronic Musician is a moniker I may not love, but this guy has been putting out music for the past 6 years. I've heard of him but haven't listened until now. The opening track "Late Monday" is a stunner! I was sucked in immediately. Beautiful. A perfect "single" for electronic music. Some of the trax were better than others, but I thought the album sounded spectacular and did flow very nicely. My other favourite on the album is "fnctnl". I give it a strong 3/12 rating and I'm going to have to go digging through his catalogue now!

First Aid Kit are a Swedish duo comprised of sisters who have just released their full length album "The Big Black And The Blue" (2010) and it is excellent!! I believe we would "classify" this if we must do such things, into the new folk movement. Their vocal harmonies are excellent and their songs as well as the arrangements are excellent as well. I really enjoyed this album and give it a strong 4 star rating! I have their first EP from last year titled "Drunken Trees", but alas it's in the many piles of not yet listened to music and I will be digging that out promptly!

I'm currently (trying) to groove to the new Four Tet release "There is Love In You" and I'm having a hard time. It FEELS like a lazy record. Not in the mood sense, but in the worse sense, meaning that Kieran Hebden possibly didn't put his all into this one. I'm only half way through so it may get better. I'll pick up here tomorrow when I give the new release listings for the first week of February and some more reviews from last week. How did it get to be February already????