R.I.P. GERRY RAFFERTY

Posted on January 9th, 2011 by ekko

I wanted to post this last week, but I was having problems with my site.  I wanted to make sure to recognize the passing of the highly underrated rock-and-roll songwriter and performer Gerry Rafferty.  His biggest hit was “Baker Street,” in which he wrote:

He’s got this dream about buyin’ some land
He’s gonna give up the booze and the one night stands
And then he’ll settle down, in some quiet little town
And forget about everything.

Some folks “get” alcoholism completely.  Unfortunately, they are also often the ones who succumb to it.

Baker Street . . . Covers by:

The Foo Fighters

The Galactic Symposium

State Radio

Tags: Covers

DOCTOR OCTOPUS: YEAR ONE

Posted on January 8th, 2011 by ekko

With so many years of back comics to deal with, it’s important for this site to go back to reaching back.  I used to recommend an old book to my readers at least twice a month, but I’ve fallen out of the habit.  Shame on me.  Here’s where I start to come correct.

Today, I’m recommending Doctor Octopus: Year One.  Never heard of it?  I’m not surprised.  People love it when our heros’ origins are retold and retconned, but our villains?  That’s unusual, to say the least.  And throw on top the creative team behind this gem of a book and you’ve got something very, very unusual indeed.  Zeb Wells, the writer of some of the greatest Spider-Man stories of the past decade (the “Sometimes it Snows in April” and “Shed” story arcs in Amazing Spider-Man, and several stories in the vastly underrated “Tangled Web” series) brings us Otto Octavius’ early childhood and teen years and draws clear parallels to the experiences of another nerdy lad.  In fact, we see Peter Parker and Otto meet for the first time, neither knowing the other, in a laboratory, and even then Octavius’ contempt is obvious.  You may be thinking that it’s kind of obvious to connect the childhood experiences of hero and villain, and you’re right, but Wells’ writing is constantly surprising.  At the same time that he engenders sympathy for Doc Ock by showing him suffer at the hands of abusive and neglectful parents, he never lets us forget how purely evil, and sadistic, the man can be.  All the while, we see the development of nuclear power in the Marvel Universe.  Wells is complex, challenging, and mature without being profane.

But you only know the half of it.  The art is from Kaare Andrew, the Eisner-winning Canadian non-literal artist who won a Schuster award for his work on Doctor Octopus: Year One. You might recognize his dark, noir-y style from his work on the afore-mentioned Spider-Man’s Tangled Web series, the alternate-future Spider-Man: Reign miniseries (another recommended book, by the way), or his work on Astonishing X-Men with Warren Ellis.  

Best of all, you can get this terrific comic cheap.  It’s available used on Amazon for a buck.  That’s right, a buck.

And if anyone is interested in all four of the wonderful Spider-Man: Tangled Web anthology books, I got extras.  It’s got some great creators telling short tales of Spidey and/or his villains, like Garth Ennis, John McCrea, Greg Rucka, Darwyn Cook, Lee Weeks, Daniel Way, Sean Phillips, and many more.  I’ll sell and ship the set–all four–for $20.  E-mail me if you’re interested.

Tags: Comics review, Spider-Man

CHAD KICHULA-Killer

Posted on January 7th, 2011 by ekko

Tell me that isn’t the coolest album cover you’ve seen in a long, long time!  Chad Kichula‘s self-released debut “The Killer” owes much to Johnny Cash lyrically, even if the music is more for saloon brawls than moping broken hearts clubbers.  I’ve listened to this album straight through twice already, and I liked it even better the second time.  The man’s been making music since at least 2005, and his craft feels road-tested.  Whether it’s fast-moving cuts like “Over Me” and the title song, or slower, gentler acoustic songs like “Old Miner Road,” Kichula creates atmosphere and mood immediately, immersing the listener–he’s not just singing a song.  He’s painting a picture.

Great stuff. Check it out.

For fans of: Born in the USA era Springsteen; Steve Earle; Drive-By Truckers.

Killer

Old Miner Road

Tags: Americana, Indie rock

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Posted on January 5th, 2011 by ekko

Tags: Picture of the day, Wu Clanner

ZAK SMITH-Zak Smith EP

Posted on January 5th, 2011 by ekko

It’s hard to find out much about newcoming Zak Smith.  He introduced himself to me with a two line EP and a link to his music, which is available free on his website.  The bio on the site is a bunch of quotes from other people about things other than Zak.  I guess he doesn’t offer up much info about himself because he’s content to have his music speak for him.

Good choice.

He’s got a voice that’s rough and deep, belying his boyish appearance.  It’s DYI haunting indie rock with Americana accents.  It’s got great lyrics and great music, the supporting band is tight . . . Songs like “The ones that got away will bury me” and “The house that you haunt” speak of love and loss, and how broken hearts hang on.  If you don’t relate to this music, you’ve either never lost a lover or you’re twelve.

Very, very good stuff.

Suffer like a Ghost

The House You Used to Haunt

Get the whole EP free here.

Tags: Indie rock

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Posted on January 4th, 2011 by ekko

Tags: Picture of the day

TWILIGHT HOTEL-When The Wolves Go Blind

Posted on January 3rd, 2011 by ekko

It’s not cabaret and it’s not torch songs. And yet it is. The artists know as Twilight Hotel have once again produced a dark, moody, percussive masterpiece. An album with cynical, creepy lyrics (“Love doesn’t hold your hand/You can’t get nothin’ accomplished/When you got love makin’ all your plans”), expressive vocals, terrific music, and flawless production, “When the Wolves Go Blind” is the perfect follow up to the band’s Juno-winning sophomore album, “Highway Prayer.”  In fact, it’s an early candidate–a very early candidate–for album of the year. . .

For fans of: Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and dark, moody, wonderful songwriting.

Mahogany Veneer

Tour Dates
Canadian Tour Dates
Jan 20 – Oakville, ON @ The Moonshine
Jan 21/22/23 – Toronto, ON @ Hugh’s Room (Gordon Lightfoot Tribute)
Jan 27 – Windsor, ON @ The Phog Lounge
Jan 28 – London, ON @ London Music Club
Jan 29 – Toronto, ON @ The Dakota Tavern
Jan 31 – Sudbury, ON @ The Townhouse
Feb 02 – Thunder Bay, ON @ Gargoyles
Feb 03 – Kenora, ON @ The Cornerstone
Feb 04 – Winnipeg, MB @ The West End Cultural Center
Feb 06 – Edmonton, AB @ The Haven Social Club
Feb 10 – Lethbridge, AB @ The Slice
Feb 11 – Swift Current, SK @ Blenders Concert Series
Feb 12 – Turner Valley, AB @ Beneath The Arch Concert Series Flare & Derrick Community Hall Main Street,
Feb 13 – Calgary, AB @ The Ironwood

International Tour Dates
Feb 26, Mulheim, DE House Concert
Feb 27, Ottersum, NL Roepaen
Feb 28, Eindhoven, NL MC Frits Phillips
Mar 01, Heerlen, NL Cultuurhuis Patronaat
Mar 02, Deventer, NL Burgerweehuis
Mar 03, Nw-en Sint Joosland, NL Theater de Wegwijzer
Mar 04, Hoorn, NL Het Huis Veloren
Mar 05, Spijkerboor, NL ‘T Keerpunt
Mar 07, Wesel, DE Jugendzentrum KARO Wesel
Mar 08, Karlsruhe, DE Scruffy’s Irish Pub
Mar 11, Unna, DE Spatz und Wal
Mar 12, Castrop-Rauxel, DE Bahia de Cochinos
Mar 13, Alfeld, DE Cafe Live
Mar 17, Brighton, UK The Prince Albert
Mar 22, Inverness, Scotland Eden Court Theatre
Mar 24, Oswestry, UK The Iron Works Church St,
Mar 25, Cornwall, UK No 8 Cafe
Mar 26, Cornwall, UK Miss Peapods
Mar 27, London, UK The Half Moon

Tags: Indie

SASO-Exitudes

Posted on January 3rd, 2011 by ekko

Mellow, moody Irish indie.  The band got a little hype years ago with a song called “Type a Jittters.”

I’m diggin’ it.

Stream the whole thing here.

Check out a video for the song “Facts.”

Saso – Facts from NiallC on Vimeo.

Tags: Indie