If you have any doubts about my high recommendation of Kellylee Evans (past or present) then I suggest you watch the above video. I think that should really solve everything, but if it doesn’t, I’m all ears!

Sat. 10-04-08 THEATRE DU TOURNESOL COWANSVILLE, QC
Sat. 11-08-08 BLACK SHEEP INN WAKEFIELD, QC
Sun. 11-09-08 BRYAN JONES THEATRE LAKEFIELD, ON
Thu. 11-13-08 HUGH’S ROOM TORONTO, ON
Thu. 11-20-08 GREY CUP CELEBRATION MONTREAL, QC
Sat. 03-21-09 CAPITOL THEATRE MONCTON, NB

The group formed in 1995 by Remi Cormier and Stephane Doucet as a way to kill the boredom of university studies. Times passes before a solid line-up is found wild-haired Errol Girvan joined in 1997, Cam Murphy in 1999, and 2001 saw the addition of Chasity Alward.

They could most easily be described as a blend of psychedelia, avant-garde, minimalism and orchestrated chaos. The band adds,

Satan and the good Lord above want nothing to do with us, which leaves four poor lads unable to pick sides. Now, we ain’t saying we are partial to a particular religion, but it would help to have friends in either high or low places.

Meaghan Smith’s first official full-length album, Take Me Dancing, is on its way out the door and straight into your CD player. Complete with string quartets, mellotron samples, a full piece horn section, a guest appearance made by the fabulously musical DJ Kid Koala, and topped with Meaghan’s smooth, soaring vocals, this new album is sure to make you want to cut some serious rug or grab your sweet heart for a good old cheek to cheek.

To make this album, I had to let myself relax. After speaking to my friend Scott Trivers about this horrible writer’s block I had for about a year, he gave me the best advice I’ve received. He told me to go home and write the worst songs I possibly could. So I did! I got over my fears of writing bad songs and instantly the dam was broken so to speak. These new songs are what flowed out of me in the following weeks.

And what a flood it is! She has taken her folksy-pop sound that was prevalent on her previous EP, Lost With Directions, and warped it into something completely fresh and innovative. For those of you who were fans before, you’d better be prepared for her new sound that combines the instrumentation of old jazz (complete with horns, strings and a big-band-swing-groove) with a twist of modern pop sensibilities. Her new songs are chalk full of vocal stylings comparable to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Her smooth voice soars over a bed of lush instrumentation, beautifully crafted to support the storytelling style of her lyrics. The creator of that supporting music is Les Cooper, a new name to the world of production.

But there’s more to Meaghan Smith’s new songs than meets the ear. Upon closer inspection, the listener will hear some unexpected sonic treats, and they are nothing that would have been found int he nineteen-thirties jazz that her songs are so evocative of. Who would have thought that a world-renowned Canadian DJ named Kid Koala would have taken an interest in her songs, so much so that he agreed to add some dazzling turn table manipulations to two songs? Not even Meaghan herself, who admits that she has been a devoted fan of his for years. His willingness to participate in Smith’s songs results in a sound reminiscent of the good-old-time-jazz injected with a modern shot of turntable manipulation.

At one point Meaghan Smith may have been lost with directions. But if she continues down the road she’s currently on, she stands a good chance of knowing exactly where she’s going. Straight up.

24 Jul 2008 20:00 First Canadian Place Toronto, Ontario
25 Jul 2008 20:00 Hillside Music Festival Guelph, Ontario
26 Jul 2008 20:00 Hillside Festival Toronto, Ontario
24 Oct 2008 20:00 Sackville United Church Sackville, New Brunswick
22 Nov 2008 20:00 Capitol Theatre Moncton, New Brunswick

John Jerome and the Great 88, Moncton’s newest duet, are releasing their first EP. Never Put Out on the First Date is the result of collaboration between guitarist John Jerome, formerly of Heimlich, and pianist Julie Robichaud, formerly of Alaxy and the Galaxys. The CD features three original songs with the band’s musical influences ranging from blues to folk, indie rock and even classical.

The EP is put out by HandMade Music, a small Moncton-based independent label. Recorded by John and Matt Hogg, this EP is a simple example of the do-it-yourself way of music production. The band’s authenticity will also manifest itself in the live performances by the use of an acoustic piano on stage as opposed to an electronic keyboard.

Little Foot Long Foot, born out of necessity. This two member Toronto-based band was conceived from a tribute act. Isaac Klein (drums) bought his second tom to bash like Bonham, and Joan Smith (guitar and vocals) did her best to carry off Plant’s feminine machismo without stuffing her pants. After discovering that the smartest business decision for a tribute band is to add as many midgets as possible, Joan accepted her inability to shred wicked solos, strapped on a fat loud guitar and dug out her originals. Isaac put away the second tom so that Joan’s amp would fit in his car, and they journeyed towards a new horizon where White Stripes comparisons were lush and unavoidable.

Being a two piece band is all Little Foot Long Foot has in common with The White Stripes – musically they couldn’t be further apart. Joan’s voice is hard to put to words, there are moments when you can picture her chugging back JD straight from the bottle, channeling Joplin herself. From a light Billie Holiday to a Dylan feel. Be sure to check this Toronto Blues-Rockn’ duo with their injections of sarcastic prose at one of these great venues.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

June 17th 9pm Mercury Lounge, Ottawa with Bible All Stars
June 18th 9pm Brasserie Lafontaine, Riviere Du Loup
June 20th 9pm The Capital, Fredericton with Chris Colepaugh
June 21st 8pm Summer Solstice Festival, Saint John’s
June 25th 10pm Tribeca, Halifax
June 28th 9pm Brennans, Charlottetown
June 30th 8pm The Mersey House, Liverpool
July 4th 8pm Chuggles, Antigonish
July 5th 8pm Seahorse Tavern, Halifax
July 8th 10pm Gus’s Pub, Halifax
July 10th 9pm The Capital, Fredericton
July 11th 8pm Duncan’s Pub, Amherst with Jon McKeil
July 12th 8pm JB’s Pub, Springhill NS with Nicknameless
July 18th 8pm A Khord, St John’s
July 19th 8pm Doc Dylans, Moncton
July 23rd 9pm Divan Orange, Montreal
July 24th 9pm The Rainbow, Ottawa
Aug 14th 8pm The Supermarket, Toronto
Aug 15th 9pm PepperJacks’s, Hamilton

Julie Doiron has been one of my favourite Canadian musicians for at least 15 years now. “The Best Thing For Me” is still on every mp3 playlist I ever create. She’s got a very unique voice and I’m super excited to see her play at NXNE next week! This will be the first time I’ve ever seen her perform live – I’ll be sure to give a full report on my girlish-glee filled experience.

Julie Doiron began her career in music in 1990 at the age of 18 in Moncton, New Brunswick playing bass in Eric’s Trip, (name from a Sonic Youth song title) a folky yet psychedelic band that was to become the undisputed underground darling of Canadian Music. Eric’s trip were the first of many maritime Canadians signed to Sub Pop and found international recognition releasing several albums and touring widely. Following 1996’s Purple Blue, Eric’s Trip announced their break-up.

She began to write more of her own songs in 1993 which she released on 7″ and performed solo while still in Eric’s trip. In 1996 as Eric’s Trip found it’s end she released her first solo album titled Broken Girl a temporary moniker Julie adopted to express her feelings at the time. The record was released on her own label Sappy Records. Broken Girl is an intimate record that gave the listener a fuller sense of Julie’s personality and vocal style than Eric’s Trip did. Following Broken Girl, Julie toured on and off throughout Canada for the remainder of the year.

Back at home, she released records by Moonsocket, Orange Glass, Snailhouse, and Elevator to Hell on Sappy. For her second album, “Loneliest in the morning” Julie decided to drop the moniker Broken Girl, as she began a stronger solo career. She recorded “loneliest” in Memphis with Dave Shouse (Grifters), Howe Gelb (Giant Sand), Doug Easley, and Davis McCain. Julie used a variety of new instruments on the record, but maintained her earlier sparse arrangements. The record was released in 1997 on Sub Pop.

Today, Julie Doiron and her husband, artist and painter Jon Claytor moved with their two children from New Brunswick to Montreal Quebec and Julie signed to Tree records in the US. Back in Canada, she maintained her label Sappy and in 1999 she released her EP Will you Still Love Me? which gained much praise for a new maturity. The album featured contributions from her friends from Ottawa’s the Wooden Stars . In March and April of 1999 Julie recorded three vocal tracks for The Wooden Stars The Moon full-length on Matlock Records and photographed the cover artwork. Everything Julie Doiron has done in the past came together on her Fall of 1999 Sappy Records full-length Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars. It is the first album she has recorded with a band since her days with Eric’s Trip. The delicately powerful effect of the Wooden Stars has given Julie’s songs an intensity and vibrancy that was previously only hinted at. On March 12, 2000 Julie won a Juno for Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars and in January the album was released on Tree in the US and in Europe.

In late 1999 Julie published a book of her photographs with New Brunswick’s Broken Jaw Press entitled The Longest Winter with words by Ottawa writer Ian Roy. Julie has long been an avid photographer studying photography at Mount Allison University in Sackville NB, Julie often does and has done her own promotional photos and cover artwork along with her husband, painter Jon Claytor. Jon also wrote and directed Julie’s new video for “Dance Music”. In 2000 Julie has toured Europe, the US and Canada, and recorded three tracks on the latest Tragically Hip record Music@Work as well as working with Hip front man Gord Downie on his solo record Coke Machine Glow. Julie also has three songs on the Shanti projects collection 2 on Badman records.

Be sure to join TransCanadaRadio at the Julie Doiron show!

June 13th 11:00pm The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, ON

GMMF is a super funky live ensemble that busted out into the Toronto Nu-Funk scene in 1996 and are still going strong. Now the band does it bigger and better with the release of their latest albums We Can All Be Free and Enter The Beat. They’re comprised of a diverse array of musicians ranging from classically trained Jazz artists to street schooled Hip-Hop & R&B vocalists.

Now, check out their website. I really like their design! I love the cartoons (hey, anyone remember Prozzak?) There’s not a whole lot to dislike about the site… if you can figure out how to turn off the loop of ‘la la la’s’, you’re all set. Don’t get me wrong, I instantly loved the Enter The Beat’s first video on MuchMusic – Won More Time (feat. Thrust); it’s catchy, it’s got a great beat and some really rad visuals. And the first time through, the ‘la la la’s’ are pretty catchy too — but after I’d seen the video, all I wanted was for the song to continue! (If you’re still wondering what I’m talking about, check out the page yourself, why don’t you?… And if you really, really like the ‘la la la’s’, you might want this!)

God Made Me Funky’s Enter The Beat CD Release Tour:
29 Feb 2008 10pm le Petit Campus (MONTREAL, QC)
1 Mar 2008 10pm Jello Bar After Party (MONTREAL, QC)
3 Mar 2008 9:30pm The Anvil (WOLFVILLE, NS)
5 Mar 2008 10pm Pat’s Place (ANTIGONISH, NS)
6 Mar 2008 10pm The Paramount Lounge (MONCTON, NB)
8 Mar 2008 10pm The Marquee Club (HALIFAX, NS)
9 Mar 2008 10pm Nicky Zee’s (FREDERICTON, NB)
14 Mar 2008 10pm The Opera House (TORONTO, ON)
21 Mar 2008 10pm The Townhouse (SUDBURY, ON)
22 Mar 2008 10pm The Canadian Nightclub (SAULT Ste. MARIE, ON)
27 Mar 2008 8pm The Mercury Lounge (OTTAWA, ON)
1 Apr 2008 10pm Vinyl (GUELPH, ON)

Bambi Blue