September 30, 2015

Fiona Apple Extraordinary Machine is 10

Fiona Apple's third album, Extraordinary Machine, came out on this day 10 years ago. You can read all about the controversy and re-recording of the album over at its wikipedia page. For me, it's a special album with, forgive me, extraordinary songs.

Listening to this album, you'll find elements of jazz along with pop on these ambitious songs. The remarkable part is how easy to listen to these songs are, given their impressive nature. The melodies and lyrics flow from your speakers creating pleasure while you are acutely aware of how unique and accomplished they are.

Give some tunes a listen.

"Extraordinary Machine"

"Get Him Back"

"O' Sailor"

"Parting Gift"


"Window"

"Not About Love"

Pic from Rolling Stone.

September 29, 2015

TURF 2015 Club Bonus Series: Fishbone at The Horseshoe Tavern - Concert Pictures

Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesFishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesFishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
I got to see Fishbone at The Horseshoe Tavern. I mean, I got to see Fishbone at the Horseshoe Tavern! In the days leading up to the show, and as I waited for Fishbone to hit the stage, I found it hard to believe that I was getting the chance to see this band that I saw at Lollapalooza 1993 perform at intimate confines of The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern.

Fishbone was in Toronto as part of the line-up for the 2015 edition of The Toronto Urban Roots Festival. They got this particular gig as part of the Club Bonus Series. It provides an opportunity for festival-goers and others to see some fantastic festival acts on our local club stages. It's a very cool part of a very cool festival.

On this particular Thursday night, the crowd was warmed up by Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire and my new favourite band, Sate. Check out those pics, if you will. Fishbone hit the stage to a very enthusiastic crowd who were definitely amped to see this legendary band. And Fishbone delivered. Their huge setlist (picture below) spanned over two dozen tunes and about two hours of performance. They delivered heaps of groove, tight horn hooks, hard rocking tunes and even unique instrumental nuances like the appearance of the Theremin. They kept the energy level high, demonstrating the talent, musicianship and showmanship that we all knew we'd experience.

Much like my post on Sate, this post is on Fishbone's Horseshoe show only. I also shot them at the TURF outdoor festival at Fort York. Those pics will follow in a bit...
Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesFishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Here are some tunes that were highlights from their massive setlist. I chose a bunch of live versions for that live concert vibe.

"Question of Life"

"I Wish I Had A Date"

"Everyday Sunshine"

"Ma and Pa"

Main set closer "Sunless Saturday"

"Party at Ground Zero"
Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Fishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesFishbone at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures

September 28, 2015

TURF 2015 Club Bonus Series: Sate at The Horseshoe Tavern - Concert Pictures

Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesSate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Toronto's Sate comes from a strong musical lineage. She's the daughter of Tony and Grammy Award-nominated icon Salome Bey, Canada’s First Lady of Blues. Having said that, her talent is all her own. It's presented forcefully, front and centre of the stage, with a band that grooves and rocks in equal measures, and songs that are empowering and powerful.

I was lucky enough to catch Sate twice during TURF, the Toronto Urban Roots Festival. The first show is featured here, and took place at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern on September 17. Sate was sandwiched between New Brunswick's  Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire and headliners Fishbone.
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesSate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
As I stood stagefront, soaking up the incredible tunes and tangible energy flowing from the stage, I was feeling like Sate was my new favourite band. A feeling that would solidify itself by their performance on Sunday on the South Stage of the outdoor portion of TURF at Fort York, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Sate leads the band with her amazing voice and captivating presence. The band backs her up and takes the spotlight as needed with the heavy riffs, shredding and wailing guitar leads, super-solid and tight rhythm section (so enthusiastic that the bass player broke his strap pin right off his bass) and classic keyboard sounds. This is a full powerhouse musical package. And yes, we all left thoroughly sated.

Angelo from Fishbone even came out to enjoy some tunes, sitting on the edge of the stage, as enraptured by Sate as the rest of us. To return the favour, Sate came out to rock with Fishbone during their set.
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesSate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesSate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesSate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Check out some tunes and make it a point to catch Sate and the band next time you have the chance. You won't regret it.

"Warrior"

"What Did I Do"
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Sate at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures

September 27, 2015

Metric - Live it Out is 10

I've often called out Metric's 2003 album Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? as my favourite Metric album because of amazing tunes like "Succexy", "Combat Baby" and "Dead Disco" but when I look at my iTunes library and the 5-star ratings that I've given to nine out of ten songs on Live It Out, I have to question myself. Obviously, I love Live It Out.

Live It Out was released on this day in 2005, making today the album's tenth birthday. To celebrate, let's listen to the amazing tunes featured on this record. As I listen to these songs, I'm struck by the highly varied yet consistently excellent nature of the sounds and songs on this album. The sounds veer from hard rockers with discordant solos to smooth melodies and synth lines. The song writing is about as creative and emotive as you can get within the pop/rock song structure. It really highlights the talent of this great Canadian band.

"Empty"

"Glass Ceiling"

"Handshakes"

"Too Little Too Late"

"Poster of a Girl"

"Monster Hospital"

"Patriarch on a Vespa"

"The Police and the Private"

"Ending Start"

"Live it Out"

Pic from Last Gang Records.

September 26, 2015

New music from The Duke Spirit

I thoroughly enjoy alternative/indie rock band The Duke Spirit's 2008 album Neptune. Their newest album is called KIN and it's coming out in early 2016. We get to hear the slow intensity of "Blue and Yellow Light" and "Here Comes the Vapour".





And if you're not familiar with this great band, check out a couple of my favourite tracks, "Lassoo" and "The Step and The Walk" from Neptune.



Pic from Facebook.

September 25, 2015

TURF 2015 Club Bonus Series: Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe Tavern - Concert Pictures

Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Acadian band Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire got things started in their own unique style at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern for night two of the Club Bonus Series of the Toronto Urban Roots Festival. The band put on a unique show that was high on groove and energy but those of us whose French is not up to scratch only got part of the message, I fear.
Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesLes Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesLes Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesLes Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
​The band's music is quite varied. It shows influences from bluesy good old rock and roll veering into psych territory at times with lots of 70s rock and classic organ sounds. We heard stories about life down east in small-town New Brunswick and got a glimpse into the band's political leanings.

Check out some tunes:

"Boule Boule"


"Mentor"


"Eastbound and Down"
Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Les Hôtesses d'Hilaire at The Horseshoe September 17, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures

September 24, 2015

TURF 2015 Club Bonus Series: Royal Canoe at Lee's Palace - Concert Pictures

Royal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Royal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Royal Canoe were the headliners for the first TURF Club Bonus Series show at Lee's Palace on September 16. ​They're an indie pop band from Winnipeg and Steinbeck, Manitoba. Highs, the opening band, really built these guys up saying things like their new songs are the best songs ever.
Royal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesRoyal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesRoyal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Royal Canoe deliver cool dance beats, bass-heavy grooves. layers of instrumentation and elaborate use of effects. The band mentioned that they're mixing their new album remotely while they're on the road, so we can expect new music from them in the not-too-distant future.
Royal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Royal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Royal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
I know everyone wants a packed house; a sold out show. But selfishly, the crowd size at Lee's this night was the perfect size. The floor was full and bopping with good natured dancers. The second level was well populated but with enough space to allow me to move around the whole club and get a wide range of pics.

Check out some tunes:

"Bathtubs"

"Nightcrawlin'"

"Hold Onto the Metal"

"Birthday"

"Button Fumbla"
Royal Canoe at Lee's Palace September 16, 2015 TURF Toronto Urban Roots Festival Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures