Lifestyle and Leisure
4x4 Album Reviews March
Jo-ann Hodgson separates the sonic wheat from the chaff as she reviews three recent musical releases and trains the spotlight on one classic Kiwi album
Artist: Woodpigeon (Canada)
Release: Treasury Library Canada
Previous releases: Songbook, Houndstooth EP
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Genre: Indie folk
Check this out if: you're a fan of Belle and Sebastian and alternative folk collectives
Avoid this if: you're into heavy rock
Burn this: Knock Knock, Piano Pieces for Adult Beginners, Now You Like Me How?
Rating: 4/5
All eight members of Woodpigeon grew up in and around Calgary and have taken great inspiration from fellow Canadian musicians Leonard Cohen, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. "I'm still completely fascinated and amazed by them all," says frontman Mark Hamilton. "I'm continually discovering new facets to their work, all of which also seem somehow unmistakably Canadian."
Mark says that the band are proud Canadians. "I think as a country we're often looking outwards, and full of exploratory initiative - but there's something about wanting to come back to quiet, warm, and loving Canada that insures the country always stays in my mind during the writing process. And in terms of worldly experiences, I'd rather have a week in Montreal than a week in London any time."
The band recorded both their albums in Cantos keyboard museum in Calgary and say that the Canadian winter helped them stay inside and focused on the music. But it's the things outside that Mark misses when on tour. Having grown up by the Rocky Mountains, Mark is always glad to get back to the mountains, wild animals and the pace of life in Canada. As well as the food.
Finishing the conversation, Mark gives us an account of what he had for dinner:"This evening I had some Oka cheese, a Quebecois traditional cheese that's one of my favourites, with British Columbian smoked salmon."
Artist: Tom Ugly (Australia)
Releases: Cult Romance, Roll Again
Previous releases: N/A
Location: Sydney
Genre: Electro-pop
Check this out if: You like Skins.
Avoid this if: You don't like Skins.
Burn this: Cult Romance, Roll Again
Rating: 2/5
Artist: Amy Speace (America)
Release: The Killer in Me
Previous releases: Edith O, Fable, Songs for Bright Street
Location: New York
Genre: New-country
Check this out if: You like Lucinda Williams and Roseanne Cash or you've ever wondered what Dido would sound like if she went 'country'
Avoid this if: Female light-country singers really get on your nerves
Burn this: Blue Horizon, Haven't Learned a Thing, Storm Warning
Rating: 2/5
Classic Album
Artist: Flight of the Conchords (New Zealand)
Release: Flight of the Conchords
Previous releases: N/A
Location: Sydney
Genre: Satirical
Check this out if: You're into BBC alternative comedy or you'd like to see a cleaner Tenacious D.
Avoid this if: You wish that comedians would stick to comedy and musicians to music.
Burn this: Business Time, Leggy Blonde, Robots
Rating: 4/5
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