tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21074723980635882532024-03-18T23:19:06.563-04:00Wicked Guilty PleasuresWe know this music is bad for us. We still don't care.redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.comBlogger1603125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-29116396733168629082024-03-18T09:16:00.062-04:002024-03-18T09:16:00.130-04:0018 March 2024 - Sarah McLachlan - Building A Mystery<div>We've mostly avoided really big international artists during the last few Marches. This week, we're not doing that. </div><div><br /></div><div>We start with Nova Scotia's Sarah McLachlan - who we did feature in <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2021/03/5-march-2021-sarah-mclachlan-into-fire.html">our first Maple Leaf March</a>, but not since. And what a lot of people don't really realize when thinking about McLachlan, 1) she's Canadian and 2) this was her first really big hit - her first top 20 hit in the States (peaking at #13), and her biggest hit on the Canadian pop charts - her only #1 (for eight weeks!) in her home country, but also, the biggest hit of ANY song in Canada in 1997. </div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to winning Sarah a Juno Award for Song of the Year - one of four she won in 1998 (Album of the Year for <i>Surfacing</i>, Songwriter of the Year (partly for this song), Female Vocalist of the Year) (she had previously won a Juno in 1992 for "<a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2021/03/5-march-2021-sarah-mclachlan-into-fire.html">Into The Fire</a>") - this song won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance the same year (she also won for Best Pop Instrumental Performance the same year).</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's remember that this 2017 Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee also brought us Lilith Fair. She brought us a real life <a href="https://www.sarahschoolofmusic.com/">Sarah McLachlan School of Music</a> - with three locations (Vancouver, Edmonton, Surrey BC). She's truly amazing, and she shares her gifts with others so generously.</div><div><br /></div><div>The song, written by McLachlan and Pierre Marchand, is about insecurities and building a facade.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/_QUq72fla3o?si=qG_qWGakY9AHqZoS" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>The song holds another distinction.</div><div><br /></div><div>When Steve Jobs intrioduced the very first iPod in 2001, what was the first song he played?</div><div><br /></div><div>"Building A Mystery".</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mc_FiHTITHE?si=imsCXp31IavgXpyo&start=1458" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>The song is at its most beautiful when performed just by Sarah on an acoustic guitar, as she did a few years after the song's release.....</div><div><div><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RaGzGv6Pt4M?si=iFq4kja9qtwbv8Gr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<div><br /></div><div>.....and she did again in this 2019 performance (because she still performs, people).</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZCy4XPx9wI8?si=iaWu1uXvv7-OjBFU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>She doesn't just perform the song acoustic, but also with a full band, like this performance from 2022.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r3C9WJK9_c8?si=-1_DGWWb6K846m6Z" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>She's even been known to perform the song with a full symphony orchestra, like this performance from 2011.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/11UJLrTZl1Q?si=ESbwcVP-crK2cgj4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>She's even been known to perform it with Shawn Colvin and Paula Cole at the 1998 Grammys.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I4Oyc4GuLm0?si=gYfpnXAcs0EJc-UH" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-10504589651067003612024-03-17T09:31:00.000-04:002024-03-17T09:31:00.128-04:0017 March 2024 - Lu Kala - Hotter Now<div>A 2023 Juno Award nominee for Breakthrough Artist, Lu Kala is one of the more successful Canadian aritsts in that category - even appearing on the US Billboard Hot 100 in a collaboration with Latto.</div><div><br /></div><div>This song was a top 30 hit in Canada in 2023 - her biggest hit to date. The Congolese-Canadian singer (born in Congo, but raised in Toronto) has a bright sound and a bright future. Her sound is happy, a throwback to an earlier era - with a pop/R&B confidence without disrespect. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's only a matter of time for her.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/NN3WVCz-5Bc?si=FkalOLijk7JNr3nE" width="480"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-68354437724172674582024-03-16T09:58:00.026-04:002024-03-16T09:58:00.225-04:0016 March 2024 - Men I Trust - Organon<div>Not gonna lie, but when I saw the title of this song, I thought it was a weird Kate Bush cover and was destined for <a href="https://www.totally-covered.com">the other blog</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's not. Men I Trust, from Montreal, are nominated for Breakthrough Group of the Year at this year's Juno's, and their music is truly original, reminding me of the Cocteau Twins a bit. The trio are definitely in the dream pop sphere, bringing a truly great ambient feel. </div><div><br /></div><div>This song opens their 2021 album, <i>Untourable Album</i>, and is truly punctuated by Emmanuelle Proulx's haunting vocals. The song was written by the band. It is Emma levitating.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/RItrzOEkGbc?si=EeMe1i4BKz6x9xBf" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Clearly the title of their album is ironic, because they're touring. And performing these songs live. Beautifully. Without levitation. Here they are opening their set with it and going right into "Serenade of Water" in Barcelona. </div><div><div><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gXpMvfHzGlE?si=FyhJMLJmwikZu3tg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-38916132979753236882024-03-15T09:22:00.040-04:002024-03-15T11:25:53.653-04:0015 March 2024 - Jayli Wolf - Blood Orange<div>Honestly, I've been sitting on this song since last summer, when it was released. It's amazing and it was really tempting to post it right away. I held back. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm glad I did. Because today is the 1600th post on Wicked Guilty Pleasures, and there are few songs I'd rather such an odometer flip of a post would be about than this song.</div><div><br /></div><div>The last few times I've posted about Jayli Wolf, I've very much leaned on her reliance on <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2023/03/20-march-2023-jayli-wolf-lead-me.html">indigenous themes</a> and how <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2022/03/18-march-2022-jayli-wolf-child-of.html">she's writing important music</a>. And, let's be clear - she does - she has arguably done more for her Anishinaabe/Cree culture than anyone else in modern times - and she is making important, thought-provoking music. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not every great song needs to be deep and important. "Blood Orange" is a great song that is just a great song. It's not at all deep and important. It's just about fruit.</div><blockquote><div>“I wanted this song to boldly confront the themes of control, oppression, and societal standards, while also illuminating the courage to break free and reclaim one’s narrative,” - <a href="https://nativemaxmagazine.com/jayli-wolf-unleashed-her-unapologetic-voice-on-blood-orange/">Jayli Wolf</a></div></blockquote><p>No, of course it's not just about fruit. It's a powerful song about standing up for yourself against your oppresors - whoever that may be - and claiming your own narrative. The first single from her highly personal EP <i>God is an Endless Mirror</i>, the whole set is introspective and filled with emotion. She's left the city to buy and work her generations-old family farm in British Columbia, and that seems to be driving this direction in her music.</p><p>The video, written and produced by Jayli herself, has a lot going on - and yes, does feature a real blood orange (watch the upper <strike>right</strike> left corner). </p><p>This song is also really great. Doubtless. </p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/FFYMqJaMvb8?si=zaxF5hOBU3MAp-r0" width="480"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-41158800686543612702024-03-14T15:39:00.016-04:002024-03-14T15:39:00.136-04:0014 March 2024 - Tate McRae - exes <div>We're posting a THIRD Tate McRae post today for two reasons. </div><div><br /></div><div>1) These are among the last ones we're wriitng for this month - we're full up - and we feel badly about waiting so long to post her.</div><div><br /></div><div>2) This is post #1,599, and we like odometer flips, so you know tomorrow morning's post is going to be a banger.</div><div><br /></div><div>It does not hurt that "exes", the follow-up to "<a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2024/03/14-march-2024-tate-mcrae-greedy.html">greedy</a>", is pretty damned catchy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, this is McRae's current single, and it's pretty successful in its own right. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/YXt0Nw8xWh0?si=fTcFlxHFQOCYR-fK" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>McRae also performed this song at the NHL All Star Game this year.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L5_sS3uBt4A?si=yCLDQ6dS5sDl7WWi" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-69005550163133214552024-03-14T12:12:00.014-04:002024-03-14T12:12:00.130-04:0014 March 2024 - Tate McRae - calgary<div>Yep.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two Tate McRae songs today. This one isn't a single yet....</div><div><br /></div><div>It's just another great song from Think Later that got a bit of a visualizer.</div><div><br /></div><div>And, it's about Calgary. C'mon, guys. You know I love Calgary.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not really about Calgary. It was co-written by McRae and is somewhat autobiographical. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/MTYJbCVBAsU?si=yGYvx5hjVIA_G7Mj" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Also, there's an acoustic version of this one - from London, not Calgary, for some reason - and I really wanted to further back up <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2024/03/14-march-2024-tate-mcrae-greedy.html">my earlier claim that she can sing</a>. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q1c7w4vs3Is?si=WO0GUMPVBoEmzpjk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-90881594595875622322024-03-14T09:08:00.050-04:002024-03-14T09:08:00.144-04:0014 March 2024 - Tate McRae - greedy<div>There is absolutely no way I could do a Maple Leaf March this year without including the pride of Calgary, Tate McRae, who had been up to 2023 something of a minor hit artist outside of Canada.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then came "greedy". This female empowerment anthem, co-written by McRae, hit #3 on the US pop charts and was a #1 hit elsewhere in the world. It is, by far, her biggest hit, both inside and outside Canada.</div><div><br /></div><div>By the way, this is an active hit song. As of this publication, it's currently rising back up the Billboard charts, at #6 THIS WEEK on the US Hot 100, #5 on the Canadian Hot 100. </div><div><br /></div><div>The song is also a 2024 nominee for Single of the Year at the Juno Awards next weekend - one of three for which she's been nominated (Artist of the Year, Fan's Choice). </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, driving a Zamboni. Iconic. She's clearly a fan (she even wears goalie pads on the album cover). </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqrzdH0-7LO7lBoNr4Y9YSvHj-kJL9NUVzhsdlagWgdWkffkkLuaPu4UeuDU2bsO-SSJRkx6NbsodSgfaBb2E4mzwIi8JxnWYtqzOafum5SY_OscdaQOjHVzxGW57t-L7ckP02Is5vyU0naUorv2QcS_SMm-pHdaLLiNrfmgDXbaOxchjXJEbcbIMh7pk/s300/Tate_McRae_-_Think_Later.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqrzdH0-7LO7lBoNr4Y9YSvHj-kJL9NUVzhsdlagWgdWkffkkLuaPu4UeuDU2bsO-SSJRkx6NbsodSgfaBb2E4mzwIi8JxnWYtqzOafum5SY_OscdaQOjHVzxGW57t-L7ckP02Is5vyU0naUorv2QcS_SMm-pHdaLLiNrfmgDXbaOxchjXJEbcbIMh7pk/s1600/Tate_McRae_-_Think_Later.png" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Think Later</i> is the album. We failed to mention that. Released December 2023<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> So, enjoy the song... and the Zamboni ride. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/To4SWGZkEPk?si=3-o6VDBMJF20XGQK" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Keeping with the hockey theme, McRae performed during the intermission at the 2024 NHL All Star Game in Toronto - including this song, of course.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a pretty clean performance, which we'd expect at a sporting event.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hq64R4RU1ms?si=QFST5nxC69v_T70i" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>I watch a lot of live videos before I choose the ones I want to share with you - and I'm picking this <i>Today Show</i> performance. Why? It's less clean than others have been - and she can clearly sing, even without the Autotune so clearly foisted onto her. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NJ2fUePKfic?si=OHPvl4m-09VZ7oFk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-72199966080266069922024-03-13T18:26:00.000-04:002024-03-13T18:26:00.136-04:0013 March 2024 - Lightning Dust - Loaded Gun <div>I spend a lot of March compiling music for future Maple Leaf Marches. Sometimes, the songs are great and will make good music for future Marches, or really, for any month of the year. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes, I can't wait. </div><div><br /></div><div>And, so we are clear, <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2024/03/12-march-2024-lights-savage.html">I almost completely bumped Lights</a> for this one.</div><div><br /></div><div>I decided this was a good day to double up instead of bumping anyone. </div><div><br /></div><div>Amber Webber and Joshua Wells are Lightning Dust, and they are also members of another band called Black Mountain. Hailing from Vancouver, Lightning Dust is presumably named after a character from My Little Pony... but, more importantly, they are focused on synth-pop-rock sounds that are really interesting. </div><div><br /></div><div>This song, a driving synth anthem, is from their 2013 album <i>Fantasy</i>, and it is really solid.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/glqBdayj954?si=p-0DZKx5bn8QIvG4" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Despite being a side project, this duo does perform their critically acclaimed music live, and they do so with far more emotion that you might expect from a synth-pop-rock duo.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VN831veMErg?si=whCMJ7l-2aoq45FK" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-33297029541174798412024-03-13T09:34:00.036-04:002024-03-13T09:34:00.137-04:0013 March 2024 - FouKi ft. P'tit Belliveau - St-Han Quinzou<div>We missed FouKi. We first featured him <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2022/03/25-march-2022-fouki-ft-jay-sctt-copilote.html">and his collaboration with Jay Scøtt</a> in 2022. That Félix award-winning song ended up on my heavy rotation and was my most-listened to song on Spotify in 2022. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is also sung by people in my house who do not speak French. </div><div><br /></div><div>FouKi was also nominated for a Juno in 2022 - for Francophone Album of the Year. He lost - and deservedly so, honestly. <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2021/09/9-september-2021-cur-de-pirate-on.html"><i>Impossible à aimer</i> was amazing</a>. He's nominated again this year in the same category, for <i>Zayon</i>, and I am boldly predicting victory.</div><div><br /></div><div>This song, a collaboration with fellow Canadian artist P'tit Belliveau (he is a folk musician from Nova Scotia who does a fair bit of Acadian vocals), is quite energetic. It is a party song, celebrating a popular festival day in Quebec of St. Jean Baptiste. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, FouKi wearing the Nordiques sweater is straight fire. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/P6SYozd8j4U?si=ESddykvY2Snyj9bH" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>I actually like this better live. You can really hear the Acadian folk that Belliveau brings to the party. FouKi brings the Expos jersey to the party in this performance. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_keP3xqIibo?si=tAs9pZM2LR_A_K6r" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-17502052152183600672024-03-12T09:37:00.031-04:002024-03-12T09:37:00.125-04:0012 March 2024 - Lights - Savage<div>Well well well.</div><div><br /></div><div>We've reached the Lights portion of the month. </div><div><br /></div><div>You had to know it was coming. It's not like we've haven't had like 20 Lights posts in the last three years. </div><div><br /></div><div>Only a slight exaggeration. This is the 19th since 2021. </div><div><br /></div><div>This single was released in advance of her 2017 album <i>Skin&Earth</i>, which of course came with a comic book and a post-apocalyptic video. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/wyM8pMH2OF0?si=9-0fij8hSio8Q5ok" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wyM8pMH2OF0/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>As she has done several times since <i>Siberia</i>, Lights made an acoustic version of <i>Skin&Earth</i> and released it in 2019. This was an innovative recording, with unusual recording locations. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is not the studio recording. This was a live performance in Austin, TX in 2019. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z-GI9ebZp1o?si=j4xCNh9MiWIBISRo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>No, no, this was the "studio" recording. I put "studio" in quotes because her "studio" was her portable rig under an umbrella sitting on the ground outside during a rainstorm. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's really rain you hear. </div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cZWZVubJHRY?si=yK62l0Oh_YCQfd0E" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>And this kind of shows you how she did it.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N17y0V_0vjM?si=kXCOVnrZD_ua_nfp" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-42943377108253727022024-03-11T09:21:00.000-04:002024-03-11T09:21:00.132-04:0011 March 2024 - Rêve - Release Me <div>We were delighted to see that Rêve released a full album - <i>Saturn Return</i> - in December, and it was nominated for a couple of Juno Awards this year. We'd be happier if she'd release it in the States.</div><div><br /></div><div>What delights us even more is seeing more depth from someone who will, undoubtably, become a big star, even if her whole 2024 seems to be contained to Canada. This song, from the album, was released as a short film on January 5th of this year - so, yeah, that's why there are some pauses in the song. It's a great, deep, softer song - with some ambient beats, but not the thumping dance numbers that brought her to prominence. </div><div><br /></div><div>The song was co-written by Max-Antoine Gendron and Rêve, and it should be a hit everywhere, but, for now, we're going to have to be happy with Canada. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/fU8woIGkEQI?si=G4bQL9pteo8d-6Wu" width="480"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-50289705708152485062024-03-10T09:42:00.011-04:002024-03-10T09:42:00.143-04:0010 March 2024 - Brooke Nicholls - Enough<div>Brooke Nicholls is an artist... and worship leader.... from Hamilton, Ontario.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's right. This is church music. Which is part of the the reason why I'm posting this on a Sunday morning. And it's GOOD. I don't post a lot of religious music, but I do when it's good music. </div><div><br /></div><div>The other part is that she's a Juno nominee this year, for Best Contemporary Christian Gospel Album of the Year, for <i>Glory To God</i>. This song, which literally declares that Jesus is enough, is a centerpiece of that album, which is really good. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/PgjvvlnkQnY?si=cALLSFwoQXcjcrKS" width="480"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-31430715333823701182024-03-09T09:57:00.022-05:002024-03-09T09:57:00.257-05:009 March 2024 - Softcult - Dress<div>According to WikiPedia, Softcult are a Canadian grunge duo from Kitchener, Ontario, and the duo are actually twin sisters. </div><div><br /></div><div>They are so much more than that. They bring back the aethestic of the shoegaze movement from the early 1990s, bringing in elements of grunge. </div><div><br /></div><div>They're also Juno Award nominees this year, for Best Alternative Album, for their EP <i>See You In The Dark</i>. This emotional song is a centerpiece of that record - the darkest and a song that has deep, dark themes but still retains a poppy feel. </div><div><br /></div><div>This video might be triggering, because of the flashing lights and the themes of sexual assault, which is also the subject of the song. It was directed and edited by Mercedes Am-Horn, who also happens to be one of the twins in the band (her sister Phoenix is the other, and she produced it). They bring an excellend DIY feeling to their music and the visual that matches it.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/Vr_vtDU94PY?si=ar21tqoWaFhZZc-a" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vr_vtDU94PY/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Of course they perform the song live, and, believe it or not, they even tour the US. This is from a show in Dallas from last March - they built their Maple Leaf March case last year! - and you can hear the emotion a little stronger in the live version.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oZYl6HhpB3Q?si=oHjKV_dJFXQxNPPx" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-28426394153482081292024-03-08T17:22:00.001-05:002024-03-08T17:22:48.028-05:008 March 2024 - Once A Tree - Perfection<div>Usually, when I double up on a day, it's the same artist - or else someone died.</div><div><br /></div><div>No one died. And neither </div><div><br /></div><div>Today, I'm doing it because I don't want to move anything else and because Once A Tree - the duo of Hayden and Jayli Wolf - released a new song today, and it's really great. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, they're a Canadian act that released music in March!!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>So, go listen to it - on all platforms (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/13isHx6M4K147sUxSjnMqR?si=35fb74f364074032">I have it playing on Spotify here</a>). </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/uLnqf6oMgdI?si=CNVi6PhDC8bJLnB6" width="480"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-33504976456675380002024-03-08T09:39:00.004-05:002024-03-08T09:39:00.129-05:008 March 2024 - Connor Price & Haviah Mighty - Trendsetter<div>I decided to do a double today. Both Connor Price and Havian Mighty are Canadian rappers. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was originally just going to be a Connor Price post, though. A respected actor before he got really prolific in the hip hop beats, he is nominated for three Juno Awards, including one for his album <i>Spin The Globe</i>. This song is from its follow up, <i>Spin The Globe: Season 2</i>. These are high concept albums - he literally spun a globe and pointed at it, collaborating with artists from whereever his finger hit.</div><div><br /></div><div>On this song, the Toronto native must have not hit very far, because Haviah Mighty is from Brampton, Ontario. Her 2021 mixtape <i>Stock Exchange</i> was a Juno winner in its own right.</div><div><br /></div><div>Guys, that's the CN Tower in the background. It doesn't get much more Canadian than that. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/PyrX8c1HGZw?si=YJ8sC8uw8z_-B7_t" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Why yes, they HAVE performed this song live, and yes, BOTH of them. Toronto, make some NOIIIIIISE!</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mECsDnvRioI?si=QE-P_J8uI_5o2CsI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-72298010646378140042024-03-07T09:15:00.068-05:002024-03-07T09:15:00.259-05:007 March 2024 - Mother Mother - Hayloft (I and II)<div>So the road we took to get to posting this literally right the hell now is long.</div><div><br /></div><div>You see, I had another Mother Mother song slated to post right now. We will call back to this post in that post, which is fully written and probably won't see the light of day until 2026. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I researched that post - and this band, by the way, is from British Columbia - and realized I had so much for this March I could not fit them in until 2025 at least, I started exploring some of their other catalog.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I found this absolute gem. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Hayloft" was one of Mother Mother's first singles, originally from their 2009 album <i>O My Heart</i>. Written by lead vocalist Ryan Guldemond, he wrote the very "angular" melody first. He then wrote lyrics to match them - and started with the lyric "my daddy's got a gun"..... and it takes 40 seconds to get there. The song, about young lovers hiding in a hayloft, soon followed - and the song ends with the young lovers being caught by her daddy in the hayloft - and yes, he's got his gun.</div><div><br /></div><div>The song ends ambiguously. Which is super frustrating.</div><div><br /></div><div>The video is very much in the style of Franz Ferdinand or the White Stripes. It's cool as heck.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/wiXvDsHfpdk?si=Skw9xxbWipmtkM3J" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wiXvDsHfpdk/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>On its initial release, it was not a big hit song. It was still a fan favorite - and so they performed it live. This performance in 2019 is a great example of that. The energy of the song really comes through.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_NBH9Hm0fGQ?si=saaea531JEBj0V9t" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>However, in 2020, TikTok became a thing, and people discovered the song. It made a lot of money. And people wanted to hear it.So they performed it when they could. Here is a 2021 version of the song performed acoustic.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bco3aSWmTuU?si=MUJW1DXJ9aigfD3L" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>And, this prompted the band to write a followup song, "Hayloft II", but not before renaming their biggest hit "Hayloft I" and making a new video for it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The new video tells a less ambiguous story.</div><div><br /><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fFt0s7crDfo?si=fOI7DFxg9OJSkSUk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div>They followed it in 2022 with "Hayloft II", which is a very different song - very fuzzy, very angry, and very much tells a continuation of the story of "Hayloft" in which revenge is extracted and the hayloft is burnt to ashes. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v8ZAVruZ63M?si=7J0x4CJZ0YvG5DZ9" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Now, of course, they perform BOTH songs live - although not exactly back-to-back, putting a third song - 2021's "Girl Alone" in the middle of "Hayloft I" for some reason. Here they are performing "Hayloft I" in Chile in 2023.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YSOiKjMBIPA?si=ooA4TSe1P2ExOyw1" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Here they are performing "Hayloft II" in Europe/</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U6DFZj8m76A?si=GFCEqp8TQLB9xOsj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>And, here they are, as performed live, with all three songs in the Rolling Stone studios.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z30hdElANG4?si=_ZLv3sxOGeBSW_i3&start=775" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-43635448045256380892024-03-06T09:38:00.027-05:002024-03-06T09:38:00.161-05:006 March 2024 - Vishtèn - L'Hermite<div>I've literally been waiting all year to post about Vishtèn. I discovered them last April, as part of <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2023/04/14-april-2023-east-pointers-vishten.html">a collaboration they did with The East Pointers</a>. I posted it anyway, in April, but also, I went on a discovery of their music.</div><div><br />What I found was a fantastic folk band from Prince Edward Island whose music was heavily rooted in Acadian traditions. The Acadian culture is a minority primarily based in New Brunswick, whose language can only be best described as "Frenglish". Because of this, Vishtèn is primarily seen as a Francophone group... but they are so much more than that. </div><div><br /></div><div>We'd be remiss if we didn't mention vocalist Pastelle LeBlanc - the primary vocalist on this song - passed away in 2022 after a battle with breast cancer. Her voice is certainly missed, and this is a song that shows you why. </div><div><br /></div><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/dUmQ-HTP1-w" width="480"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the band live in 2020 - playing a small hall in PEI - and you can see the chemistry the three had (after all, Pastelle, her partner and her sister were the band). Their sound is both bright and folky. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jxK3jGybIbU?si=-NYFek1wWGtLRQD3" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-58155736034735895562024-03-05T09:29:00.029-05:002024-03-05T09:29:00.265-05:005 March 2024 - Ayria - My Device<div>I have a confession to make.</div><div><br /></div><div>Every once in a while around our house, my SO will lose her phone, and ask the Google Home to "Find My Device".</div><div><br /></div><div>Every once in a while, this song plays. It drives her nuts.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's probably my fault.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's probably because this song has been sitting in my drafts since last May. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ayria is a Toronto-based synth-pop project formed in 2003 out of the ashes of Epsilon Minus by vocalist Jennifer Parkin. This song, released in 2005, is perhaps their best known - probably because people lose their phones. </div><div><br /></div><div>The song is energetic and dark and industrial and exciting - and gets better as it goes. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, I'm sorry, Courtney, but this song is not only good, it's Canadian. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/pA8pjVk60uI" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pA8pjVk60uI/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Why yes, electronic artists do perform live. And they're quite good. Duel synths accompany Parkin, who has a strong stage presence. </div><div><br /></div><div>Incidentally, </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XCDyfLmTV9A?si=8MSP8SQmo65T0Bwn" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-79007727477489656992024-03-04T09:10:00.040-05:002024-03-04T09:10:00.141-05:004 March 2024 - Flower Face - Spiracle<div>Last year, I really sought to bring diverse artists to this annual celebration of Canadian music. I went out of my way to find music I had never heard before.</div><div><br /></div><div>I started that on March 2nd with an artist from Montreal named Ruby Mckinnon - stage name Flower Face. <a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2023/03/2-march-2023-flower-face-sugar-water.html">That song, "Sugar Water"</a>, ended up being my most listened to song on Spotify in 2023 - and it wasn't close. It's got a head start on 2024 as well - but I'm trying to be more wholistic in 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div>You see, her 2022 album, <i>The Shark In Your Water</i>, is arguably the best of that year, and in my top 3 or 4 for this decade so far. The whole album is so well written and performed. Every song on there is incredible.</div><div><br /></div><div>This song is where the album gets its title - it is a song that starts simple and gets louder and scarier. It's beautiful AND beautifully constructed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, by the way, a spriacle is an opening on some fish, like a shark, that pulls water over the gills. It is part of the respiratory system - and are literally used to force water in while swimming quickly. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/bROsiHFC-2c?si=9S56F0r_bzHNbWRy" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Live, the song features a full band and.... well, you can see the emotion.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/46OwadUDx4U?si=k8QMNtyIa5yzkAMG" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-90513168364363183212024-03-03T09:51:00.009-05:002024-03-03T09:51:00.170-05:003 March 2024 - KEN mode - Failing At Fun Since 1981<div>Those who know me know I don't listen to noisy music like this all that much.<br /><br />But man, that title.</div><div><br /></div><div>This noise-rock band from Winnipeg is nominated for a Juno Award this year. They have won in the past for their heavy metal sound. This song is from their 2015 Juno-nominated album <i>Success</i>, and it has the best title. </div><div><br /></div><div>The word "KEN" in the band's name is an acronym, for Kill Everyone Now. I don't believe they've acted on that, though. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/yQKkZV2DKXM?si=menYmxvxsIn1OTIf" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>This song is a banger on record, and it's a banger live.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lM0yP2L_-lY?si=rKVYqw_KrpleCmQ2" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-57216885893528451202024-03-02T09:10:00.009-05:002024-03-02T09:10:00.329-05:002 March 2024 - Shubh - Hood Anthem<div>Why, yes, that is a Sihk man from Brampton, Ontario slinging Punjabi hip-hop.</div><div><br /></div><div>This song, released just a few weeks ago, is already a hit in New Zealand, where he has gotten a fair amount of traction as an artist. He's had some hits in the UK and Canada as well, and he is nominated as a Breakthrough Artist at this year's Juno Awards. </div><div><br /></div><div>Check him out!</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/jjiC7PfoIaY?si=orkAiG01Uw0_oYas" width="480"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-58409932396304255662024-03-01T09:00:00.000-05:002024-03-01T09:00:00.143-05:001 March 2024 - Babygirl - Overbored<div>Every March for the last three years - this is our fourth - we've featured music exclusively from Canafian artists. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can honestly say a lot of my favorite music today is a direct result of what I've been doing these Marches. </div><div><br /></div><div>Babygirl is one of those artists I discovered while writing this blog who I have come to truly love. They make nice, smart, edgy light pop-rock music that should be absolutely gigantic everywhere, but for some reason, isn't. Hailing from Toronto, the duo met at Humber College and started making music there. </div><div><br /></div><div>From the interactions I've had with them on Twitter.... sorry, X.... they also seem to be lovely people.</div><div><br /></div><div>This single is from 2018 - so, why aren't you listening to them yet?</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/hr_jAMlZiUw?si=ecJx6dfAGk7DoPAt" width="480"></iframe><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-67597128144757090802024-02-29T09:30:00.002-05:002024-02-29T09:30:00.153-05:0029 February 2024 - Faith No More - We Care a Lot<div>If you know Faith No More, you likely know them from their later stuff. This song, however, was one of their first - featuring a different lead vocalist than you might recognize.</div><div><br /></div><div>The original lead vocalist and principal songwriter was a man named Chuck Mosley (who passed away of a presumed heroin overdose in 2017). The lyrics for this song were written by Mosley and Roddy Bottum, the latter of whom also had a hand in the music.</div><div><br /></div><div>This version, the best known, is from their 1988 album <i>Introduce Yourself</i>, but was originally recorded for their 1985 rare debut <i>We Care A Lot</i>. At this time, you can really hear the Bad Brains influence on the band - very bass-heavy, very activist. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/LQhX8PbNUWI?si=diCkjWs-GKvuTzqR" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Now, compare that to the harder, sparser version from their 1985 debut. Yes, lyrically, it's a little different, but the musical differences are actually more apparent here - with a more drum-heavy mix going on here.</div><div><div><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9WCijmaS_S4?si=IKjcM2oi9s2gHIiP" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Mosley left the band soon after - some say he was fired, but it seemed to me to be more of a creative direction thing, as Mosley wanted to do less hard rock and more acoustic stuff. Bottum has characterized it as "fired without being fired" and somewhat amicable.</div><div><br /></div><div>The band did not abandon their best known early song, though, and released a live version of the song in 1991 as a single, with Mike Patton on vocals. It's a different song, and Patton does a lot of ad-libbing while trying to hold onto the legacy of Chuck Mosley. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w9UUuNxX6_s?si=Xtuv8lU9BH_i9Lbv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>The band did eventually break up, but reformed with Mike Patton on lead vocals - and of course they still perform this song (as they did here in 2015), which still carries the anger and activism Mosley and Bottum wrote in 1984.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B7Oq2ARutQE?si=h-ZhJA8Jj1f9pNPE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>By the way, anyone questioning whether or not the Mosley departure need only look to this performance from 2010, which featuted him on vocals with the band performing several of his songs, including, yes, "We Care A Lot". </div><div><div><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mjMJ95e11X8?si=lpgeDBai7TGwFZar" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Here he is with the band AGAIN in 2016, a year before his passing, performing the song and others from their reissued debut,. He sounds great (and looks awful). </div><div><br /></div><div>As far as we can tell, that's the last time the band has performed live, although they've scheduled other shows that were cancelled. </div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UycqizfbNIM?si=qS6DyejYqDjxp9BO" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-57988010489491129852024-02-28T09:56:00.010-05:002024-02-28T09:56:00.137-05:0028 February 2024 - MC Hammer - Pray<div>"Pray" is the answer to a trivia question.</div><div><br /></div><div>What is MC Hammer's biggest chart hit? <br /><br /></div><div>Answer: "Pray", the third single from <i>Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's right. Not "<a href="https://www.wickedguilty.com/2023/08/29-august-2023-mc-hammer-u-cant-touch.html">U Can't Touch This</a>". </div><div><br /></div><div>Both songs have a lot of similarities. Both feature prominent samples that are easily identifiable - this one samples Prince's "When Doves Cry" (and, in a great example of a fact you cannot unlearn, it also interpolated "We Care A Lot" by Faith No More). Both are a little boastful, although this one a little more humbly so. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is a preachy song, but also enjoyable. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/mye1aCskFcM" width="480"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2107472398063588253.post-35893447456277331482024-02-27T09:34:00.017-05:002024-02-27T09:34:00.141-05:0027 February 2024 - Matthew Sweet - Sick of Myself<div>In 1995, Matthew Sweet released his album <i>100% Fun</i>. His fifth solo album, it would be the biggest thing he would do for his whole career - including generating this big hit single, his only appearance on the US pop charts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Really, Matthew Sweet has made a career making great pop-rock music in relative obscurity. So how did he get his gem in his hands?</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, he wrote it. And performed most of it himself. Sure, he had a couple of guitarists and a drummer backing him on this track. Richard Lloyd's guitar is particularly strong here - but the licks were crafted by Sweet.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/sNfocDNZWY8" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Here are Sweet and Lloyd performing the song live on MTV in 1995. You can see Richard just shreding and Matthew giving his all.</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mGGNah4XUh4?si=OIvKJWdcib32pmfB" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Sweet still performs, too. Here he is, with Jason Victor backing him on lead guitar, at the Paste Studios in 2017. With no rhythm section to back them, the song just becomes a guitar god dream, complete with trick ending.</div><div><div><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EEkFEP6z9XM?si=bLXGF8At4PdIxLho" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>redargylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14259984251230446715noreply@blogger.com0