So. I took in Osheaga on Saturday, in theory it was a working trip..but really..I went for The National, because well, they are IT. However, I did get to see this little band called Arcade Fire (freakin brilliant show). Saw Beach House (went on a half hour late...
So, it a funny thing happened on my way to global dominance (with respect to running a music website). I got a job. It has really, really cut into my time and energy and all of a sudden, it's been 6 months since I even wrote a lousy blog piece./p...
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Lysten is proud to present the first annual Lysten Music Festival. We're excited to present an open air festival in a facility that seats 10 000 fans. With an emphasis on local and emerging talent from across Canada, we know this will be THE event of the fall season.
Stay tuned as we announce our schedule, ticket pricing and further partnerships.
If you have an questions, or would like to participate in some way, please contact Chris Risdon at chris@lysten.ca
I’ve lived in this city for a long time, and my naiveté regarding this city's music scene is well documented. It would be difficult however, to have been ignorant of the names Ben Welland or Sadie Hell. Buzz has followed this fellow for some time (The Sun, The Citizen and most reputable music literature) and two years after its inception, the self titled album landed in January of 2010. Using my access to the stars (ok, so he emailed it to me) I got a sneak preview of the album and was rather surprised. Surprised, and freakin’ impressed.
Throughout my teen years I very nearly drown in Britpop. As I “AHEM” matured, I evolved and since then I’ve been a champion of Canadian music, so much so that I could have been accused of ignoring music from elsewhere. Over the last few years that changed as I opened myself up to new sounds the world over. Britain and the U.S have seen the “indie” sound become commercially viable and mainstream, but countries like Scotland and Sweden have pushed the boundaries and forced their way into what was once a closed club. The success of Scotland is hardly surprising, given their proximity to Britain, shared language, airwaves and influences. Sweden however is another matter entirely. There’s more to this story than ABBA. In fact, that’s the only time you’ll see that word here along with Ace Of Base and Roxette. God bless ‘em though for trying.
Coming on May 4: the new album from The New Pornographers, entitled Together. Their fifth full-length was produced by the band and Phil Palazzolo, and recorded in Vancouver, Brooklyn, Woodstock, and Catskill, NY. The album is comprised of 9 A.C. Newman songs and 3 Dan Bejar numbers, and features the full eight-person lineup of Carl, Dan, John Collins, Neko Case, Kurt Dahle, Kathryn Calder, Todd Fancey and Blaine Thurier. Additional musicians include Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Zach Condon (Beirut), Will Sheff (Okkervil River), and the Dap-Kings Horns, among other talents./p...
St. John's, NL (January 13, 2010) - It's been eight years, eight Canadian cities, and one remarkable journey for the JUNO Awards since the landmark decision was made to take the annual show on the road across Canada. Now the JUNO Awards come full circle! Canada's greatest music celebration returns to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador – site of the unforgettable first leg of the cross-country road trip – for the 39th Annual JUNO Awards./p...
St. John’s, NL (January 13, 2010) – The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and CTV are pleased to announce that Bryan Adams is the recipient of the 2010 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award. The Award, named after CHUM Ltd. founder Allan Waters, is made possible by funding from the CTVglobemedia-CHUM benefits package and recognizes an outstanding Canadian artist whose humanitarian contributions have positively enhanced the social fabric of Canada.
The Allan Waters Humanitarian Award will be presented to Mr. Adams during THE JUNO AWARDS broadcast on Sunday, April 18, 2010 on CTV.
Since the early days of his music career, Adams has been at the forefront of fundraising and social awareness events from Amnesty International “A Conspiracy of Hope” and Rock for Amnesty Tours, Live Aid, Live 8 and One Night Live. In 1985 Adams co-wrote and took part in the recording of “Tears Are Not Enough,” Canada’s song to help raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.
2009 AWARDS: The Followill (Band that let me down without meaning to), The Nickleback Award (Band that could have been great but flamed out and went for celebrity), The Chumbawamba (Song of the Year, gets in your head, and won’t leave), and more .../p...
Every year, I try to determine what exactly my criteria are for best album. Is there an exact formula that I should use and if so, what is it? I guess if I am still asking myself this question, then I haven’t clearly defined it yet.
There are so many variables - technical and musical ability, creativity, passion, lyrics, it just sounds damned good, etc. An album can be technically perfect yet sound uninspired. It can be the most passionate thing ever recorded yet sound like pure garbage. It can be extremely catchy yet has been done time and again by others - and usually better.
So much of music is organic. It is hard sometimes to define what it is that makes an album so good - or so bad. It is a work in progress. But, if I ever reach that perfect formula, I promise I will share it with the world. In the meantime, I will try my best to share why I think the following albums were the best from the past year.
Whenever a person is introduced to substantive and substantial change it impacts every nuance of their peripheral characteristics. From the way they view themselves and their place in the world to the impact of arts and culture upon their soul. I happened upon a year such as this and it impacted that which affects me the greatest, my love of music. I’m very emotionally reactive and music has always had a profound impact upon me. If I’m feeling positive and upbeat, music enhances that. Should I be down and dark, the music only serves to dig me deeper into a hole. It’s not just the lyrics; in fact the lyrics tend to be low on the “influence meter”. It’s the tone, the “feel” of the music.As such, this year, while I attempted to tread water and avoid drowning, the music I loved and listened to reflected these emotions and inner battles.
Lysten is proud to present the first annual Lysten Music Festival. We're excited to present an open air festival in a facility that seats 10 000 fans. With an emphasis on local and emerging talent from across Canada, we know this will be THE event of the fall season.
I’ve lived in this city for a long time, and my naiveté regarding this city's music scene is well documented. It would be difficult however, to have been ignorant of the names Ben Welland or Sadie Hell. Buzz has followed this fellow for some time (The Sun, The Citizen and most reputable music literature) and two years after its inception, the self titled album landed in January of 2010. Using my access to the stars (ok, so he emailed it to me) I got a sneak preview of the album and was rather surprised. Surprised, and freakin’ impressed. 
Throughout my teen years I very nearly drown in Britpop. As I “AHEM” matured, I evolved and since then I’ve been a champion of Canadian music, so much so that I could have been accused of ignoring music from elsewhere. Over the last few years that changed as I opened myself up to new sounds the world over. Britain and the U.S have seen the “indie” sound become commercially viable and mainstream, but countries like Scotland and Sweden have pushed the boundaries and forced their way into what was once a closed club. The success of Scotland is hardly surprising, given their proximity to Britain, shared language, airwaves and influences. Sweden however is another matter entirely. There’s more to this story than ABBA. In fact, that’s the only time you’ll see that word here along with Ace Of Base and Roxette. God bless ‘em though for trying.
Coming on May 4: the new album from The New Pornographers, entitled Together. Their fifth full-length was produced by the band and Phil Palazzolo, and recorded in Vancouver, Brooklyn, Woodstock, and Catskill, NY. The album is comprised of 9 A.C. Newman songs and 3 Dan Bejar numbers, and features the full eight-person lineup of Carl, Dan, John Collins, Neko Case, Kurt Dahle, Kathryn Calder, Todd Fancey and Blaine Thurier. Additional musicians include Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Zach Condon (Beirut), Will Sheff (Okkervil River), and the Dap-Kings Horns, among other talents./p...
St. John's, NL (January 13, 2010) - It's been eight years, eight Canadian cities, and one remarkable journey for the JUNO Awards since the landmark decision was made to take the annual show on the road across Canada. Now the JUNO Awards come full circle! Canada's greatest music celebration returns to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador – site of the unforgettable first leg of the cross-country road trip – for the 39th Annual JUNO Awards./p...
THE REST – Nice effort, but y’know (except Scotland, you’ve done really well) .../p...
Every year, I try to determine what exactly my criteria are for best album. Is there an exact formula that I should use and if so, what is it? I guess if I am still asking myself this question, then I haven’t clearly defined it yet.
Whenever a person is introduced to substantive and substantial change it impacts every nuance of their peripheral characteristics. From the way they view themselves and their place in the world to the impact of arts and culture upon their soul. I happened upon a year such as this and it impacted that which affects me the greatest, my love of music. I’m very emotionally reactive and music has always had a profound impact upon me. If I’m feeling positive and upbeat, music enhances that. Should I be down and dark, the music only serves to dig me deeper into a hole. It’s not just the lyrics; in fact the lyrics tend to be low on the “influence meter”. It’s the tone, the “feel” of the music.