Alan Copeland invented the remix
I was doing some research for a paper on the public domain and intellectual property and blah blah blah, when I came across this wonderful (and Grammy-winning!) single, released in 1968. Arranged by Alan Copeland (who did arrangements with Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald before moving on to compose theme songs), it’s possibly the first … Continue reading
On the relative merits of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
On the plus side, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins wrote “I Put a Spell On You,” was one of the first musicians to incorporate overt theatricality into his music, and has one of the most bad-ass voices in the history of rock. Oh, and he fathered somewhere around 75 children, which has to count for something. On … Continue reading
Grass Widow – Fried Egg
Alright, let’s get this blog going again. I’ll be tweaking it soon, but generating content never hurt anyone. First up: Grass Widow, who I had never heard of before about five minutes ago, but now I’m really curious about their Kill Rock Stars debut (due August 24). The sample song starts out a bit harsh, … Continue reading
Full interview: Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
In 2006, Alex Ebert was the frontman of L.A. brat-punks Ima Robot., with a record deal from Virgin and a knack for pop hooks and instantly hateable hairstyles. Four years later, he’s the mastermind behind Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, a 10-piece art-rock “family” that combines the folk-influenced songwriting of the ’60s with the … Continue reading
Feel-good hit of the summer
(illustration: Tomb, from http://www.ffwdweekly.com) Something happens in the summer. Maybe it’s the heat softening our brains, or maybe it’s the excess of sangria, but whatever the reason, the pop charts tend to fill up with some unlikely hits. Some are just strange, others are flat-out terrible, and a few could serve as proof that humanity … Continue reading
Folk Fest announces lineup
The Calgary Folk Music Festival, the one weekend when the city’s hoola-hoopers, hipsters and suburban soccer moms come together as equals, has announced its 2010 lineup — and it’s a bit of an odd one. Soul legend Roberta Flack, indie-pop darlings Stars and protest-rock mainstay Michael Franti are nothing to turn up your nose at, … Continue reading
Interview with Yukon Blonde
Barely three months after releasing its self-titled debut, Vancouver’s Yukon Blonde is already making waves across Canada. The album finds the band indulging in classically minded folk-rock, purveying a mix of jangling guitars, immaculate harmonies and an abundance of perfectly crafted pop hooks. Its live show, meanwhile, is considerably more raw — the harmonies still … Continue reading
Jónsi — Go (XL)
Otherworldliness has always been Sigur Ros’s stock in trade, from the band’s impossibly lush soundscapes to singer Jónsi Birgisson’s impossibly gorgeous falsetto. The language barrier helped, too — singing in a mix of Icelandic and Birgisson’s own gibberish tongue made it easier to believe that the band emerged from some distant galaxy or higher plane. … Continue reading
Trunk Show captures Neil Young in all his ragged glory
Of all the rock legends still making the rounds, few have Neil Young’s vitality. Unlike, say, The Rolling Stones, there’s never a sense that Young’s latest album is just an excuse for another tour. His current output may not live up to the albums he produced in his prime, but there’s little doubt that Young … Continue reading
Forward Thinking: Kerry Clarke
Throughout 2010, Fast Forward Weekly is tapping into Calgarians to get their take on Calgary’s future. What would you be doing if you weren’t working at the Calgary Folk Music Festival? I once thought I wanted to work at the CRTC or the Canada Council, being their music officer. Or in radio, that’d be the … Continue reading
The Consumption 