CanCon Thursday - Hopes Go Astray

A really really long time ago, in the summer of 1987, I heard the Northern Pikes for the first time.  Like a lot of us, the first song of theirs I remember hearing was probably "Teenland."  Not long after I heard that, I remember seeing them at the Lakeview Manor (or "the Manor" as we used to call it - I still miss that place!).  They put on a great show.  A few weeks after that, we were surprised to see them opening up for David Bowie at the CNE (weird bill, David Bowie, Duran Duran (!?) and the Northern Pikes).  We felt kind of bad for them.  Bowie's stuff was covered up with tarpaulin, Duran Duran's stuff was in front of Bowie's, also covered, and the Northern Pikes were pushed to the very edge of the huge stage.  They played to an almost empty CNE Stadium but I remember them still kicking ass.  We really enjoyed ourselves but I'm sure we were way too far away for them to hear our cheers and hoots and hollering.  They were the ultimate good sports!

Over the years since, I've always kept the Northern Pikes on my Cancon playlist.  Their songs were great and listening to them now, they still hold up.  They don't sound too dated (an unfortunate side effect for some bands who were big in the 1980's).  At one point in the early 1990's, I met Jay Semko.  He was on a solo tour and came by the radio station for an interview and to perform live on air.  Jay was very appreciative of the support which was very sweet.  We professed our love for the Pikes to him and he seemed genuinely surprised and very touched.  Such a nice guy, it's great to see that they are still touring and attracting big crowds.

So, for Cancon Thursday, I thought I'd share one of my favourites, Hopes Go Astray.  Hope you dig it xo

Beause It's Tuesday - week of May 29

Many women who grew up in 70's and 80's, myself included, listened to a lot of Olivia Newton-John.  It seemed that from the mid-70's to early 80's, she was everywhere.  Certainly for me, Grease was a huge thing.  I remember that my dad took us to see it after I passed 5th grade.  We got that awesome gate fold soundtrack album too and practically wore it out.

I'm sure she inspired a lot of girls to pick up instruments or to start singing, in particular a lot of the "girl rockers" of the 1990's.  Now we know the extent of her influence on Juliana Hatfield.  Earlier this year, Juliana released a tribute album called "Juliana Hatfield Sings the Songs of Olivia Newton-John."  Proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre.  You can pick up a copy of the record here.

When I listened to the album for the first time, I realized that I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed Olivia Newton-John's songs too (not to mention that I still remembered all of the words to all of these songs).  The album is just a pure joy to listen to.  Juliana has released a video for "A Little More Love" (one of my favourites!) and it's so much fun.  I hope you enjoy it half as much I do.

Happy Tuesday kittens xo


From her bandcamp page:

"I have never not loved Olivia Newton-John. Her music has brought me so much pure joy throughout my life. I loved her when I was a child and I love her still. Her voice and her positive energy and her melodies have stood the test of time and they give me as much pleasure now as they ever did. Listening to her is an escape into a beautiful place. She has inspired me so much personally and I just wanted to give something back; to share some of these tremendous songs, reinterpreted, with love, by me." -Juliana Hatfield

Not Guilty, Just Pleasure Friday - Queen

Since high school (a long, long time ago, remember kittens, I graduated in 1986), I've been a fan of Everything But The Girl.  Ben and Tracey's solo projects have always drawn me in too.  I love the sounds that they create together and apart.

Tracey's latest record is called, simply, Record (on the wonderful Merge Records label - you can order it here:  https://www.mergerecords.com/record).  It's simply awesome.  My copy finally arrived last week along with "Bedsit Disco Queen: How I Grew Up and Tried to be a Pop Star."  I've been wanting to read it for a while and now, I have no excuse not to.

Anyway, today's no guilt / all pleasure song is "Queen," the first single from Record.  I really think it's cool how Tracey's voice has matured.  We're none of us getting any younger, she's around my age and I like how, while she still very much sounds like Tracey, her wisdom and experience is coming through now too.

I just love this song, I hope you will too.  Happy weekend to you all of you beautiful people xo

CanCon Thursday - Endless Chain

I first heard the sweet sound of Tanika Charles' voice one morning in early 2017 while driving to work.  I often grumble about the "Ontario Morning" music selections but this particular morning, they made a good decision.  As soon as I got into the office, I looked her up and ordered her album on bandcamp (you can too).

Her voice is just so beautiful.  I listened to her Soul Run CD on repeat for about a week after it arrived.  The songs are fantastic, inspiring... this song in particular, Endless Chain is just so positive and joyful.  It'll make you smile, guaranteed.  If you haven't already, I would encourage you to check her out. 

Hope you enjoy this yummy musical treat as much as I do. xo

Because It's Tuesday - week of May 22

Hope you all survived / enjoyed the long weekend.  I know that summer officially starts in a month but the unofficial start is always Victoria Day weekend.

When that unofficial start happens, I begin to pull out my "summer" playlists.  Regular readers here will recall my deep geeky love for Fountains of Wayne.  I always associate their power pop perfection with summertime, probably because I heard them for the first time during an early '90's summer.

Now, recently I featured them covering Aztec Camera.  Today, I'm sharing Bowling For Soup's cover of "Stacy's Mom." Not unlike the original, their version is fast and fun and is easy to sing along with while you're playing it in the car at a high volume, with your windows down.  A perfect combination for a summer song.

Happy summer listening lovelies xo

Not Guilty, Just Pleasure Friday - Passionate Kisses

How was your week?  Do you totally love that it's Friday (yes, I do realize that for two days now I've announced the day of the week and if you're reading this on a future Tuesday you won't really care)? And it's the Friday of a long weekend! AND I'm only working a 1/2 day today so that's all pretty good stuff.

The week has been filled with a lot of pretty good stuff actually. Has your week been full of good stuff?

Been listening to some good new music and some beloved favourites too. Originally, I planned to post a different song but haven't been able to track down a video for it yet (I said "yet" - when I find one I'll share it so I'll not tell you what it is today).  I switched gears a bit but I think you'll like it.

The song I'm sharing with you today is an oldie but oh so such a goodie.  A lot of folks, folks who aren't paying attention you could say, think that this song is a Mary Chapin Carpenter song but it's not (and really, her version sounds like she was trying to copy the original).  This song is a Lucinda Williams song.  She wrote it, I love how she sings it (her voice is just the shit!) and it's a toe tapper.  Of course, after you listen to it, you realize that for Lucinda, it's definitely not too much to demand a full house and a rock and roll band!

Enjoy kiddies xo

CanCon Thursday - Someone Who's Cool

How is possible that it's Thursday again already?

Yikes.

Not complaining just asking.

So yeah, Odds.  I love them.  Talk about catchy tunes, excellent stuff, earworm inducing, thoughtful and fun.  Thought I would share this with you, cuz it's awesome, and cool and so are you xo

Because it's Tuesday - week of May 15

Abba.

Do I really need to say much about them?

I think most young girls in the 1970's were fans of them.  Pure perfect pop. I know all of the words to more Abba songs that I would care to admit but here I am, telling you.  It feels good actually.  Whew, I like Abba. 

Anyway, just going to drop this here for you.  It's a very sweet cover of "Winner Takes It All" by Carla Bruni.

Not Guilty, Just Pleasure Friday - Gypsy

For a couple of weeks now this song has been in my head, a lot.  Not sure why but you can't always figure these things out.

There is something about hearing Stevie Nicks sing that just makes me smile.  She just seems like the kind of person who gives no fucks what folks think about her, she's just happy in herself, loving her music.  Now, this is a Fleetwood Mac song not a Stevie Nicks song, I know.  I have a lot of good memories from my childhood which are attached to Fleetwood Mac.  My friends and I would listen to them a lot.  By the time I was in high school, they became a bit of a guilty pleasure for me as I started to discover "cooler" music.  I still listen to that cool music but I also still enjoy Fleetwood Mac.

Anyway, I wanted to share this very very 80's video with you for Gypsy. It really does look like 1982 (except the retro bits) if 1982 could have a look.  Let me know if you get this stuck in your head too lovelies xo

CanCon Thursday – Who Knows How to Make Love Stay

I have kept a "cancon" playlist for my listening pleasure for many years now. Once I add something to the list, I never remove it and I continue to add to it. It's a cool list, it has cheesy chunks and overall is fun and wonderfully Canadian.

I was listening to it the other day and remembered that I had a juicy chunk of Doug and the Slugs songs saved. I used to love hearing these songs pop up on the radio. They were fun, toe taping, car singing tunes. Still are but I wonder how often they pop up on the radio these days.  In any event, I'm sharing one today, hope you enjoy it kiddies xo

Because It's Tuesday - week of May 8

Brian Wilson is a gem.  My favourite Beach Boys record is Pet Sounds and one of my favourite songs on that album, despite the fact that I am an atheist, is "god only knows."  I remember the first time I heard David Bowie's version of it, I was in high school and I immediately loved it.  His interpretation of it is beautiful, his voice sounds amazing, so very Bowie...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, even after 30 some years, I still love his version (of course, my favourite will always be the Beach Boys version but this one is very very good).  xo

Not Guilty, Just Pleasure Friday - Mr. Tillman

May the fourth be with you today folks.

Star Wars day is an awesome day and while I doubt that I'll run into anyone in a Chewbacca costume today, it would be pretty fucking cool if I did.

So, a year ago this weekend I took off to Toronto all by my bad self to see Father John Misty.  It was a marvelous show and I've listened to "Pure Comedy" more times than I could possibly count since.

The FJM folks are releasing a new record in a few weeks, "God's Favourite Customer" will be out June 1.  I have my copy (red vinyl yes please) pre-ordered and have been enjoying the first three tracks (which got leaked so they had to release them!) for the past couple of weeks.  Mr Tillman and Co. finally released a video of "Mr Tillman."  I love this video, so much.  It's funny and weird and very very "Josh Tillman" if you know what I mean!

Well..you can see what I mean kittens xo

CanCon Thursday - Stuck In The Rain

So I'm enjoying doing the covers and the pleasures thing so much that I'm going to start CanCon Thursday. I'm a big supporter and fan of Canadian music so I'm going to share of my favourite home grown tunes here in the coming weeks.

This morning, just as Gracie and I were sitting down to eat our breakfast, the sky opened up and the rain started falling, hard, straight down.  It's been so nice the past couple of days that all of the windows were open.  Such a beautiful sound, spring rain, and the smell... so fresh and clean and lovely.  At the moment, stuff is finally greening up around our neighbourhood and hopefully the trees will be showing off for us soon.

An hour later, as I sat in my car this morning, waiting for a break in the rain to make a run for my office, I was reminded of this classic 80's tune by the Payola$.  It's quite perky for a song about rain, a good one to dance in puddles to if you're so inclined!!

Happy Thursday to you puddle dancers xo

Because it's Tuesday - week of May 1

I spent a lot of my late teens and early 20's listening to Mr Roddy Frame and Aztec Camera.

I spent a lot of my 30's listening to Fountains of Wayne.

When Fountains of Wayne covered "Killermont Street" I felt like I'd won the music nerd lottery.

Here's the audio (again, apologies for the lack of a video), it's pretty and so are you my darlings xo