Isolate Friday - Tiny Pieces

How are you doing?

Did you get through the week relatively unscathed?

These January days are tough. The days feel weird when  you're spending them alone for the most part. Last January, I was in Summerland with Bill and the month seemed really good. This year, due to the omicron outbreak before the holidays, we're each at home alone. As much as it's tough for us to be apart, I acknowledge we're really lucky. So far, we've managed to remain healthy throughout the pandemic; we both have the good luck to be able to work from home and we're also fortunate enough to live in our own homes. Neither of us has to worry about being too close to folks at work or in common spaces in an apartment building. We both realize how privileged we are so I don't like to complain about the isolation.

Instead, I'm going to share a song for Isolation Friday. I've loved this song for a long, long time and it's one of those tunes that almost always shows up on any playlist I'm making for myself. I'll not say a bunch about it other than I'm sharing "Tiny Pieces" by Bash and Pop. Bash and Pop were Tommy Stinson's first post-Replacements project and this record was released almost 30 years ago (gah!), in 1993. The album, Friday Night Is Killing Me, is solidly excellent and well worth a listen if you've never heard it.

Hope you all stay safe and warm this weekend. While it's really important for us to be kind each other, particularly now, it's also a good idea to be kind to yourself. xo

Off of my tongue and through my pen

The ink flows steadily in red

Did you think to much

Lose too much

Did you go a little far

I couldn't help myself to you

More different than we knew

And every word I thought I should have said

Was choking me

Cancon Thursday - Myriad Harbour

Last year (2021), The New Pornographers were finally able to do their anniversary tour. Originally scheduled for 2020 (and postponed for obvious reasons), they were planning to do two nights in a handful of cities. One one night, they would play "Mass Romantic" (celebrating 20 years since it was released) and on the other night, they would play "Twin Cinema" (celebrating 15 years since it was released). Both albums would be played in their entirety in the first half of each respective show and the second half would be a collection of songs from their other albums.

Fortunately, they arranged for one of the Vancouver shows (from the Vogue Theatre) to be livestreamed. As soon as I heard that, I snapped up a ticket, it was going to be a "Mass Romantic" show - yay! For the Vancouver shows, Dan Bejar would be joining them - I was really looking forward to that!!

Most of the streaming events I have watched during the pandemic have been great. Every once in a while though, the sound isn't very good or the video is crappy. I was actually worrying a bit that this might happen again, spoiling the experience for me. I needn't have worried!! The platform they were using was terrific and the whole show was fantastic. I danced around my house while watching, so much fun.  I was almost beside myself with glee when I heard the opening for "Myriad Harbour" (today's Cancon Thursday tune). From the 2007 album, Challengers, Myriad Harbour is one of my favourite NP songs. I thought I would share it with you today. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Stay safe and warm kiddos, in January, the sun shines brightest on the coldest days. Don't be fooled!! xo

I walked into the local record store

and asked for an American music anthology

It sounds fun

They tore my skirt, then

Stuck it on the walls at PS 1

Way Back Wednesday - Poison Ivy

Over the weekend, I actually left my house and did a couple of errands. For the first time since Christmas, I was able to visit with my folks. It was quite a day!

While I was out driving around, today's song came on the radio. Instantly, I was taping my hand on the steering wheel and singing along. What a great tune, I had almost forgotten about it. Lucky for you, I remembered it and am sharing it with you.

Today's Way Back Wednesday tune is "Poison Ivy" by The Coasters. Written by Leiber and Stoller, Poison Ivy was recorded by The Coasters in 1959. It did really well on the R&B charts at the time and is probably the catchy-ist song I've ever heard about STI's!!  

Happy Hump Day friends!! xo

You're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion

You'll be scratchin' like a hound

The minute you start to mess around

Because It's Tuesday - week of January 25

Happy New Year!

Yeah, I do know that January is almost over and it's probably not proper etiquette to be still saying that but I'm doing it anyway. After all, it's my first post of the year. It's actually the first post I've done in a good long time. I wish I could say that I had a really juicy, exciting story to explain my lack of writing but I don't. Let's blame covid-induced apathy. Sound okay?

I realized over the weekend that I missed sharing music here. Many folks are in a omicron / January funk and I know that I'm in one. Fortunately, it's almost the end of the month, February will soon arrive and after that, spring. Eventually things will feel better, I know this.

Okay, so, because it's Tuesday, I'm sharing a cover today. I'm not going to say too much about it beyond, the original is an amazing song and this cover kicks ass. 

Today's song is "Rock and Roll Girl," written by Paul Collins and originally recorded by The Beat (not to be confused with the English Beat) in 1979, on their self-titled debut album. The Muffs covered it in 1992 as part of the "Tannis Roots Presents - Freedom of Choice - Yesterday's New Wave Hits as Performed by Today's Stars" compilation. You can find it on their 2000 compilation album, Hamburger as well.

Enjoy yourselves kiddos. Stay safe, keep warm and take 2 minutes and 18 seconds listen to today's song to enjoy a little dance party!! xo

I pick up the phone and get a dial tone

I call up the number but nobody is home

But I saw it on my tv

They said there's someone for me

I wish she would answer and give me her name