Isolation Friday - Zoom Breakup

Happy Friday.

It's a pretty happy Friday for me because I have a day off. It was an unexpected treat that Principal Deane gave everyone at the University an extra day of vacation. Such a sweet thing and very appreciated.

I'm spending the day working my way through a pretty extensive "to do" list of things I've been avoiding for the past couple of weeks. No idea how much of it I'll actually get to but it felt pretty nice writing it all down yesterday.

Today, I'm sharing a great song with you by Muck and the Mires. It's called "Zoom Breakup" from their recent EP "Take Me Back to Planet Earth. I think it's pretty appropriate to share this tune during these pandemic times. For sure there are a lot of couples who have been separated during the lock downs (or stuck together in weird circumstances) so there must be break-ups galore happening all over the place. 

Also, the EP is fantastic and you can get your copy on their bandcamp page here: https://muckandthemires.bandcamp.com/album/take-me-back-to-planet-earth

Check it out, have a fun dance around the house and stay safe, please? Wash your hands and wear a mask! Happy weekend kittens xo

There's a new way

that you can break up quick

so why delay

all you do is point and click

Cancon Thursday - Young and Wasted

Hawksley Workman. You're quite a guy. You've entertained us as we've been stuck at home, from your father-in-law's basement at first and most recently, from your brand new basement. I've so enjoyed each "Hawksley Night In Canada" show, in particular I like the pet segments. You make me laugh and cry and it's always a good time. Thank you.

Now, in addition to providing us with isolation entertainment, you release a beautiful new record. "Less Rage More Tears" is a fantastic name for our pandemic times and the album contains a collection of wonderful, thoughtful songs. One of the things I love the most about his writing is that I'm always hearing new things in his songs, songs I have listened to dozens of times. All of a sudden, a lyric will jump out and it's like I'm hearing it for the first time. Brilliant. 

I had a really difficult time picking just one song to share here on Cancon Thursday. In the end, I decided on "Young and Wasted." Honestly, the clincher for me was the line about the wartime bungalow. I am living in a cosy (not cold) wartime bungalow in Kingston, Ontario. It was built in 1943 not too far from the old Alcan Plant. Many men who lived in my neighbourhood in the 1940's returned from the war and went to work at Alcan. 

I hope that everyone goes out and picks up a copy of "Less Rage More Tears." You don't even have to leave your house if you don't want to / can't. You can order it at his bandcamp page: https://hawksleyworkman.bandcamp.com/ It's important to support our favourite artists at a time like this (I mean it's always important but with live shows being very limited, buying records and CD's is a good way to show them some love while treating yourself. Kindness IS magic after all.

So give this a listen and let me know what you think. Again, thank you Hawksley, for this wonderful record.

Stay safe everyone xo

growing up so cold in a wartime bungalow

you were such a show-off 

brushing your teeth before bed even when we were both so drunk and stoned

and laughing and falling down

and i just fell asleep and started dreaming

Way Back Wednesday - Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis

Today's Way Back Wednesday song was released back in 1978 by Tom Waits on his brilliant "Blue Valentine" album.

This particular version of "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis" is a live one. The song is punctuated by weird and somewhat inappropriate laughter from the audience. This has long been a favourite song of mine. 

Waits is singing about a woman who writes a letter to a man she knew, explaining that she's pregnant, sober and  married to a fine man who is going to raise her baby as his own. Life is good for her, or rather would be, she confesses, if she still had the cash she used to spend on drugs. Sadly, we learn that she's been fibbing to poor old Charley. The hooker is actually in jail but will be released on Valentine's Day. It's a sad story but I love the way Tom Waits tells it.

I hope you give it a listen. Happy hump day kiddos, stay safe xo

And hey Charley I think about you

Everytime I pass a fillin' station

On account of all the grease

You used to wear in your hair

And I still have that record

Of little anthony & the imperials

Because It's Tuesday - week of October 27

Well it's Tuesday once again, the last Tuesday of October.

The cover I'm sharing today was originally released in 1979 by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on their "Damn the Torpedoes" album. I wasn't the biggest Tom Petty fan but I was always a fan of "Damn the Torpedoes." 

Listening to today's song has reminded me about how much I miss road trips. Getting into the car, picking a direction and just driving until you find somewhere interesting to stop (or you're just too darned tired to keep going). Hopefully someday, when things calm down in the states and the pandemic is actually under control, we can do that again. It's been a long time since I've been on a road trip south of the border. I am optimistic that it'll be something I'll get to experience again even though, in reality, I know it won't be happening anytime soon.

Today's song is a version of "Louisiana Rain" (my buddy John is a big fan of the original) by Cut Worms. He released on Jagjaguwar it last week. You can find a copy of it over on his bandcamp page if you're interested in sending some cash his way to thank him. 

Hope you enjoy it xo

Well I never will get over this English refugee

Singing to the jukebox in some all-night beanery

Yeah he was eating pills like candy and chasing them with tea

You should have seen him lick his lips, that old black muddied beak

Isolation Friday - How to Forgive

As the pandemic continues to still be a thing that we must take very very seriously (yes I'm looking at you, anti-masking IDIOTS), more and more artists are doing live online shows. For us fans, it's fantastic but there are SO MANY that it can be hard to pick which one you'll watch live versus streaming it later.

Recently, super sweet Tennis did their own broadcast entitled "Live in the Void." The name reminded me of the John Oliver show but that's really not relevant. 

This week, they released a live version of "How to Forgive" from that performance and it's fantastic. They released "How to Forgive" back in January (which seems like a lifetime ago now doesn't it?) prior to their album (Swimmer) being released in February. I just love everything they do and am disappointed that I missed Live in the Void. Hopefully, we'll see more sneaky videos from that show (or I'll be able to watch the next one they do).

Hope you enjoy this. Have a great weekend kittens xo

All this noise when I need silence

Love shouldn't feel like violence

Swallow your pride, open up wide

Let the whole world in