ARGUE JOB

Will Scott – …recordings

jammingcues — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:02:32 +0000

From somewhere in the ether emerged this double bag of musical sketches, riffs, rhythms, instrumental ramblings, vocal showcases, and guest appearances, all organized and released under the guiding light of Will Scott. A well known member in the rogues gallery of Edmonton’s wave of garage-scuzz (including The Mitts and Pigeon Breeders), with this collection, Will delves into what I can only describe as a musical jungle. Disc One–the “stand alone album”–starts with a drum-n-vox groove, goes into a Greek bazouki theme of some sort, layers on some semi-funk flavours, adds more layers of instruments and vocal ooohs, low-fi scratchy noises, and eventually, with “Basement I”, arriving at the heart of darkness in a full-blown noisecapade. The standouts for me have to be “The Saga Continues,” what could easily become a garage-gaze standard, and Disc Two’s delightfully sub-Beck effort at white guy rap from “Old Man Johnson”. Truly, this collection is more than can be fairly assessed by myself or anyone else in such a short time, with such a sparse word count. Grab your machete, why don’t you, and make your own foray into the musical jungle.

Tagged: burn flippin urn records, Edmonton, Ramshackle Day Parade, recordings, the mitts, will scott

Jesse Northey and Doug Hoyer – Signs of Life (single)

jammingcues — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:56:18 +0000

A union of minds is a common thing for those of us raised online, but a physical collaboration between artists across such expansive geographies as ours can be a rare thing. Thus, I think it fair to regard this gem, a lonely single without a format, something of a miracle. One of the liveliest movers and shakers in Lethbridge, one Jesse Northey of Jesse and the Dandelions, became acquainted with Edmonton’s favourite iPod/ukelele crooner Doug Hoyer. The pair of pop savantes decided to set a date, meet in Lethbridge, and write and record something over a long weekend. The result is this haunting post-ballad. Although the song deploys the well-worn imagery of a heart beat/ vital signs/ etc, the track manages to capture some kind of elusive magic in its combination of synth beds, James Bond guitar lines, and acoustic guitar strumming in the chorus swells. The talent of each voice balances to a perfect equilibrium, delivering a humble and sustaining aura, and the utterance of the last spoken line is as addictive as anything ever put to mp3.

Tagged: Doug Hoyer, Edmonton, esper records, Jesse Northey, Lethbridge, OLD UGLY

Catgut – Goosegg Smooshkeg

arguejob — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:43:42 +0000

The songwriting genius of OLD UGLY’s Phil Holtby, last embodied by the appellation DoT, has returned in the 90′s grunge inspired Catgut project. These scrappy garage recordings capture the minimal straight ahead ethos Phil imbues Catgut with live. His guitar writing is endlessly interesting, delving into so many different corners of the riffosphere. And I have already spoken at lenght on his endearing croak of a voice but it must be said that when employed in Catgut, that croak takes on a saw’s serated edge and becomes something even bigger and more alluring! The CD release for this gem is tonight at Wunderbar where very limited copies of this record will be available for consumption! Here’s the event.

Tagged: Catgut, DoT, Edmonton, OLD UGLY, Phil Holtby

SOME NICE RAPS Presented by DJ Argue Job

arguejob — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:42:44 +0000

I was just sitting around listening to some raps and figured I should make a mix for all of you fine readers of this humble blog. We normally do strictly Canada but these songs are from all over the place, musically and geographically. Get crunk.

Bone Crusher – Gettin It (Get Dat Money)
Starlito – Get Off My Line feat. Yo Gotti
Ludacris – The Potion
Quasimoto – Greenery
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Foe Tha Love Of $ ft. Eazy-E
Madlib – Take It Back
Kendrick Lamar – A.D.H.D
Help – Equality
ASAP Rocky – Leaf ft. Main Attrakionz Prod. By Clams Casino
Chief Navaho – Resevoir Dogs ft. Yogi
Big Boi – Something’s Gotta Give ft. Mary J. Blige
Mos Def – Life In Marvelous Times
Hail Mary Mallon – Meter Feeder
Flash Bang Grenada – Hyperbolic ft. Del the Funky Homosapien
Wiz Khalifa – Phone Numbers ft. Trae Tha Truth & Big Sean
Lil Wayne – 3 Peat
MeLo-X- Rapity Rap Remix ft. Kendrick Lamar & Mickey Factz
Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – The Last Huzzah! ft. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown & El-P
Camp Lo – Coolie High
A.Dd+ – Jumper Cables ft. Tunk
Freestyle Fellowship – Cornbread
Action Bronson – Larry Csonka
Aesop Rock – Limelighters ft. Camp Lo
Busta Rhymes – Match The Name With The Voice ft. Flipmode Squad
Danny Brown – Juno
Prof – Gampo
Jaylib – Raw Shit ft. Talib Kweli
Open Mike Eagle – Why Pianos Break ft. P.O.S.
Nacho Picasso – Sweaters
Nolely Nole – Pick Em Up

Tagged: A.Dd+, Action Bronson, Aesop Rock, ASAP Rocky, Big Boi, Big Sean, Bone Crusher, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Busdriver, Busta Rhymes, Camp Lo, Chief Navaho, Clams Casino, Danny Brown, Das Racist, Del The Funky Homosapien, Despot, Eazy-E, El-P, Flash Bang Grenada, Flipmode Squad, Freestyle Fellowship, Hail Mary Mallon, Help, J Dilla, Jaylib, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Madlib, Main Attrakionz, Mary J. Blige, Melo-X, Mickey Factz, Mos Def, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Nacho Picasso, Nocando, Nolely Nole, open mike eagle, P.O.S., Prof, Quasimoto, Rob Sonic, Starlito, Talib Kweli, Trae The Truth, Wiz Khalifa, Yo Gotti, Yogi

King Vulture – Dead Around Vegas

arguejob — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:52:45 +0000

The determination and domination of Maxwell Vautour to his new King Vulture project is staggering. I am covered head to toe in noise abrasions from this misanthropic mega kill. The album’s title, Dead Around Vegas, perfectly captures the extra-worldly and slovenly flesh-centric audio machinations Vautour has crafted here, maintaining just enough musicality to ensure the recording’s are human enough to still be listened to. The staunchiest track is most certainly “Bella In The Wych Elm,” which I cannot at all listen to for my own personal aversion to that particular style of blues rock but the record is otherwise unerring in my opinion. The addition of M. Peterman on guitar to the project gives some of the songs a cracked out M83 vibe which is most appreciated on “Ana” and “It’s Not Racist, It’s Just Offensive.” I hope the entire world comes into contact with this music for the sake of some nihilistic therapeutic agenda. Speaking of behalf of this blog, we cannot wait to see what King Vulture tears the guts out of next.

Tagged: Dead Around Vegas, Edmonton, King Vulture, M. Peterman, Maxwell Vautour

Lou Wreath – Empty Head

arguejob — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:10:18 +0000

I don’t usually do individual tracks but this is too smooth. Kris Glabush (of Pale Moon Lights) has found a glorious sound in this new Lou Wreath incarnation. It’s shaping up to be one of the most promising new projects in Edmonton right now.

Tagged: Edmonton, Empty Head, Kris Glabush, Lou Wreath, Pale Moon Lights

Paula – Relaxed Fit

arguejob — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:02:07 +0000

Montreal’s Paula is another glorious musical retrofit from the ever proliferating Arbutus/Movie Star Records. The silky streets vibration tapped into on Relaxed Fit gives the whole record an irresistibly urban allure reticent of iroc-z’s and late night pizza. Don’t sleep:

Tagged: Arbutus, Montreal, Movie Star, Paula, Relaxed Fit, Sebastien Cowan

Tearjerker – Rare

radonjoke — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:18:10 +0000

So just before the anti-climactic beginning to what supposedly is the last year of all human consciousness, Toronto shoegazers Tearjerker unveiled there newest release Rare. On a walk I recently took down the trails of Glenora, I couldn’t help but let this album play repeatedly as the more and more decrepit paths I found began to be insurmountable. Tearjerker opens the album with the pop fuzz-orgy “Down”, truly a song that is better heard in a heap of sweat in some basement bar, however its suites well a sunrise on a riverbank. The title track “Rare” is one of those quivering ballads, epic and opaque, more or less obliges you to sit and ponder. The album goes on delivering chiming fuzz folk ballads, the highlights being “Word” and “Focus”. Yet, the closer “Solid Morning” nearly had me winded after a short listen. A perfect composition of melody and patience, or maybe its the slide guitar, it always seems to get me. After the first listen I had a short (or at least it felt short) repeat session continuously playing this gemstone, possibly wrapping up around the fifth or sixth listen I think. Refined, and adequately admired, it is almost impossible to not sink into a moment, and let these waves massage your eardrums. Fortunately this album is offered in a Pay-what-you-want type deal, so for those sap suckled students incapable to purchase even a cup of coffee, you can now afford a short listen.

Tagged: Rare, Tearjerker, Toronto

Holobody – Riverhood

arguejob — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:14:45 +0000

You may remember the magnificent naval gazing project titled Sea Oleena I posted about a couple weeks ago. Holobody is the personal project of that same producer, Felix Green, and features the vocals of Sea Oleena (who happens to be his sister!). The Holobody sound is completely apart though. Whereas Sea Oleena is full of ethereal vocal focused compositions, Holobody is extremely light spirited sounding at times like a new take on Paul Simon, imbued with a knick knack paddiwack playground chant. A glowing nostalgia emanates from the samples and the profligate hand claps and piano tinkerings. “Riverbed” takes a turn for the same floating vibrations of Sea Oleena but compare the speed and energy injected into this song—it is humming with a tamed recklessness. Listening to these two projects side by side is a joy in that it completes a vision of one producer, Felix Green, from both sides of the same coin. Compare and enjoy!

Tagged: Canada, Holobody, Sea Oleena

Hooded Fang – Tosta Mista

arguejob — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:13:08 +0000

I am a huge Hooded Fang fan. Their song “Green River” was one of my favourite jams of 2010. Their album, Tosta Mista, escaped the loving gaze of Argue Job because I was on tour at the time. I did manage to see Hooded Fang play songs from this record at Sappy Fest while on said tour and they were a blast. Pop shuffles abound, oohs and ahs gush into the mix, surfy grooves hula hoop around the headphones, and good times are birthed like little galaxies with each song! Don’t sleep on the dance floor, Hooded Fang are up next:

Tagged: Daps Records, Hooded Fang, Toronto, Tosta Mista