James MacDonald
Halloween Pumpkin on wooden table in front of spooky dark background. Jack o lantern

James’ Top 10 Halloween Playlist Recommendations

Halloween is upon us, and if you’re partying at home or with friends you’ll be looking for some tunes. Lucky you, I’ve got some recommendations for your playlist.

I’m sure it’s already there, so you can just tell me you know what you’re doing, but, let’s start with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins‘ I Put A Spell On You.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ Links

Spotify / Apple

Next I’m gonna suggest you pick it up for The Planet Smashers and My Love [Vampire].

The Planet Smashers’ Links

Bandcamp / Twitter / Spotify  / Apple

When I put together my list I had a rule about not including any artist twice, so after some consideration I’ve narrowed down my choice for a Rob Zombie song down to Dragula.

Rob Zombie’s Links

 Twitter / Spotify  / Apple

Equally tough, The Creepshow have a catalogue perfect for improving any Halloween party, but for a single recommendation I’ve got to go with Creatures of the Night.

The Creepshow’s Links

Bandcamp / Twitter / Spotify  / Apple

 

I hope you’re still moving because next up I gotta rec KC and The Sunshine Band‘s I’m Your Boogieman.

KC and The Sunshine Band’s Links

 Twitter / Spotify / Apple

Maybe you’re not up All Hallow’s Eve dancing, maybe you’re bingging your way through the latest season of your favourite show about people who do. I got you, too. Check out We Are The Union‘s covers You’re Dead/Vampire Ska.

We Are The Union’s Links

Bandcamp / Twitter / Spotify  / Apple

 

Call this a bend not a break, because Jer from We Are The Union has got a great album of spooky covers out now and since I can’t get away with adding the whole album I’m gonna recommend Skatune Network‘s The Working Dead.

Skatune Network’s Links

Patreon / Twitter / Spotify / Twitch / Apple

 

I hope you’ve got more skanking in you, check out Grave Danger‘s Specter Inspector.

Grave Danger’s Links

Bandcamp / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram  / Spotify / Apple

 

Next up I’m gonna suggest TWRP and The Protomen’s Phantom Racer.

TWRP’s Links

Bandcamp / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram  / TikTok / Spotify / Twitch / Apple

Circling back to “I know you got this” territory my last recommendation for your Spooky Sing Along is Bobby “Boris” Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers classic The Monster Mash.

Bobby “Boris” Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers’ Links

Spotify / Apple

Keep it safe and spooky out there!

October 31, 2021 No Comments
Chixdiggit Bovine 30 Year Anniversary Feature

Chixdiggit and The Bovine Sex Club are turning 30!

With the Big Three Oh bearing down on them both Chixdiggit and the Bovine Sex Club have decided to celebrate together by putting on shows this November 4th, 5th, and 6th. Not content to rock alone, each night includes two bands in support.

“Thirty years after forming a band based on t-shirts they made before ever picking up their instruments, Calgary’s Chixdiggit still sounds like catchy summer tunes blasting from car windows. Specializing in three-minute songs that stick in your head for the next three weeks, Chixdiggit has always been more riff than raff. Their enthusiastic brand of post-punk pop is neither faded nor jaded.” – [PRESS RELEASE]

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“Revered as one of the city’s greatest Rock’N’Roll landmarks due to its junk-encrusted exterior — not to mention a hub for musicians and music fans worldwide the Bovine Sex Club (542 Queen St. W.) is one of the most loved and long-running music venues in Canada. In honour of reaching its 30th anniversary despite all the hurdles, it was decided it’s time to celebrate and who better to do that with than Chixdiggit! as both ring in 30 years!”– [PRESS RELEASE]

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2021 –  Wordplay, Black Cat Attack, Chixdiggit! [Tickets Here]

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2021 – Heavy Petter, School Damage, Chixdiggit! [Tickets Here]

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2021 –  The Shivies, Bad Words, Chixdiggit! [Tickets Here]

 $20.00 in advance.

Doors at 9 pm

Chixdiggit Bovine 30 year anniversary show full size poster

Web / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Spotify / Bandcamp

October 12, 2021 No Comments
Angels and Airwaves LIFEFORMS

Angels & Airwaves – LIFEFORMS

After a seven year wait, Angels & Airwaves released their sixth album last Friday. A striking combination of classic pop-punk fundamentals and rich synths, full of meditations on youth and disappointment, LIFEFORMS is uptempo, nostalgic, and equal parts melancholy and enthusiasm.

Their fifth single of 2021, ‘Timebomb’, was released just two days before the album dropped on September 24th, and Tom had this to say about it:
“’Timebomb’ is a special song to me because it represents the emotional equivalent of an armed device about to blow. I think everyone can relate to the pressure of life bearing down on a young teenage heart,” said DeLonge of the new song. Of LIFEFORMS, he said “It’s taken me a long time to present my art in the way I envisioned over a decade ago. ‘LIFEFORMS’ is the first part of what I saw could be possible then.”

Formed by Tom DeLonge in 2005, Angels & Airwaves is made up of DeLonge, Ilan Rubin, David Kennedy, and Matt Rubanok. Tonight, September 28, 2021, they’ll be on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and tomorrow they’ll kick off their US tour, including Riot Fest on October 9th at Chicago’s new Radius venue.

LIFEFORMS Track list

01. Timebomb
02. Euphoria
03. Spellbound
04. No More Guns
05. Losing My Mind
06. Automatic
07. Restless Souls
08. Rebel Girl
09. A Fire in a Nameless Town
10. Kiss & Tell

Angels and Airwaves promo photo

 

Angels & Airwaves Links

Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / YouTube

LIFEFORMS album art AVA Angels and Airwaves

September 28, 2021 No Comments
TWRP Over The Top Feature Image

TWRP, Over The Top Album Review

I’ve been a fan of TWRP since a customer came into my day job years ago and told me I would regret it if I didn’t make time to see this band who had been playing a residency at his work. So it was a huge deal for me when I was asked if I’d like to write a review of their upcoming release, Over The Top.

The album opens with Comin’ Atcha, a high energy statement of intent. They’re embarking on an upbeat journey of positivity, and you are coming along for the ride. Encouraging and uplifting, Roll With It is a timely reminder that “I know there’s a lot going on but we’ve got to be strong and believe in love”. Somewhere Out There implores listeners to think about what we have in common, to pull together and lift each other up, and to reach for the sky and stars as a collective, a theme that continues into Need Each Other featuring Planet Booty, which reminds us no matter how small we are in the bigger universe we’re all living in it together, and we all have the power to improve each other’s lives with a little bit of love. On This Rock is another timely track, “say hello to the new new normal”, it tells us, “times will change, change with them” it asks of us. “The way it was before is such a blur” is a whole mood.

Need Each Other feat. Planet Booty (Official Audio)

Black Swan, featuring Dan Avidan, is a winding and operatic epic, a tale about returning to something, after your best days have passed, only to discover that any day that lets you do your thing is the best day. Only The Best was the album’s lead single, and it found its way to my Spotify On Repeat list immediately. It’s celebratory, brimming with encouragement and affection, it carries a strong message of unity, through good and bad, “together we are stronger”. Top Secret, featuring Andrew Huang, breathes secret agent vibes like a funky sneaking mission with a licence to chill. Destination, Featuring The Gambler, bleeds classic influences and retro sounds, and is just plain fun. Grand Prix mosies, swells, and races towards the finish line before changing paces, becoming a well-earned victory lap of soothing vibes.

Only The Best (Official Audio)

Over The Top is a joy to listen to from beginning to end, overflowing with optimism, energy, love and peace.

Album Credits

All songs by TWRP
Lyrics by Doctor Sung on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9
Lyrics by Dan Avidan on track 6
Lyrics by Planet Booty on track 4
Lyrics by the Gambler on track 9
Synths by Andrew Huang on track 8
Produced by Jim Arsenault
Engineered by Jim Arsenault
Mixed by Dan Weston
Mastered by João Carvalho at João Carvalho Mastering
Artwork by Arthur Doyle

TWRP Promo Photo 1_Photo Credit Tucker Prescott

Photo Credit Tucker Prescott

TWRP Over The Top Album Art

TWRP’s Links

Bandcamp / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram  / TikTok / Spotify / Twitch / Apple

September 25, 2020 1 Comment
Crown Lands Photo Credit- Travis Shinn Photography

Crown Lands Spit It Out Kaleidoscope Style

Crown Lands are back!

On February 6, KERRANG! had the exclusive video release for Spit It Out. I may have watched the video 50 times.

Cody and Kevin have been busy this past year. There’s been a lot of travel, a lot of shows with a bunch of very cool bands, tons of cool new things like photoshoots, this video shoot, and of course, there’s new music.

Spit It Out was written after their stint playing with Jack White

The video is a performance piece, but it offers us a side of the band we’ve never seen before. With an uber colourful, kaleidoscopic backdrop, the pair headbang, hair flip, and strut their stuff at a whole new level. Cody’s journey from behind the kit in his sparkly gold suit is both glorious and groovy. Adding a little mic cord whipping, the bare-chested drummer is changing things up, big time.

Not to be outdone, Kevin’s always been comfortable throwing a kick, while hair flipping his way through songs. We have to give props for his jacket choice. It’s detailing, and the fact that it matches his boots and his guitar is everything. And that slide!

I’m loving the mirror images, the colours, the kaleidoscope treatment.

Crown Lands – Spit It Out

“Spit It Out deals with the frustrations of dealing with a partner who will not speak up when they have something to say,” says drummer/vocalist Cody Bowles. “It addresses the anxiety of not being able to openly communicate. It is about carrying something within that you don’t have the strength or courage to say to someone, and instead of saying what’s on your mind you distance yourself from the situation.” – Quote excerpt from KERRANG!

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. If there was any doubt that rock and roll is alive in Canada, this song should be evidence enough to reassure rock fans.

“Spit It Out” is finally out! This was the first song we wrote when we came off tour with Jack White last year, and it captures the spirit of that time in our lives. We recorded it at RCA in Nashville with Dave Cobb, live-off-the-floor with minimal overdubs. No click tracks, no auto-tune, no bullshit. This is Crown Lands 2020.”

Crown Lands Original Digital Art

Crown Lands Original Digital art by James P MacDonald

Original Art by James MacDonald

Crown Lands has taken everything up a notch. Their star power is indisputable, and their star is on the rise.

Crown Lands is heading out on tour with Larkin Poe, dates listed below. They’ve also got an album coming later this year. In the meantime, listen to Spit It Out, subscribe to their YouTube Channel, and get out and see a show!

May

01 – Birmingham, United Kingdom @ O2 Institute
02 – Dublin, Ireland @ Button Factory
03 – Glasgow, Ireland @ SWG3
05 – Manchester, United Kingdom @ Ritz
06 – Bristol, United Kingdom @ SWX
07 – London, United Kingdom @ Shepherds Bush Empire
09 – Amsterdam, Germany @ Paradiso Main Hall
10 – Cologne, Germany @ Live Music Hall
12 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
13 Paris, France @ Le Trianon
15 – Barcelona, Spain @ Apolo
16 – Madrid, Spain @ Sala But
19 – Milan, Italy @ Santeria
20 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Dynamo
22 – Munich, Germany @ Technikum
23 – Vienna, Austria @ WUK
25 – Prague, Czech Republic @ Lucerna Music Bar
26 – Berlin, Germany @ Huxley’s
27 – Hamburg, Germany @ Markthalle
29 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega
30 – Gothenburg, Sweden @ Tradgarn
31 – Oslo, Norway @ Rockefeller
June
02 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Berns
08 – Toronto, Canada @ Mod Club

February 7, 2020 2 Comments
TWRP

TWRP and Rich Aucoin at Toronto’s The Opera House

It’s always a wonderful experience when you go out to see a band you love and the opening act absolutely blows you away. Saturday night at The Opera House I had my mind blown by Rich Aucoin, Space Cowboy.

The set had a high power psychedelic school spirit assembly energy, full of positive vibes, audience participation, fantastic visual accompaniments, a rainbow parachute connecting the folks on the balcony with the crowd on the floor, and a sing-along. By the next morning, The Release had made its way into my Spotify rotation.

Lights pulsed and video rolled with lyrics for the crowd to call out. As I left the show, I said on Twitter, that I felt like I’d been orbitally bombarded with optimism, and I spent a good chunk of my night wondering just how much of the crowd realized we were also applauding ourselves after Rich lead us through Bohemian Rhapsody at the end of the set.

Between the two acts that positive energy stayed in the air. People lined up at the merch tables, while Rich greeted people in his silver jumpsuit and cowboy hat, and the crowd eagerly awaited the moment when TWRP would take the stage.

Appropriately opening with Back In Town from the new album, Return to Wherever, they proceeded to absolutely melt our faces off with both new songs and crowd favourites, including an over 20 minute long, high energy medley late in the set. They lean hard on positivity, with Generous Dimensions and Hidden Potential. Songs came fast enough that no matter how many songs Doctor Sung and Commander Meouch said they’d played, ‘for the ladies’, I was ready to go with it.

There was smoke, there were strobing and sweeping lights, the band roamed the stage, they stood together and swayed in unison, and ran to the wings for props and equipment, holding our attention locked front and centre.

Closing with All Night Forever, Doctor Sung, nunchuck master, couldn’t conceal his joy at us knowing all the words, and singing our hearts out. Even after 2 encores and a saxophone solo, the crowd seemed happy to continue to dance with the house lights up, as people slowly made their way out to the street.

TWRP are currently on tour in the US with The Protomen, visit their website for more information.

January 13, 2020 2 Comments
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