I, Movie - March 2010 - DJ Cucumbah

Because I neglected to put any explanation on the packaging, the title of this month's CD doesn't really make any sense by itself. I, Movie is a collection of songs that were either, featured in, or composed for films I have produced and/or directed. Roughly assembled in chronological order, except for some treats at the end of the disk (placed for purposes of flow and structure), it is my filmography in song. It also includes tracks that were chosen, but never made it into the final films (because of cash shortages, mean agents, uncooperative and just plain greedy music publishers, etc). There are some original compositions recorded for specific films and even a few tracks that I hope will appear in projects that are still just scripts (my future filmography). It does evolve from garage rock, into female pop, and then onto much more funky and atmospheric material - I think it holds together as a disk. A bit of an ego trip perhaps, but at least I don't sing on any of the tracks.

Population 420 (1993, 28 minutes)

1. Wake Up

A snippet of dialogue from my first post-film school drama - the short drama Population 420. A dark tale of an alcoholic ex-cop who tracks his missing girlfriend back to her tiny rural hometown - but what are Frank's real intentions?

The Suburbanators (1995, 87 minutes)

2. Atom Smacker - The Primrods

The Suburbanators was my first feature film as producer. Shot in Calgary in 1995, we used local indie-bands for the soundtrack. The Primrods were a really great band that almost went places. They eventually recorded an album for Geffen Records but it got shelved and the group fell apart. The Suburbantors played at The Sundance Film Festival and was quite successful for a super low-budget first feature. The notorious Troma Entertainment (of Toxic Avenger fame) released it in the USA and still distributes it internationally.

Kitchen Party (1997, 92 minutes)

3. Ragweed - Rollerball

I produced Kitchen Party (Gary Burns 2nd film) but also worked closely on the soundtrack. We had a real budget and a real music supervisor as well, John Bissell who had just finished doing the music for The Horse Whisperer? He lived in Montana in a little town filled with Hollywood screenwriters and was pretty plugged into the music scene on the west coast. I have no idea where this group came from or where they went, but I still like this track (it's so old its retro, again).

4. Nothing Boy - The Lux

A Vancouver band that seems to have disappeared.

5. The Truth This Time - The Soft Tips

Twin brothers from Calgary who only recorded a couple of songs. A really catchy tune - a little rough, but it works. That's just the kind of shit that happens in a garage.

Bad Money (1999, 89 minutes)

6. Carnavalis - Schaun Tozer

Part of the tropical themed score for Bad Money - my first feature as director. Schaun Tozer composed much of the music and supervised the recording. We used a lot of real musicians and spent a lot of time on the soundtrack. The movie is about the financial struggles of four different middle class people. The premise was to look at the lengths people will go to to hold onto their station in life, no matter how modest. Oh, and it's a comedy and is still available on DVD in Germany.

7. The Magnificent Seven - Tito Rodríguez

We edited a big scene, where two down and out punks try to make some money by working as prostitutes at a gay cowboy convention, to this lounge version of Elmer Bernstein's title music for The Magnificent Seven, but we were unable to secure the rights. The composer doctored up a facsimile that had the same feel and tempo, and we recorded and used that instead (included as track 20 The Cowboy Thong). But this original is still an awesome arrangement.

8. Don't Die Just Yet - David Holmes

Again, we used this in the editing but it turned out we just couldn't afford it. We listened to this so much while we were editing that it feels like it's part of the film - even though it isn't.

These Girls (2005, 92 minutes)

9. Friday is the Spice of Life - The Von Zippers

I tried to have as many rocking girl groups as possible on the These Girls soundtrack but I needed a little something heavier in select places. Shooting on location, I listened to The Von Zippers' album 'The Future Is Now' every morning in my shitty little vacation cottage in Shediak New Brunswick - to knock the cobwebs out of me head and the bugs out of the rug. Later on in the editing room I used it when we needed some heavy lifting done. These boys have crunch. The DVD cover shown is the Portuguese version, it can be found in Spanish, German, French and the original English as well. It just played on Romanian TV.

10. Smack - Bettie Serveert

A friend of mine was a big fan of this Dutch outfit (headed up by a Canadian gal) and they fit perfectly into the These Girls soundtrack. They came to Montreal when we were in post-production so I was able to accost them after the show.

11. Combat Baby - Metric

These guys (and gal) were just starting to take off so we got this song for a song (and some cash). It plays over the credits sequence and lends the overall film a certain combative tone.

12. Finacé - The Sunday Sinners

An all girl (plus a dude on bass) group from Montréal The Sunday Sinners put on quite a show. They really know their old school rock. They still play around town.

13. Walking With A Ghost - Tegan & Sara

I can't handle too much of Tegan & Sara at one time, but this song really works. The White Stripes covered it.

14. What is the Light? - The Flaming Lips

In the several years it took to develop and write (rewrite) These Girls, I always had this grand idea that I would get The Flaming Lips to agree to let me re-mix the entire album 'The Soft Bulletin' into a soundtrack. That of course never happened, and even if it had it would have been for a far moodier and darker film than what These Girls eventually turned out to be. But I did listen to this song over and over again as I toiled over the script.

In a World Created by a Drunken God (2008, 92 minutes)

15. I'm On My Way - The Dead Indians

Drunken God was an odd little project I was hired to direct. It is the story of a white man who tries to get his 'long lost' native half-brother to donate a kidney to their dying father. It's all about healing or as the Edmonton Journal aptly wrote 'Film questions our need for healing'. For a super low budget project it has done very well and picked up a few awards here and there. I wanted a tough soundtrack to reflect the boiling anger of the main native character and listened to a lot of native rap music looking for the perfect tracks. The Dead Indians fit the bill. This track didn't make it into the film, the producers took it out for some reason. Too much cussin' on the mic perhaps?

My Present Age

16. Donauschingen
(Peter Kruder's Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänskajütenremix) - Trüby Trio

I have been working on My Present Age - an adaptation of Guy Vanderhaeghe's novel of the same name - for ten years. The story of a divorcee-to-be who gets too much into his own head - Ed is given to wild flights of fantasy that have wreaked his relationship with Victoria. This piece off the classic Kruder and Dorfmeister's K&D sessions would go very nicely with the off kilter comic tone of the film. With a bigger budget this time I just might be able to afford it.

17. You're Gonna Get Yours - Public Enemy

In My Present Age there is a character called Rubacek. She is maybe 20 years old on a good day, but she claims to have an extensive criminal past and has a memoir she is writing based on some hard prison time she also claims to have done. This song should play as she drives her purple vintage Grand Prix around town.

O Cannabis

18. Double Drums (DJ DSL Mix) - Peace Orchestra

I was hired to rewrite a script called O Cannabis - I threw out the script, kept the title, and started over. The tale of a hapless farmer who has bankrupted the family raising ostriches and llamas, O Cannabis tracks the Potter family as they turn to growing marijuana to save the farm. Because this is well trod territory, I have to aim to put a new spin on this type of story, and I thought that this track would go well with and in beautiful contrast to the wide open skies of Saskatchewan where this is set. Imagine smoking a fatty and relaxing to this remix as the prairie wheat and country bumpkins drift by.

19. The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprize - Devo

I just wrote my first TV pilot. A half hour comedy penned collectively with fellow screenwriters Dan Williams and Lienne Sawatsky. Brannen is a handsome detective who solves odd ball crimes in the Plateau neighbourhood of Montreal and he has lots of trouble with ladies. I thought this would make a great titles sequence song. The poster image is a mock-up for demonstration purposes and by no way implies that Jon Dore (featured) is associated with the show.

20. The Cowboy Thong - Schaun Tozer & Dan Seguin

Because we couldn't get The Magnificent Seven title music, the composer for Bad Money did a 'version' for the film. We recorded with a horn section and a few percussionists - it was a fun day in the studio.

21. Track 12 - Andy Greatrix

We recorded a lot of country music for Population 420 - funny ersatz hurtin' song that my co-director Michael Gregory wrote the lyric for. However they aren't great listening songs for my purposes here. So this is the instrumental version of one of the songs we used a lot in the film. The pedal steel player, Andy Greatrix, was super talented and rock solid, so we just let him go. It is a one take track and has flaws but I really like the feel of this one.

22. Fry 'em Right

Another snippet from Population 420. Some wisdom from a local character on the deeper meaning and nuance of ordering eggs.

Significant Digits

2009 was damn busy. Not much time to investigate new music, can't listen to music while I'm writing... in short, far too few tunes. Finding stuff and compiling the mix could break this terrible pattern.

But theme, theme, theme, theme....

Books scattered, papers strewn, digi-bookmarks marked. I was getting ready to teach an undergraduate course called "New Media" (not my title) that would be focusing on the computer as cultural artifact -- getting inside that badass black box and theorizing the chip out of it. Had machines on my mind, algorithms on the brain, codes in my nodes.

The digging began with music that was made with computers, and led me around to early stuff that experimented with electronic sounds, and later stuff that keeps on trucking with electronics and computers with the same enthusiasm as the pioneers. I liked what I found.

I was also lured in by groups and songs that were about these things in name/theme only. One gets the impression that you can hardly consider yourself a band these days (or those days) if you don't have at least one album that celebrates electronics (or robots).

Those 0s and 1s on the album cover are my digits, by the way. I didn't realize until after I'd designed this that it could look like finger puppet penises and vaginas. Well, if you fancy that interp (my new word for today, rhymes with 'perp' as used on CSI or Law & Order SVU or any other acronymmed TV cop show), you're welcome to it. Really, though, I was trying to allude to the musician's hand betwix' the computerized mix.

So on with the data:

1. Detune / Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna 1:07

I broke a wee rule here, since this track is actually composed by Karlheinz Essl, who will also be providing us with track 20. But this song is damn short, and is played by a whole orchestra, which track 20 is not, so really, there's a lot of different musicians involved. Essl, an Austrian "composer, performer, improviser, media artist and composition teacher," uses a lot of computing in compositions, music installations, and performances. Detune is a "fragment for oboe and large orchestra", written for the 40th anniversary of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.


Every time you refresh Karlheinz's homepage, there's a new photo of him, along with a weird phrase that may or may not be machine generated. Included are such things as:

trims a modest technique
fails to achieve the proposed sentence
messes around with the problematic search
flattens the inner revelation
obeys the essence of a junction
departs from his data track

2. electric to me turn / bruce haack 1:53

This was a fun find. This guy is my alma mater, for god's sake. He's apparently from Nordegg, a town not far from Rocky Mountain House (Alberta, Canada), which Cucumbah and I happened to drive through this summer. If I'd known about Haack, I would have asked about him in the town museum (doubles as the coffee shop). Word is, Haack tried to get into University of Alberta's music program, but was shown the hand. He took psychology instead, and then went off to NYC to get groovy and experimental in ways probably frowned on by central-west Albertans at that time. Have a look at these vids and fall in love like I did.



And that's not nearly all, folks. Check out Haack's 'dermatron'... a human theremin, plays on skin, not air:



Perhaps the neatest thing about Haack is that a large part of his discography is made up of albums for kids, featuring "Miss Nelson".


























3. Take It In / Hot Chip 4:08

I love how this song moves back and forth between arty dissonant pop and 80s inspirational easy listening. This track is from their latest album, one life stand.


4. Summertime Clothes / Animal Collective 4:30

Animal Collective's latest album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, made it onto a bunch of 'top' lists for best music of 2009, and rightly so. This is music for the church choirs of the future. The electroplay makes a perfectly calibrated nest for the complex vocal layering -- and these guys are really singing. Big bonus points for having an album cover image that fucks with our perceptual apparatus.


5. Step Aside / Efterklang 4:39

Efterklang is a Danish group with 3 studio albums (newest one, Magic Chairs, being released any day now). Step Aside is from their first (2004). Wikipedia reports that Efterklang means "remembrance" or "reverberation". They're coming to play a small venue in Montreal shortly -- looking forward to seeing how they fill the room with that sweet, seductive sound. They performed their entire second album, Parades, with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra. Check out 'Caravan':



Update: Checked out the show at the small venue. It was well attended and supremely enjoyable. When they introduced "Step Aside," I felt like they were playing it just for me. This is a truly happy bunch of musicians, who smile as they sing. They're also a very generous and caring band, treating both their compositions and their audience like precious jewels. I left the show with a profoundly calm optimism I hadn't felt for some time.

6. Symphony For A Spider Plant / Mort Garson 2:41

Mort Garson is another born-in-Canada (New Brunswick) electro pioneer, known mainly for his Moog synthesizer compositions during the 60s and 70s, especially his "The Zodiac: Cosmic Sounds", with tracks for every astrological sign (Elektra Records (1967)). Though there are spacier songs out there (enjoy "Deja Vu" from "Ataraxia The Unexplained" (1975) below), my four years of greenhouse work compelled me to choose from a Garson album entitled "Mother Earth's Plantasia...warm earth music for plants... and the people who love them" (1976). Other track titles: Concerto for Philodendron and Pathos, Swingin' Spathiphyllums, Ode to an African Violet...:





7. skip for love / minikomi 3:19

I found this cool track on a chiptune blog out of Australia. Chiptune is a type of music generated by computer or sound chips (e.g. from Atari, Nintendo, Game Boy, etc.), or that generates the sound chip sound using other means. minkomi 'itself' is apparently from Australia, residing in Japan, and recently launched M>E>T>R>O>D>U>B, a dub-oriented chiptune label.

8. Dancing Choose / TV On The Radio 2:56

I first saw TV on the Radio on the Colbert Report, likely a billion years after 'the kids' had picked up on this group. This album is apparently the more poppy of all their efforts... I like the media frenzy whipped by the title and first lines (about the newspaper man), not to mention the album name (Dear Science).


9. One Note Samba / Jean-Jacques Perrey & Ger… 2:08

One Note Samba was originally 'Samba de Uma Nota So, composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim. It appeared on the Grammy-winning 1963 Getz/Byrd/Jobim album "Jazz Samba". This version is by Jean-Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley, from their 1967 collaboration, Kaleidoscopic Vibrations: Spotlight on the Moog (1967). Perrey was experimenting with sound looping, splicing with tape and scissors when he befriended Robert Moog, to become an early Moog synth musician. Check out the Moog-less one note melody line with Jobim, lyrics, backup vocals and flute:



AND Ella's scat rendition:



10. Let X = X / Laurie Anderson 3:54

"Let it Be" for postmoderns. From Big Science (1982). Genius words. "It's a sky-blue sky. Satellites are out tonight!" An especially appropriate song by NASA's first ever artist-in-residence.

"Oh boy. Right. Again."

Let Laurie = Laurie:





11. To A Little Radio / Chumbawamba 1:08

Must divulge the embarrassing truth that I thought this was a Sting song, having heard his version first, as "The Secret Marriage" on "...Nothing Like The Sun" (1987). I now know that this was a composition by Hanns Eisler, a product of a longstanding creative collaboration with Bertolt Brecht. This was part of "Hollywood Songbook" which Eisler composed in exile, in California, where he worked writing popular film scores (two of them Oscar-nominated). Hollywood Songbook is a "cycle of art songs" -- lieder -- based on poems, many by Brecht, including this one, An den kleinen Radioapparat. Media studies is fond of citing Brecht's reflections on radio's democratic potential.

"Radio is one sided when it should be two. It is purely an apparatus for distribution, for mere sharing out. So here is a positive suggestion: change this apparatus over from distribution to communication. The radio would be the finest possible communication apparatus in public life, a vast network of pipes. That is to say, it would be if it knew how to receive as well as transmit, how to let the listener speak as well as hear, how to bring him into a relationship instead of isolating him.“

Chumbawamba did right to stick to Brecht, and not write new lyrics like Sting did. Here it is with the original German poem:



12. Golden Phone / Micachu 2:44

Don't know much about Micachu, but really enjoy this album, Jewellery (2009). It's complicated, tough to listen to at times/in places, sweet and dainty in others. Dissonant, experimental, spastic, captivating.



13. Plug Me In / Add N To (X) 5:32

This song's title refers to electronics. The band's name is an equation. It's the perfect combo for this mix. Add (N) to (X) is also fond of making sex-themed vids. The "Plug Me In" video adopts porn vid stylings while featuring sexy women having hot fun amid a variety of gadgets -- see it, read about it here.

Another Add (N) to (X) song called "Metal Fingers in My Body" a racy 'sex with robots' animation.




14. Abwärts / Echokrank 2:12

I don't know anything about this group, just stumbled on this song at the site of "Gagarin Records", which might be defunct. Also have no idea what the title of this song means, but am quite curious. If you find out, let me know. I would put a picture of them up, but Blogspot doesn't let me use the paste function anymore for some reason. So no more photos in this post. Here's a video that pans back on the photo I would have included:




15. 09 The Last Song-1 / Plant Life 3:37

PlantLife, out of LA, are Jack Splash, Panda One, Dina Deadly and DJ Rashida. They've described their sound as 'tomorrow music', a mix of funk, electro, hiphop, disco, bit o' this, bit o' that, eclectic-like. Shout out to DJ Jesh for suggesting it for my disk. This disk needed some groove.

16. Are Friends Electric / The Dead Weather 4:25

A remake of Tubeway Army/Gary Numan's "Are Friends Electric?" by "American alternative rock supergroup," The Dead Weather (says Wikipedia). Cucumbah thought it was a bit heretical to include this cover -- the Numan original is luscious. But doesn't The Dead Weather one grow on you, too? A Numan fanvid for comparative purposes:




17. 22 Moog Cookbook - 01 - Black Hole Sun 4:23

A tribute to Moogs and Moog Music, Moog Cookbook is a 2-person band that composes everything on analog synthesizers. The Moog Cookbookis their 1995 album. (Love how this article from the Moog archive talks about how Canadian customs officials wouldn't let the early Moog in the country... a cultured Quebecois customs officer, versed in 'musique concrete,' saves the day and gets the papers signed.)

In the spirit of homage, I chose Black Hole Sun in honour of A-Funk's version on last year's "Not ABBA" compilation. I hope this nod to Soundgarden reworkings can be a continuing theme for our group.

18. Loop duplicate my heart / Suburban Kids with Biblical Names 3:07

Cheerful Swedish boy duo, singing about love and computers. Fits the bill. Another taste:



19. Jetpack Blues, Sunset Hues / Anamanaguchi 3:28

Couldn't have a computer music themed disk without including some more 8-bit chiptune, of the Nintendo sort. Anamanaguchi's psychedelic graphics and jumpy bitmaps cook up the right dose of hyper (hold the Ritalin!):




20. Hoquetus / Essl, Karlheinz 3:43

I love that this song uses fragments of speech as its structural elements. At least, that's what they seem like to me. Nothing better than bits and blurbs of chit and chat that make no sense, but generate an arresting pattern. Apparently, Essl performed this live on "m@ze°2", his computer-based instrument (23 March and 19 November, 1999). Here's a look at the instrument, Karlheinz's performance style. This one's definitely got a bit of Hoquetus happening, oo-oo, aa-aa, ee-ee:



21. IBM 1403 (Printer) / Jóhann Jóhannsson 9:33

I love the buildup in this song. It's beautiful. At first I thought it would be too snoozy for this mix, but I'd never take it out now. It's from Icelander Johannsson's 2006 album (4AD) entitled "IBM 1401, A User's Manual," which consists of 5 tracks inspired by a recording Johannsson's father made of an IBM mainframe computer. He had been the chief maintenance engineer for the 1401 since it's arrival in Iceland in 1964. The story of the computer, the work of the engineers and technicians, their efforts to make it perform outside its business capacities -- they made music and recordings -- as well as the funeral ceremony they held to commemorate it when it was dismantled in 1971, is behind Johannsson's project and compositions. The story is touching -- read more about it here.

Here's Track 1, IBM 1401 Processing Unit



22. daisy / IBM 704, 1962 1:39

In 1961, the IBM 7094 was programmed to 'sing' -- this was the song, Daisy Bell. It was also the song HAL sang before being forever unplugged in 2001: A Space Odyssey. I thought it was an appropriate outro to the disk. A suitable ending to these liner notes, I think, is this 11:00 youtube video that's called "Hal 9000's voice played 2000 times slower"... it's cool and creepy.

December CD: SOUL INVESTIGATOR

compiled by dj meezly

My interest in classic R&B originated back in the '90s, admittedly from catching samples off the Beastie Boys. Though I’ve picked up a few token best of albums by the likes of James Brown, Curtis Mayfield and Sly & the FS, my knowledge of the genre remains thin at best. Thanks in part to the soul revival trend some years ago, I became inspired to explore more outside of my comfort zone (ie. just sticking to Amy Winehouse). From then on I’ve discovered many great old-yet-new sounding - and new-yet-old sounding - gems. Compiling this mix CD has given me the chance to learn more about the music I’ve grown to truly love. And what better way to tie it all together than with our most favourite and most universal theme – L-O-V-E (or just plain ol' gettin' it on!).

1. “I Was Made To Love Her” (1970)
Theron & Darrell
Eccentric Soul : Smart's Palace, 2009

The music club, Smart’s Palace, was at the heart of the Kansas soul scene from 1963 – 1975 and owner Dick Smart also ran the Solo label. This song was one of Solo’s best-selling singles, thanks to the catchy lyrics. “A screwdriver was made to screw screws, a toolbox for a carpenter to use” was all local jocks needed to hear to add the 45 to their rotations. With their career on the rise, the duo inked a deal with Isaac Hayes. Then soon afterwards Stax went bankrupt, leaving Theron & Darrell in the lurch, waiting outside the Memphis studio everyday until someone clued them in. After a few tough years, Theron was institutionalized with mental illness and never fully recovered while Darrell Buckner was able to adapt by transitioning into a disco DJ.

2. “I Don't Want Your Love” (1970)
Barbara Howard,
Sister Funk 2: The Sound of the Unknown Soul Sisters, 2007

About a decade ago, collector and DJ, Ian Wright, drew on his phenomenal hoard of rare funk 45s to compile the first Sister Funk collection of obscure female-driven gems. Sadly that first now sought-after compilation has been long discontinued, and this second compilation seems to be heading towards the same fate. But let's talk about the music! They say funk is man’s music, but this femme funk track, with the barnstormin’ bassline, is a force to be reckoned with. Theron & Darrell may sing about lovin’ a woman, but Barbara Howard wants nothin’ to do with a man’s love. Interestingly, "I Don't Want Your Love" was actually written by her then-boyfriend and later husband, Steve Reece. Howard herself was part of the Midwest Funk scene of the 1960’s.

3. “Take Me" (1971)
The Fabulous Souls,
Peanut Butter Wolf's Jukebox 45's, 2002

Peanut Butter Wolf (aka Chris Manak) is a DJ, producer and founder of indie hiphop label, Stones Throw Records. This totally obscure funk song was rediscovered by Stones Throw, re-released as a 12” and became part of this 2002 compilation album.

Ira Raibon was an influential figure behind the "Indiana Funk" sound. When he was leading the Fabulous Souls, he released two versions of “Take Me” – one version out of Los Angeles, another version out of Indianapolis. This stumped historians and archivists who couldn’t quite figure out the connection between the two distant funk meccas. If you’re curious about the backstory on how this almost forgotten song got rediscovered, check it out here.

Good to see that Raibon is still makin’ music.

4. “If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely)” (1967)
Eddie Spencer
Jamaica To Toronto: Soul Funk & Reggae 1967-1974, 2006

Yes it is hard to believe, folks, but there really exists some good classic Canadian soul! In the 1960’s, the finest ska, rocksteady, and reggae recording artists from the West Indies traveled to Canada: Jackie Mittoo, Johnnie Osbourne, Wayne McGhie, Lloyd Delpratt, The Mighty Pope, Noel Ellis, Jo-Jo Bennett, and many more. Arriving in their new Canadian home, these talented singers, songwriters, musicians, and performers hit the studio and captured some of the hardest tunes this side of Kingston.

The J to T compilation, lovingly put together by DJ/ Canadian music historian, Sipreano, and Light In The Attic, truly encapsulates this moment in musical history. It’s filled with strong American soul influences from that period, but done with a style that's a bit dirtier and fuzzier, with some traces of Jamaican production style. This particular track was a #1 Top Chart Hit.

More info about the album.

5. If This Ain't Love (Don't Know What Is)
Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators
Keep Reachin’ Up, 2005

How did Brooklyn-born soul vocalist Nicole Willis team up with the Finnish funk collective The Soul Investigators? And who woulda thought that Finland was a soul mecca?

While researching the liner notes for this compilation, I discovered that Willis is married to Finnish retro-groove king Jimi Tenor, who also contributes to this album (he does the horn arrangements and plays flute on this track). Willis herself has worked with Curtis Mayfield, The Brand New Heavies, Dee-lite and Mo' Wax, while the Soul Investigators have crafted two previous full-lengths and a handful of 45s. This super smooth retro album was a big hit in Europe, and less so in North America. Perhaps it has to do with its high production values, and though there’s nothing too rough or raunchy, it’s still finely crafted music at its best.

More info about about the music.

6. "Karina"
Menahan Street Band
Make The Road By Walking, 2008

I first experienced the music of the Menahan Street Band live (along with DJs Schwa and Cucumbah) when they opened for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings in Montreal early last year. These five young, talented musicians are also members of the Dap-Kings, El Michels Affair (also featured in this CD), Antibalas and the Budos Band. The unifying factor is musician/producer Thomas Brenneck (Sharon Jones & the D-Ks, Budos Band, Amy Winehouse) who brought them together to record in the bedroom of his Menahan St. apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn, hence their name.

Reaching beyond the funk-soul-afrobeat influences of their other projects into the more sublime realms of Mulatu Astatke, the Menahan Street Band creates a new instrumental soul sound that is distinct and lush. Their debut album, Make the Road by Walking, is marked by quirky arrangements, featuring vibes, horns, piano, organ, percussion and even a strange bling sound that Brenneck creates by tuning and plucking the strings of his guitar on the wrong side of the bridge.

7. "Getcho Soul Togetha (Part Two)"
Breakestra
Peanut Butter Wolf's Jukebox 45's

Another funky track from the same Stones Throw Records compilation album (the other was track 3's "Take Me"). Breakestra is a ten-piece funk "orchestra" from Los Angeles formed by Miles Tackett in 1996. Unsurprisingly, their style is much influenced by late 60's and early 70's soul and funk music. After releasing several EPs and two full-length albums of mostly covers and sample-filled breaks, Breakestra put out Hit the Floor in 2005 on Ubiquity Records, which included all-original recordings fusing elements of hip hop, funk, and soul.

8. “Love Addict” (1970)
Honey & The Bees
Sister Funk 2, 2007

A minor, but talented, Philadelphia female soul quartet previously known as The Yums-Yums. In 1970, they changed their name to Honey & The Bees and went over to Josie (best known as the home of the Meters' first three albums) knocking out some relatively little-known records with the aid of musicians who played on classic 1970s Gamble-Huff productions. Though the Supremes are an obvious point of comparison, Honey & The Bees had far better production values than the vast majority of girl group aspirants of the same era.

Honey & the Bees spent years on the club circuit, opening for bigger soul acts in Philadelphia and throughout the East Coast before disbanding in 1973. Group member Gwen Oliver married Fred Wesley of the JB’s, whom she met when Honey & the Bees opened for James Brown in 1971. Eventually their headstrong, take-no-b.s. attitude came into conflict with Brown's own strangle-hold control over his players and he had Wesley remove the group off tour.

9. “Do You Love Me (Like You Say You Do)”
Lee Fields & The Expressions
My World, 2008

When I first heard this song, I could’ve sworn it was from the late 60’s or early 70’s. They’ve even emulated the analog production sound from that time period. In fact, the album “My World” was released just last year, and though it may be considered throwback music, Lee Fields has actually been kickin’ around since 1969, when he cut his first 45. Having been with small labels throughout the 70s, he recorded an album in 1979 (Let’s Talk It Over) before disappearing for most of the 80s. Now that he’s with Truth & Soul, Fields may finally get some of the overdue recognition he deserves.

More info about the artist and a pitchfork review.

10. “Tell Me”
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
100 Days, 100 Nights, 2007

After the demise of the Desco label Gabriel Roth teamed up with Neal Sugarman to create an indie funk and soul label, Daptone Records. In addition to Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Daptone has recorded and released the music of notable artistis, such as Amy Winehouse, The Sugarman Three, The Budos Band, The Poets of Rhythm, The Mighty Imperials, and Lee Fields.
But the core of their music is the Dap-Kings while soul singer Lee Fields often sings with the Sugarman 3 and flautist Daisy Sugarman. They’re like one big happy family!

Daptone also built their own studios in Brooklyn where they’ve recorded most of their releases. Their distinctive sound is a product of the studio acoustics, recording only on analog tape (no digital), and mixing by Gabriel Roth. The Dap-Kings also perform on Amy Winehouse's album, Back to Black (itself recorded at the Daptone recording studio), and the band toured with her in 2007.

I don’t know about you but this song is really rockin’ and the entire album is just excellent. SJ & The DKs are also a great act to catch live.

11. “Tell Her” (1969)
Fred Williams & The Jewels Band
Eccentric Soul : Smart's Palace

Fred Williams, as a concert promoter for Dick Smart at his increasingly popular club Smart’s Palace, had the enviable position of working with the best musicians in Wichita, Kansas. The Jewels Band made a stellar combo, and “Tell Her” set the bar extremely high for Smart’s fledgling label, Solo Records.

This is one of my favourite songs of the compilation, as the deep sad longing of the vocals and evocative guitar work expresses to me personally what my idea of soul is about.

12. A Perfect Kind of Love
Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators
Keep Reachin’ Up, 2005

Yes, another song from Nicole Willis and TSI. This is such a sweet and positive song, it just had to be included, just to offset the melancholy of “Tell Her”. So hope you guys don’t hate me for this. They are also another reason why I decided to name my first mix CD after them!

13. “I’ll Be Around” (1972)
The Spinners
Dead Presidents soundtrack

This is probably the only song in my compilation that has that classic Motown sound from the 70’s, though it was recorded after the group signed up with Atlantic. The Spinners is a Detroit-based soul vocal group who’ve been active since 1961.

“I’ll Be Around” is their first top ten hit, but it was actually the B-side of their first Atlantic single, "How Could I Let You Get Away". Radio airplay for the B-side led Atlantic to flip the single over, with "I'll Be Around" hitting #3 and "How Could I Let You Get Away" reaching #89. "I'll Be Around", sung by Bobby Smith, was also The Spinners' 1st million- selling hit single.

I thought this would follow well after “A Perfect Kind of Love” since it shares its idealistic optimism about love and romance.

14. “Put It On The Line” (1975)
Lyn Collins
James Brown's Funky People, 1988

Ok, let’s get back to reality here, people! There is no perfect kind of love, or a guy who’ll stick around through thick and thin, let alone “be man enough” to give his woman the security she needs. And boy, does Lyn Collins “put it on the line”!

Not surprisingly, James Brown had exhausted his group, which was formed in the 60’s, and by 1970 they had all moved on. The only two left were James and Bobby Byrd (singer, piano, songwriter). This double album was put out in 1972 and is funk-packed from start to end featuring such superstar players as Maceo Parker (horns), Fred Wesley (horns), Bootsy Collins (bass) and Lyn Collins (vocals). James Brown is not the featured vocalist on any of the tracks, but he writes every song, sings backup and plays the organ.

Lyn Collins was Brown's ''funky soul siren" and one of the most sampled female singers of all time. Nicknamed the "Female Preacher," Lyn Collins was discovered in the early '70s along with Bootsy and Catfish Collins by James Brown, who was making the transition to the hardest funk phase of his career.

15. “Broadway Sam”
Iceberg Slim
Reflections, 1976

My husband is a fan of genre fiction, including the black pulp stories of Chester Himes and Donald Goines, and the pimp chronicles of Iceberg Slim. At 18, Iceberg Slim was initiated into 'the life' in Chicago. Incarcerated several times for pimping along with several other crimes, he wrote 'Pimp' while in prison, which subsequently sold over 6 million copies. When I heard that Slim made a spoken-word recording set to groovy instrumentals by the Red Holloway Quartet, I got it for hubs as a gift. 'Reflections' is made up of graphic, semi-autobiographical tales of life on the mean streets.

Some info about Iceberg Slim.

16. “You’re Doing It With Her” (1969)
Rhetta Hughes
Sister Funk 2: The Sound of the Unknown Soul Sisters, 2007

Of the twenty songs featured in the Sister Funk Volume 2, this one is apparently the least rare, expensive or hard to find, according to Wright’s liner notes. Ironically, I could not find much web info about this sweet soul number by one time Chicago soul diva, Rhetta Hughes.

Hughes seemed ready to move into the spotlight in 1969 when her funky cover of the Doors’ “Light My Fire” made the R&B Top 40. But she never sustained any momentum. The next single “Angel Man” flopped, and Hughes was soon back on the supper club circuit, opening for such comedians as Bill Cosby. The wiki also lists her as an actress who has appeared in Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, The Wiz, as well as an episode of Law & Order.

The song “You’re Doing It With Her” is also in the Relight My Fire album. I like how the Sister Funk liner notes just has this to say about the song itself:

You’ll soon notice that two common themes seem to crop up with female soul vocals - “You’re doing it with her” or “I did it with your man”. This song obviously fits into the former category.

17. “Behind The Blue Curtains”
El Michels Affair
Sounding Out the City, 2005

Another excellent track from the Truth & Soul compilation, Fallin’ Off the Wheel. Some of the members are also from the funk outfit, The Might Imperials (which you’ll get to hear in track 20). Known initially for their “cinematic soul” sound, El Michels Affair have also collaborated with the Wu-Tang Clan and have put out an album of instrumental covers of Wu-Tang classics (I have it, and it’s awesome).

Read more about them here.

18. "Mr. Fortune" (1970)
The Hitch-hikers
Jamaica To Toronto: Soul Funk & Reggae 1967-1974, 2006

This hard-chargin’ funk-soul number, written by Wayne McGhie and sung by The Mighty Pope, is my favourite song in the Jamaica To Toronto compilation, and arguably the best song in this mix. Unfortunately, the band never found success and encountered occasional racist ignorance, and even violence, while touring Ontario and Quebec. In 1970 The Hitch-hikers released their self-titled debut LP on the Paragon label with Canadian country icon and notorious owner Jack Boswell.

With no industry or much promotional support, the record performed poorly. After a series of line-up changes with The Hitch-Hikers, the band released one more single, "Mr. Fortune" on Toronto’s Heart label. The single didn't go anywhere, and after playing around Toronto for a few years, and one tour of Quebec, the group broke up when McGhie left after a disagreement with Pope and Blair.

More info about The Mighty Pope.

19. "If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up"
Betty Davis
This Is It!, 1973

This one sticks out a little from the mix, but I’m including it as I don’t think I’ll have another opportunity to include a Betty Davis track in future compilations. And wow. This powerhouse funk number from the former wife of Miles Davis makes James Brown look like friar tuck, it’s so sexed up and dirty!

Between 1973 and 1975, Davis only recorded 3 studio albums in her short-lived career, but the potent mix of raunchy, mischievous music established her as a singular figure during that period. Her performances brimmed with such wild licentiousness that her brother once dubbed her as the “Mae West of the music industry”, but also provoked religious groups to demonstrate at her concerts. She was definitely way ahead of her time and later became a big influence on Macy Gray and Missy Elliot.

Poignantly, her career stalled when she was overcome with chronic depression following the death of her father in the late ‘70’s, and she abruptly withdrew from public.

20. “Never Found A Girl feat. Joseph Henry”
The Mighty Imperials
Thunder Chicken, 2006

Davis helps to segue into some down home dirty New Orleans funk and The Mighty Imperials continue the tradition of The Meters with the organ/guitar/bass/drums combo as a vehicle for deep ‘70s funk. All four members of the band were apparently sixteen (with the exception of gospel singer Joseph Henry, who was the only one old enough to buy smokes) when they recorded Thunder Chicken at Desco Records studios in 1999.

A single, "Kick the Blanket/Toothpick", came out that year, but after Desco folded, the album sat on the shelves. Two years later, a bootlegged version was issued illegally in the UK, but in 2004, Daptone took hold of the record and released it officially. Sadly, if predictably, the members of the Mighty Imperials had already dispersed during the intervening limbo: splitting to attend university or playing in other bands like the Dap-Kings, Antibalas, El Michels Affair. But the album still received positive critical response.

As a reviewer wrote: in a time when so much music is the result of session musicians tweaked with Pro Tools, it is truly a shocking waste that such an uninhibited, talented group was stifled by red tape. But if you’ve read through these liner notes, you see that the story of The Might Imperials is not that uncommon. This compilation, in some ways, is like a treasure trove of what might have been.

21. “Super Good” (1970)
Myra Barnes (Vicki Anderson)
James Brown's Funky People, 1988

Myra Barnes has recorded singles under her birth name as well as stage name, Vicki Anderson, and is acknowledged by James Brown in his autobiography as the best singer he had ever worked with. Although best known for her performances with the James Brown Revue, she has also released some stellar singles, her most famous being the 1970 feminist anthem 'Message From The Soul Sisters' (still a floor filler 35 years later). She followed this up with the even more funky 'Supergood' - in answer to the James Brown song 'Superbad'.

What better way than to have Myra Barnes finish things off, as this whole journey has been, like, super good! Here in Quebec, we would also say “super bon”!

From Leslieville to Wales

Jam Master Jam presents

From Leslieville to Wales: Following the long tail across the pond from my local record shop

1. One Too Many, Luke Doucet – Veal frontman, Luke Doucet’s 2001 solo album, Aloha Manitoba, was the first official release of Six Shooter Records, a label and management company whose office is just down the street from my house in Leslieville, a happening in hood in East Toronto. One Too Many is from 2005’s Broken (and other rogue states) and if you’re in the mood for just the right amount of twang, this is the album for you. Luke’s married to a fellow Six Shooterite, Melissa McClelland, who guests on Broken and is a great songstress in her own right.
*sad note – since I began work on this CD, Six Shooter has shut their
Leslieville doors and moved to Toronto’s West end. I will miss their
backlot barbeques.

2. The Spinster’s Almanac, Christine Fellows – So many great Six Shooterites to choose from (seriously – check them out at sixshooterrecords.com) but I chose Christine because this song makes me smile everytime I hear it. I defy you not to do the same.

3. Sold, Dan Mangan – Follow Six Shooterites Jenn Grant or Elliot Brood on tour across Canada and you may find them gigging with
Vancouver’s Dan Mangan. I found him by searching “robot” on iTunes but that’s another story. This song can be found on both his recent release, Nice, Nice, Very Nice, and his earlier Roboteering EP.

4. Lucklucky, Veda Hille – Veda backs Dan on a few of the songs on Roboteering (the same songs also appear on Nice, Nice, Very Nice).
Lucklucky makes me want to march in place and throw my hands in the air with musical theatre-style abandon. Veda’s also a member of Duplex!, a self-described “indie rock band for small people and their minders.” Shaun Brodie is Duplex!’s trumpet player.

5. There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve, A.C. Newman – Shaun Brodie is also AC Newman’s trumpet player. A.C. Newman, when not busy putting out solo albums, is putting them out with The New Pornographers (a
band who made, if I recall correctly, DJ Schwa’s desert island list).

6. People Got a Lotta Nerve, Neko Case – When not busy putting out solo albums, Neko is putting them out with The New Pornographers.

7. Eyes on the Prize, M. Ward – Among the many guest artists on Neko’s Cyclone is M. Ward. The quiet Eyes on the Prize is from his 2006 album, Post War. Volume One, the album he released with Zooey Deschanel as She & Him is a fun frolic.

8. Girls, Eleni Mandell – Becky Stark is the real link here. She’s toured with She & Him. Becky also guest vocalled on the Decemberists’ Hazards of Love and sings in the trio, The Living Sisters, with Inara George and Eleni Mandell. Frankly, I find Eleni more enjoyable than Becky so here she is.

9. Engine Driver, The Decemberists – See above.

10. With a Gun, The Minus 5 –. Scott McCaughey’s collective most frequently stars R.E.M.’s Peter Buck; 2006’s self-titled album boasted many guests including The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy and Wilco’s Jeff
Tweedy.

11. You are my Face, Wilco – You may have heard this song in a Volkswagen commercial, but don’t hold that against it.

12. I Don’t Want To Die (in the Hospital), Conor Oberst – Conor, of Bright Eyes fame, spent some time touring this summer with Wilco. What a gig that would’ve been. In 1993, Conor, with his brother, founded
Saddle Creek Records, in Omaha, Nebraska, of all places.

13. Lovers Need Lawyers, The Good Life – The Good Life’s frontman (also Cursive’s frontman), Tim Kasher, grew up with Conor Oberst; The Good Life’s albums, including Album of The Year, on which Lovers Need Lawyers appears, are released by Saddle Creek Records.

14. Carpetbaggers, Jenny Lewis – I’m more a fan of Jenny’s solo albums than those she did with Rilo Kiley, whose 2002 album, The Execution of All Things, was released on Saddle Creek Records. Let’s hear it for middle America. You can also hear Jenny on Album of the Year. Word on the internet chatrooms is that Tim Kasher is the “Tim” she names in You Are What You Love, which many of you heard on Rocket’s first disc in this club. Carpetbaggers stars Elvis Costello
and appears on her second solo album, Acid Tongue. And who says child stars can’t find longevity (Troop Beverly Hills, anyone?)?

15. What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace Love and Understanding – Stephen Colbert, Elvis Costello, Feist, Toby Keith and John Legend – This version of this classic Elvis Costello song is from Stephen Colbert’s 2008 Christmas special. What a motley crew. With Elvis dressed as a bear for this song, which explains the “roar.”

16. Working Together, Gonzales – Gonzales and Feist are label mates over at Arts + Crafts. If you’re not tempted to play this song at your office status meetings, then you must work alone.

17. You Throw Parties, We Throw Knives, Los Campesinos! – Like Six Shooter or Saddle Creek, it’s so hard to just pick a couple artists to showcase. How Los Campesinos! found their way from Wales to Toronto’s
Arts + Crafts is beyond me. But I’m glad they did.

Mercurial: Songs from the 2009 British Mercury Music Prize

Chosen by Dr Pepper

Welcome to the liner notes for October, 2009 CD of the Month. The CD before you contains a selection of songs from the 12 artists nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, a British music prize which traditionally recognises quality recordings from independent and alternative musicians from genres as diffuse as pop, rock, indie, jazz, soul and folk.

You can find out more about the Prize, here, including a list of previous winners.

I know at least one DJ who's CD, on arrival, would not play. If this is also a problem for you, I apologise. I've posted a temporary link to mp3s with each part of the liner note here - they will be up for a limited time only, so be quick!

Find choons here (sorry, gone!)

1. Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Here it Begins

I know very little about this band I'm afraid, and after a quick listen on Spotify, I was left pretty disappointed! Not necessarily the way to start a CD of the Month! But luckily this little intro was a lovely introduction to the album and a mystical piece in its own right.


2. Glasvegas - It's my own cheating heart that makes me cry

You could listen to this and stop. If you did that of course, you would miss some other cracking tunes, but this, for me, is the band par excellence on the CD. Glasvegas are a 4-piece from Glasgow in Scotland and one listen to the lead singer's vocals will make you think watching Trainspotting was easy! With a painful, beautiful, raw and strong Glaswegian accent, it takes a certain dialect to turn the word "f***ing" into the word "f'ung" - listen out for it in relation to his "mis'us" about halfway into the track. Anyway, amongst many tracks on their self-titled debut album, this is one of my favourites, crescendoing into a magical aura about his painful, cheating heart towards the backend of the song, it's a brilliant, heart-rendering anthemic masterpiece.


3. The Horrors - Who Can Say?

The Horrors were new to me, but one listen had me hooked. A harder sound than Glasvegas and no Scottish accent here. Who Can Say? seems to hark back to an earlier sounds - perhaps the late 80s with its synthetic rock combo and dead-pan style lyrics. This was easily to my mind their stand out track, a racy, demanding tour de force, complete with spoken vocals laid over the top reminiscent of some of James's heavier tracks.


4. Florence and the Machine - Rabbit Heart (Raise it up)

It takes a big woman to follow up that rocking start. And luckily Florence, or Flo, kindly delivers in spades. You might already be familiar with their work, and if you are, you will know this song. If you don't, welcome. If you like this track, the rest of the album will also deliver in style. Tender, fragile lyrics backed up with poppy, catchy tunes serves to deliver an immediate and demanding listen, one you will soon find yourself impulsively re-listening too. Crazy lyrics too: who is the lamb and who is the knife is brilliantly laid to bare.


5. La Roux - Amour Love

La Roux has crazy ginger hair, crazy vocals and crazy lyrics. Rumour has it she is made from two parts flour, two parts milk and two parts butter. Choosing which track to choose from her album was tricky, all being brilliant synthetic dance-pop numbers, immediately cacthy and quirky (in equal parts). Apologies here for the minute long gap at the end of this track. Purely unintentional on my part.


6. Friendly Fires - Paris

Friendly Fires are probably one of the most hyped bands in the UK this year and whether the album is as good as the groupies will tell you is a matter of opinion. To my mind, think of a hybrid, almost-identical version of Bloc Party. Luckily, that's no bad thing, and Paris is a fine example of their work. Sweeping lyrics driven by an uptempo indie rock beat will soon have you dreaming of eloping to Paris to drink claret and eat brie with your lover!


7. Kasabian - Fire

Kasabian have been on the British, if not international, music scene for a few years now, producing antemic indie numbers for a while. But Fire and the album from which it was nominated updates their sound, with more complex lyrics and aspiring tracks. Worthy of a listen for sure.


8. Led Bib - Sweet Chilli

Led Bib provided the biggest challenge of this album - segwaying some crazy jazz-funk into the middle of an essentially modern pop album. Luckily the strength of their sound made this problem slightly easier, and Sweet Chilli, is an arresting example of their work. It isn't an easy listen and has taken me a while to get used to, but one which I am now revelling in. Kat, my partner, thought she had heard this track before, so maybe it's actually a cover, I don't know. Anyway, enjoy.


9. Speech Debelle - Go then, bye

Speech Debelle's debut album Speech Therapy was the winner of this year's Mercury Music Prize. Hailing from London, the album is full of demanding rap lyrics about social deprivation and problems of growing up in the poor inner-city, tackling the usual themes of drugs, gangs, love and so forth. Go then, bye is one of the more accessible tracks - no bad thing - for its a welcome change to the indie, rock and pop which dominate this year's list.


10. Bat for Lashes - Daniel

Another artist as hyped as friendly fires and it's going to take me a few more listens of her album too find out why. Luckily, Daniel, is a moving melodic introduction, and delivers the goods to match the quality found elsewhere on this cd.


11. Lisa Hannigan - Ocean and a Rock

Stripping it back to minimalist folk songs, Lisa Hannigan's work features delicate tunes, a fragile voice and simple guitars - and repeat listening helps to get you into the more gentle pace of her work. Not revolutionary in my opinion, but good, this approach is exemplified by Ocean and a Rock, a simple, romantic little ditty.


12. The Invisible - London Girl

I know little about The Invisible, but I like what I have heard. Within a listen of this track, you'll find yourself merrily dancing along to the infectitious lyrics and rhythm of London Girl, a catching ode to that London Girl you've once met and taken a shine to.


13. Glasvegas - Geraldine

We weren't going to wrap up this album without a return to the fine work of Glasvegas. How many bands do you know who have written an ode to the wondrous works of social workers determined to keep crack addicts of the smack? That's right: one - Glasvegas. And they do it in style with this, the flagship track from their first album. To set the context: the track they would play for their encore, so merry middle-class folk can sing along in anthemic bliss about all those tough times on meths. Don't ask me, but it works.

Rocket's Big Gay Anthem CD, featuring DJ DoubleStuffed

DJs - here's the playlist; fullsome liner notes coming shortly:

1) Madonna - Vogue (Sticky + Sweet Tour)
2) Bette Midler - To Deserve You (Extended Remix)
3) Kim English - Unspeakable Joy
4) Donna Summer - I Will Go On With You
5) Whitney Houston - It's Not Right, But It's Okay (Thunderpuss MIx)
6) Deborah Cox - Absolutely Not (Hex Hector Mix)
7) Lara Fabian - I Will Love Again
8) Celine Dion - I'm Alive (Johnny Rocks World Anthem Remix)
9) Agnes - Release Me (Cahill Club Edit)
10)Bonus, Madonna featuring Gogol Bordello - La Isla La Bonita (Sticky + Sweet Tour)

cd #25: a night at the opera

As the first DJ each year, I feel a little pressure to start the year off with a real crowd pleaser. Well, this year I’ve decided to ignore expectations and give you all a little of something that pleases me: opera music. I know opera isn’t for everybody, so I struggled deciding whether to aim at the non-opera fans with really popular music, or to aim at the serious fans and go with obscure music. Based on the what I know about this club, I went for the former.

This is a compilation in two acts. In each act, we start with classic arias, move on to more pop opera arias, and then conclude with some powerful choruses. To make things interesting, I didn’t use the same composer more than once (with one notable exception). And, although it’s not noted on the CD cover, each aria is from a different singer. So put on your best outfit, pour yourself a fine glass of wine, and sit back and enjoy a night at the opera with DJ Pants.

Act I:

1. Puccini / Tosca / E Lucevan Le Stelle

The hardest part of making this album was choosing which Puccini aria to include. With La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, Turandot and Tosca in his repertoire, Puccini can’t be beat. I chose this one because it packs a lot of emotion into just a few minutes… and it’s Placido Domingo, who you might have heard of.

2. Delibes / Lakmé / Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs

Lakmé is not a well-known opera, but this duet is very popular. We’ve got Dame Joan Sutherland singing here. In case there is any doubt, this is a love song. It’s arrestingly beautiful.

3. Bizet / Les Pêcheurs de Perles / Au Fond du Temple Saint

Bizet is better known for Carmen, but I wanted to go for something a little less popular. Don’t get me wrong – this is still an opera favourite. David Byrne did a very nice version of this song a few years ago. This duet involves two fishermen committing their friendship to each other, and not busting each other up over a girl they both used to love.

4. Lalo / Le Roi D’Ys / Puisq’On Ne Peut Fléchir

Classic late 1800’s French opera. It doesn’t carry the weight of a lot of Italian opera, but it’s still awfully nice to listen to.

5. Thomas / Mignon / Elle ne croyait pas dans sa candeur

Ditto.

6. Bellini / Norma / Deh! Non volerli vittime

Norma is a well-known and well-regarded opera, but I still think it is under-appreciated. I listened to Norma a lot while I was working on my PhD. It has several beautiful arias and some great choruses. It’s a brilliant opera, and if I could see one opera at La Scala, it would be this one. This is the finale of the opera, moving from the sublety of Maria Callas’ singing on to a resounding chorus. It’s going to make me cry if I keep writing about it, so I’ll stop.

7. Verdi / Il Trovatore / Vedi! Le fosche notturne spoglie

Verdi is another Italian opera legend. There is a lot to choose from when you’re thinking of Verdi. He has, most notably, written some brilliant choruses. It was hard to choose, but after the drama of the last song I figured we needed something a bit more upbeat. This song reminds me of my father, which likely means we used to have an Il Trovatore record when I was a kid.

8. Gounod / Faust / Deposons les armes

A classic chorus. We saw Faust in Ottawa a few years ago. I didn’t know a lot of the music, but I sure sat up when the chorus started belting this one out.

Act II:

9. Mozart / Die Zauberflöte / Der Hölle Rache
I debated a lot over this one. In addition to Norma, I listened to El Nozze del Figaro (the Marriage of Figaro) a lot while I was writing my PhD dissertation. My wife almost walked down the aisle to Voi Che Sapate, until we decided to go for a Carla Bruni song instead. Anyway, this is Mozart. Apparently he does more than opera. I chose this aria because I think it highlights what non-opera people think of when they think of opera. In retrospect, I kind of wish I had chosen Voi Che Sapate. If you want a replacement, I can email you.

10. Catalini / La Wally / Ebben? Ne andro lontana

Catalini was an Italian composer, and I’m not going to lie to you – he was a bit of a one-hit wonder. But it’s a very nice hit. The character singing this one is about to leave her home forever. You can feel the weight of the situation.

11. Gluck / Orfeo Ed Euridice / Che Farò Senza Euridice?

We’re going back in time and place a bit to Austrian in the 1700’s. Nevertheless, it’s similar to French opera, but with a lovely Austrian musical touch. I kind of wish she would start belting it out in this aria, but that wasn’t really the style at the time.

12. Charpentier / Louise / Depuis le jour

Another beautiful French aria. It’s a little flowery for me, but perhaps that’s what we need before we get to the final choruses.

13. Saint-Saëns / Samson et Dalila / Mon Coeur S’Ouvre À Ta Voix

The brilliant thing about opera is that if you listen well, you really don’t need a translation (unless you have a heart of hard, cold stone). I imagine you might not need me to tell you that she’s starting off with “My heart opens itself to your voice, like the flowers open to the kisses of the dawn!”

14. Offenbach / Les Contes D’Hoffman / Les oiseaux dans la charmill

I suppose the vocal styling of the soprano here might be a bit of a turn-off for some. I’ve just realized that Offenbach composed an operetta called La Belle Hélène. Considering I’m married to a belle Hélène, perhaps I could have found something from that one. But this is a classic.

15. Gilbert & Sullivan / HMS Pinafore / For He Is An Englishman

Although it doesn’t really fit with the rest of this mix, I have to give a nod to Gilbert & Sullivan. After all, Bart Simpson’s last request before dying was to hear the entire score of HMS Pinafore. Sideshow Bob’s rendition of “For He Is An Englishman” was unforgettable.

16. Wagner / Tannhauser / Begluckt darf nun dich, o Heimat, ich schauen

Wagner, as you may know, is rather intense. Tannhauser is more palatable than the Ring Cycle, but you can still get a a sense of the Wagnerian drama in this chorus. Tannhauser was famously a complete disaster when it premiered in Paris in 1861. There were some politics involved, but the performance had to be stopped part way through and Wagner fled France. I love it.

17. Puccini / Turandot / Non piangere Liu… Ah! Per l’ultima volta!

I really tried to have each composer appear only once, but I had to make an exception for Puccini, especially since he composed Turandot. My wife and I saw Turandot at the Budapest Opera House, and it was one of the most memorable nights of my life. The opera house in Budapest is spectacular, and Turandot contains one of the most beautiful arias out there – Nessun Dorma was Luciano Pavarotti’s favourite. Anyway, this selection is the finale of act one, and it is one of the most emotional choruses in opera. I won’t bother with the whole story, but Turandot is a princess and a prince has just declared himself a suitor for her love. Everybody thinks he’s nuts because if he doesn’t answer three riddles he will be beheaded (if you want to know how that turns out go see the opera). The hair stands on the back of my neck every time I hear this chorus. We walked out of the opera house that night and went straight to a nearby café and ordered champagne. We’ve been opera lovers ever since.