2025, Best of... (Music)

Home Sweet Home by The Favors. I saw them perform this song on a late night talk show and I was immediately hooked. I’d forgotten that my wife had found another track from the album for her best-of in 2024, a nice track that was an earlier release - there is lots of great music on the album. Duets are not that common and I really love their sound together and the chemistry extends to their performances. FINNEAS appeared on my 2024 Best Of and is someone I enjoy listening to and watching perform - so naturally talented.  

Man I Need by Olivia Dean. She seemed to be everywhere in 2025 since coming on the scene for me in ‘24, from SNL to being on stage with Sam Fender. Just a lovely melody from a beautiful voice.  

Headlights Home by Mat Kearney.  Such an easy voice and rhythm to listen to makes him a regular in my rotation. 

People Watching by Sam Fender. Hard driving pop-rock with that Geordie accent and irresistible horns. A solid talent that gets bigger every year.

Bad As I Used To Be by Chris Stapleton. Proof the country and rock crossover. I think I may have found this track as I was skimming through the CMAs after coming back from Nashville. But I hadn’t noticed that this is a new track written for the F1 movie until I heard it again watching the movie for the second time. 

Your House by Inhaler. One of those bands that keeps coming up in rotation and you go - man his voice is so good, there’s something familiar about it. Duh, it’s Bono’s son - Elijah Hewson.

The World’s Not Out To Get Me, I Am by The Wombats. Great hook, solid track from a great album. I love the quirky and often humorous lyrics, and there’s always a catchy melody and beat.

Satisfaction Skank by Fatboy Slim. I think this remix came up on my Apple New Music playlist and it was irrlstable being a Stones fan and recall this banger coming out.  I saw a recent video about the making of the original and he commented on the many remixes he continues to produce.

The Giver by Chappell Roan. I saw her perform this on SNL in 2024, but the studio recording wasn’t promoted until ‘25. Once re-discovered, it’s a keeper. 

Lonely Road by mgk and Jelly Roll. I was watching the Grey Cup half-time show and I really liked this guy called mgk. Great energy and stage presence and the mix of John Denver’s Country Road really stuck with me. That track has also been mixed into the finale of Tomorrowland show that was so catchy. Later I looked into mgk and found it was Machine Gun Kelly which was a pretty big surprise - I knew him, but was never impressed. And those tattoos - wow, that’s a commitment. The video for the song feels dirty, but the song and mix is solid. Jelly Roll was on my 2024 Best Of and adds prop points.  

Azizam by Ed Sheeran. Very catchy. I watched a making-of video - I love seeing how a song comes together and Azizam is a lovely sounding term of endearment in Farsi.

My Old Ways by Tame Impala. I had another track on the album shortlisted but I came across this one just recently. The low quality intro is a bit too long, but once it gets into its groove, I love it. I had thought TI were a band, but I think it’s mostly one guy - and he’s an Aussie from Perth where I have family - so I liked the shots of the the Perth area on the video. Tracks can gain points for me if the video is good - and I really like the video.  

Last Forever by Bob Moses.  One of only three artists I’ve seen live on this year’s list. Solid tune but tricky choice from the album, but the melody and steady beats get stronger on every listen. 

Bad Dreams by Teddy Swims. This one came very early in the year and may have slipped into last year’s Best Of. Perfect pop with just enough grit in his voice tempered by the soft tones work beautifully.   

Suzanne by Mark Ronson and Raye. I’m eagerly awaiting Raye’s new album, but this single was more attractive than Raye’s more popular single this year. The jazz-infused mood, rich Ronson production, and Raye’s rhythm are perfect chemistry.  

L’Ocean by Eric Hilton featuring Natalia Clavier. Eric is half of one my favourite band Thievery Corporation and Natalia, from Argentinia is one of the lead singers on many of their tracks over the last 15 years. A magical dreamy sweet sounding electronic treat.

Hey Homie by Sofi Tukker. I don’t recall how they got on my radar but the bossa nova groove and smooth vocals is one of my favourite sounds. I did like their dance music, but this track and the album is closer to my sweet spot. The video shows their beautiful friendship so well.  

The Sweetest Song by Kathryn Gallagher. A good example of something that I come across and I added to my library back in March 2025. It was worth combing through the library and re-discovering this lovely song. 

Returning to Myself by Brandi Carlisle. I think she has a stupendous voice and her songwriting is so rich. I chose this track because it really reminded me of Joni Mitchell who is a big influence of hers. But I keep getting more from the lyrics every time I hear it. I'm excited to see her in concert in a few weeks. 

So Long by The Lumineers. They just make so much great music it’s always difficult to pick just one. This year it’s a powerful, raw build of a track perfectly demonstrating their signature of multi-layered instrumentation and vocals. 

Click here for the Apple Music playlist.

and here for a YouTube playlist. 

Where do I find my music? Lots of places. New surprising sources, parts 16 and 17

I just published a vlog about surprising new sources of new music.  

In the vlog I reference this blog and the many blog posts I've published on the subject, so how many different sources of new music have I noticed up to now?

Where I find new music: Part 1 - the personal recommendation (Oct 2009)

Where I find new music: Part 2 - Blip.fm (Jan 2010)

Where I find new (old) music: Part 3 - iTunes Genius (Feb 2010)

Where I find new music: Part 4: Streaming radio (Sept 2010)

Where I find new music: Part 5 - NOW Magazine  (Sept 2010)

Where I find new music: Part 6 - concerts (Nov 2010)

Where I find new music: Part 7 - inflight entertainment (Feb 2011)

Where I find new (old) music: Part 8 - the used record store (April 2011)

Where I find new music: Part 9 - Fashion shows (Oct 2011)

Where I find new music: Part 10 - internet radio (Oct 2012)

Where I find new music: Part 11 - musicians (Oct 2012)

Where I find new music: Part 12 - MySpace (Oct 2012)

Where I find new music: Part 13 - Shazam (April 2014)

Where I find new music: Part 14 - my son (July 2020)

Where I find new music: Part 15 - festival listings (July 2020)

Part 16 Business Connections

Part 17 Airports

I admit, some are now very dated, but I'm certain there are new versions of MySpace and Blip.fm we can find.

Some music inspired by my latest adventures in Nashville.  

Lots of things on my mind since 6:30am in mid-December

It’s cold outside. Christmas is creeping in to my December.  We have the smallest Christmas tree we’ve had in decades.  It’s funny, but mostly sad.  I’m hoping it does its job when it’s decorated.

I’m 40% through Harari’s latest book - Nexus, “I just started Part II and excited about the jump to the computer generation and the inevitable concerns about AI” (excerpt from my update on Goodreads).  AI is on my mind as I doomscroll through social media and simultaneously feed the social media algorithms with my own content, wondering if my more regular postings have any unseen, indirect, small impact on my friends’ feeds. In my business world, I work for a large software company that is laser-focused on AI.  I am confident we need to harness AI to increase automation, but luckily the nag of the dystopian what-could-go-wrong scenarios are more fiction than being close to reality.  On technology, I’m comfortable explaining the impacts of post-quantum computing on cryptography - I have to be, it’s important for my customers and long-term data security. The news this week that Google has made massive strides in quantum computing raises the stakes and may be a tipping poing to enhance fundamental encryption algorithms we all use every day.

I like music, I like to have background music tuned to my activities throughout the day.  In my office, I have a small radio that is tuned to CBC Radio 2 and its format aligns quite well with my weekday work patterns.  Right now, sitting in at the kitchen bar, finishing breakfast I have a long-playing YouTube video on the TV - you may have seen these types of videos - I use them a lot.  I prefer jazz tones and some bossa nova with pretty and calming visuals, but also get into dancier content with live? DJs at the mixing table.  I’m sure watching the videos is messing with my YouTube viewer algorithm, like the algorithmic impact of listening to Sleep Sounds on Apple Music.  I’m wondering if this lovely Jazz music I’m listening to right now is a recording or AI generated?  Hold on, hitting Shazam…the result “Postcards: Cozy Bedroom, Cozy Apartment, Cozy Places” - suspicious!

I’m enjoying the NFL. It helps the Detroit Lions are playing so well, but I think I’ve decided that American football is the best sport this side of the Atlantic.  The main reason - every game (and almost every play) matters.  Netflix and Amazon Prime have realized the appeal of in-depth sports documentaries and I often say to new fans of sport, if you’re interested, becoming a fan, docu-series like Drive to Survive (for F1) and Receiver (for football) are superb.

I’ve been up for a few hours now and feel I’ve let my mind flow onto this page and I can get on with the rest of my day.  It’s cold outside.  I’m going for a walk and then a good coffee when I return and get cozy.

Post-walk: a perfect example of There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather, Just Inappropriate Attire.

2022, Best of... (Music)

20 tracks that caught my attention and were in regular rotation in 2022.

Saw two of them live in 2022 and another three I've seen live in the past.

15 with male singers and 8 with female singers.

10 British acts, 6 American acts, and 4 Canadian acts.

Mostly beats and pop with a little alternative, hip hop and one country track.

Note that there are a few cheats (released earlier, but found in 2022) and alternate video versions to my official list on Apple Music.

On YouTube - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr6cXkv59iLKpaYJFpliys7YzEWi2VqFx

On Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/2022-best-of/pl.u-V9Dgkbkf7WLRZ

2020, Best of... (Music)

An annual tradition, shared various ways, not all were released in 2020, but its stuff I discovered in the past year that kept rattling around my ears and playlists.  The YouTube playlist has some great finds of the video versions, including some live ones as a preference over the official or missing ones.  There's a pretty broad variety in this year's list again - I hope  there’s something for everyone.  Enjoy. For those of you on Apple Music, the playlist is there too.

The order goes like this - starts with some straight-up Canadian rock and transitions with the biggest Canadian music headliner followed by the kid down the street to bring in some electronic sounds, with dashes into pop, hooks, riffs, melodies, stand-up-and-listen voices and closing out musical commentary on the big stories of of the year: BLM, the environment, the US presidency and the pandemic.

1. Years in the making - Arkells - great distanced vid and solid catch hooks
2. Get Precious - Yukon Blonde - hooks with blues and funk feel
3. I like the Way You Talk About the Future - Sam Roberts Band - beats and Montrealer mood
4. Blinding Lights - The Weeknd - you may be sick of it, but solid 80’s redux was fun for me
5. I’ll Come Back to You - Powfu, Sarcastic Sounds & Rxseboy - neighbourhood beat producer meets the big time 
6. Time (You and I) - Khruangbin - I listened to their Thai Funk groove a lot this year
7. Got to Keep On - The Chemical Brothers - Soul train vid turns weird but beats keep going
8. Don’t Call Me Up - Mabel - first track that dropped onto the radar in 2020 triggered by a “what’s this?” performance on a 2019 award show
9. A Love Like That - Katie Melua - new soothing sounds from an old favourite
10. Little Something - Melody Gardot & Sting - exotic duet from two of my favourite voices
11. On Sunset - Paul Weller - a very late entry but immediate big smash in my books
12. Caution - The Killers - pop/rock at its finest with Flowers’ fantastic delivery
13. I Do - John Legend - got to get movin’ and swoon to these silky R&B lines
14. The 1 - Taylor Swift - her many, many beautiful melodies took up a lot of this year’s playlist rotation 
15. July - Noah Cyrus and Leon Bridges - sweet, sweet sounds with cross-over potential
16. I Can’t Breathe - H.E.R - powerful stuff from a magical musician
17. Oh, What a World 2.0 (Earth Day Edition) - Kacey Musgraves - remix from the voice of an angel
18. Living In a Ghost Town - The Rolling Stones - guitar licks and tight message, give me more lads
19. Lookin’ for a Leader - 2020 - Neil Young - politics too - singing what many were thinking
20. (E) Zen - X Ambassadors, K. Flay & Grandson - Big expletives sum up a downer of a year

Apple Music: PJMixer 2020, Best of...

YouTube Playlist: 2020, Best of...

Pandemic Times

I don’t think 2020 will be forgotten for a very long time by anyone who’s old enough to remember the global COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s the first truly global event in our lifetime that is impacting the entire planet.  (For the record, I wouldn’t call global warming “an event” - yes, it has global affects, but it’s also not as immediately impactful as COVID-19).  For the most part, it has made us feel a little closer as global citizens and as close we’re ever going to be (hopefully) in defending the planet from a alien invasion.

But it does affect people in different ways.  I consider myself very lucky: I have a job that I can continue to do effectively while working from my home office; I’m happily married to my best friend and enjoy our home life; we have a nice home that has a deck, a porch, and a backyard with a cabana so we can get out of the house.  I’m also free to walk my dog around our beautiful urban neighbourhood which also gives me a chance for frequent front yard visits with my oldest university friends.  My parents are well and I’m in touch with them on a regular basis and my children are healthy and managing to work and study and enrich their lives.  I feel connected to my entire family and friends via the myriad of electronic channels and we have the convenience of grocery pickups, well organized restaurant takeout and delivery options for almost everything we need.  I’m healthy and not overly stressed out and I have a lot of hobbies to keep me engaged when I’m not working.  I’m a lucky man.

But there are many people truly suffering in these pandemic times, those that have lost their jobs, or are being financially impacted by lost business, those feeling very alone from not being in psychical contact with their friends and of course, those that have have fallen ill or lost loved ones to COVID-19.  I also feel it’s very important to keep thinking of the front line workers and anyone that is helping us get through these hard times.  As I said in a personal video thank you I put together early on in the pandemic, thank you to so many that are going beyond the call of duty and in many cases, putting their own health in danger to keep the rest of use healthy.

What I’ve been struggling with is understanding the psychological impact of these massive global, as well as local, changes - how the isolation, travel and visiting restrictions and health concerns are affecting me.

Like many people, I miss going to a restaurant or having a pint at the pub, I’m missing having friends over for dinner parties or planning a weekend getaway or the next vacation with my wife.  I miss playing ultimate frisbee - for the exercise as well as for its social aspects.  I miss visiting my mom and dad and even miss my business trips south of the border.  

And some of these things intersect with my hobbies and in some degree reduces the material for my hobbies and creates more introspection rather than relying on external factors.  Let me explain - If I’m not traveling, then I’m not seeing so many new places and therefore the amount of travel photography and videos I'm making is cut down.  This also makes it hard to justify that next camera upgrade :).  Likewise, if I’m not going to any live sporting events, concerts or documenting family visits, I’m experiencing far less moments that need remembering.  If I’m not traveling for business, I’m far less concerned about my wardrobe and hardly have any reason to shop for clothes.  While at my desk the other day I absentmindedly kicked my suitcase (tucked away under the desk) - I actually contemplated buying new luggage just 6 months ago - ha.  This week on a group work call, I was informed about the stringent approval requirements for business travel.  Does anyone at my company actually believe business travel is going to happen any time soon?  My colleagues on the call felt similarly and the consensus appears to be that no one will be visiting customers until at the earliest 2021.

When every week day and weekend is the same, I find I’m struggling for inspiration for my photography, filmmaking and writing.  I’m having to think more carefully about my choices and a different way to value my time.  Pre-pandemic times, so much of my life was driven by external factors and by other people and daily activities were much more reactive and unpredictable.  For saying there are so many restrictions of what I can do when I step on the sidewalk, my agenda is more in my control at the moment. As restrictions ease a little and we get more comfortable wearing a mask and getting closer to other people, opportunities are starting to open up for little gems of adventure.   This past week we sent to see the Van Gogh Immersive Exhibition.  It was wonderful creative art and I welcomed the old feeling of awe and inspiration.

At many times over these last 6 months, I’ve recognized that I’ve enjoyed this change forced upon me. It’s given me the time to enjoy more moments, pay closer attention to my art, more carefully choose what TV and films to watch.  I’ve had time to read more (although I still find it tiring and I have little patience for a slow plot).  My house is a little cleaner, some (small) home projects are getting done a little quicker.  And luckily I’m not completely bored of our home meal menus.

Enjoying this?  Really?  Do I prefer this than life before the pandemic - no, I definitely cannot say that.  But I’ve tried to make the most of a bad situation and I think I’m learning something about myself and about what’s makes me happy.  It’s given me a little breathing space and much needed time for contemplation and study. 

But maybe it’s taken this long for the new reality to settle in - I do miss being in a space with other humans - whether it’s a simple pub lunch with my wife or an excuse for an after-party with a old friends at a new found hot spot.  Or a stroll around the Art Gallery of Ontario (without a mask and seeing the deep thought on people’s faces), rubbing shoulders with food shoppers at the St. Lawrence Market, or soaking up nouveau European trends at Eataly.   What about sharing a groove with an intimate concert crowd or singing out loud your favourite rock anthems with thousands of fans.  I’m beginning to miss that more often now.  

So I balance a little sadness of missing old times with new-found introspection and a more gentle pace of life.  Or maybe I’m just showing my age.

The younger man in me just found this track that collects a lot of what many people are perhaps thinking about these days.  For the record, “new-found introspection and a more gentle pace of life” sounds pretty Zen to me.  Apologies and warning about the expletive in the chorus.

Friday night music: Time machine friends and family

How’s this for a Friday night music thread...

There’s a two artists that are in my head

The first modern Aussie who I found in the last week or so - I’m really diggin’ and chillin’ to - Dope Lemon (aka Angus Stone).  Thinking his vibe is perfect for a blistering heatwave.   

The second is Stephen Stills.  I’m far from knowdegable about CSNY but I really liked watching him and listening to his stories in Echo in the Canyon.  I then found an album of his called Manassas and really dug it man.   

I can picture a hot night in Laurel Canyon in ‘72 and Angus and I jump in a time machine, grab some icy brews and laze around watching Stills and inspiring great new music.  

Whoa.   That’s a trip dude.  

50 year gap connection.  

Theme: Time machine friends and family.

——————-

I tagged about 25 of my music friends on Facebook and got quite a few comments and contributions, including:

• Parquet Courts and The Animals
• Elvis Presley and Lewis Capaldi
• Milk Carton Kids and Simon & Garfunkel
• Chance Waters and then connected to The Housemartins and The Jam

And I also added:

• Nina Simone and Amy Winehouse
• KC and the Sunshine Band and Scissor Sisters.
• Beatles and Oasis
• Katie Melua and Nancy Sinatra
• H.E.R and Buffalo Springfield

More than a deleted Tweet and then some early thoughts in pandemic times

I began writing this back in May.  The background had familiar elements, I was feeling a little miserable, maybe sorry for myself for some stupid reason.  I had drafted a Tweet that I decided to delete.  I then had a glass of wine and enjoyed a wonderful dinner with my wife.  I fond some new music and we watched some YouTube faves and the new connections made everything alright. 

No. 1 - Tom Misch - can’t get enough of his groove and bits on YouTube are just what the doctor ordered.  

No. 2. Casey Niestat on Ashley Graham’s show - I’m a massive fan of Casey’s creations and loved the natural interview with the magnetic Ashley Graham.

No 3. Then my wife has a share moment.  Out of the blue - fantastic family friendly creativity from the Holderness family.  

I then went out to walk my dog, Kooper.  A few ideas came to mind:

a) what’s the first thing you want to do after the lockdown begins to relax?  We all have things we miss and can imagine that time, but my flowchart decision point is time - how quickly you can you answer that question.  I’d argue that the people most affected by this global pandemic wouldn’t hesitate with their answer.  But perhaps for some, they would hesitate, contemplate their options and reveal something about themselves in this weird time.  This isn’t so bad for some of us that have the comforts of home and someone close to share things with.

b) Kooper.  My dog.  He has no idea what’s going on.  He’s perhaps a little confused why we’re home all the time, but except for some weird distancing going on on the street, life’s pretty good.  He’s good with the day-to-day ritual, the closeness of family and simple pleasures.  We can learn a lot from dogs like Kooper.

c) When Harry Met Sally is our favourite movie.  There’s a bit in there when Sally talks about the freedoms she’ll enjoy with her boyfriend without the burdens of kids.  It came to me tonight on the dog walk.  We’re all envisioning that day when we’re all free from this lockdown.  But in reality, for many of us, what will be that drastically improved.  Sure, we’ll get to shop for things we perhaps don’t need, we’ll enjoy (and pay heavily) for dinner and a night out with friends, we’ll risk going on the subway to a concert and we’ll be able sweat it out at the gym or on the ultimate field.  But for some of us, perhaps older folk, the best parts of the day are sitting in the living room discussing world problems with the one(s) you love.  We have that now.  Enjoy it.

Where I find new music: Part 15 - festival listings

I'm chilling to the smooth sounds of BadBadNotGood while enjoying a lovely summer afternoon on our cabana in our urban back yard.

It’s July 4th, 2020 and I compiled a commemorative playlist this morning based on some favourite US places and their fabulous musicians, the order is Hawaii - California - DC - Tennessee - NY - Michigan - Texas - Louisiana - Colorado. Some appropriate titles too, including: Better Together, Take it Easy, History, Life During Wartime, Don't Get Around Much Anymore and Caution - YouTube playlist and Apple Music playlist.

So I'm revisiting some of my faves this afternoon, including Rodriguez.  There’s a fantastic performance of his at a festival called Best Kept Secret.  I was curious about the festival and what kind of lineup would include him.  It's an annual festival in The Netherlands and appears to have an interesting combination of alternative bands and musicians.  Assuming the 2020 dates were cancelled in this year of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a look at the 2021 line-up.  You can of course, see the headliners and you work the way the list, assuming more popular bands are toward the top of the list.  There's an unusual name there BADBADNOTGOOD that kind of rings a bell.  I Google them and notice a Tiny Desk post and take a look - nice.  I look a little further and there's a full length concert available.

And it's posted by the CBC!  These young musicians are from right here in Toronto.  Wow, great find.  Their music would perhaps fit on CBC's evening show, but I'd be surprised if I've heard them before.  

Now to see what else I find from the line-up listing.

Where I find new music: Part 14 - my son

Wow, the following was drafted about 6 years ago.  It’s a problem I have - drafting some ideas and never completing the piece and posting it.  There’s so many that they could make up a new chapter.  Sadly, I didn’t write down the name of the band he’d found - do you remember buddy?

My son found a great new song on CFNY today and came downstairs to tell me about.   I could tell he was excited about a new find that he thought I'd like.  And he was right.   Unusual opening, catchy beat and melodies and champion-like rhythms.  Happy to see the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

Kind of related to part 1 of this series.

I found this draft while chilling to the smooth sounds of BadBadNotGood while enjoying a lovely summer afternoon on our cabana in our urban back yard...

Movie review catch-up just in time to answer everyone asking for recommendations for something to watch during global pandemic shutdown

The Platform - you may have seen this get promoted onto your Netflix feed - it was extremely good, but definitely not for everyone.  It has a premise similar to Snowpiercer with a simple graphic puzzle like Cube, with the deeply disturbing psychology of The Stanford Prison Experiment.  I was a little worried about how I'd sleep, but I survived.  Brilliant concept and execution.  Brutal violence but rationed out carefully.  A lot to think about and you could spend a lot of time reading the deeper hypotheses on IMDB.  But first, tighten your seatbelt for quite the mind ride. It is a Spanish language film, but that shouldn't stop true movie fans from having a taste. 8/10

The Irishman - So good.  Maybe the opposite of 1917.  Sure, I little gun violence but such deep storytelling and character exploration.  So much that isn’t just communicated like one of those brilliant restaurant scenes (some in Italian too).  Loyalty personified.  The characters came first, the actors (for the most part) were secondary.  Brilliant acting and direction.  The dialogue was almost poetic.  It was very long and I did glance at the clock a few times (now 12:51 on a Thursday morning), but the pacing was spot on - I guess there was just a lot to tell.   Very little humour, but so much Scorsese potion to soak in.  The makeup was a little off-putting at times but once you’re on-board there’s no real turning back.   Hard to choose which of three super stars are worthy of an award but I really liked Pesci.  9/10

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Well the story was pretty much a straightaway with a nasty cruel element that I thought was too severe.  The acting wasn’t a big stretch, but most characters were likeable.  I was going to give it a 6, but for a lover of dogs and motor racing, I’ll give an extra star for a decent 7/10.  Good soundtrack, nice track scenes and historical F1 moments.

Taylor Swift: Miss Americana - Really well done.  Maybe not for misogynists or Trump supporters, but I felt it was heartfelt and real.  The challenges of stardom and being a successful female in any industry,  Then you add the genius of her creative process and the unusual life she lives - fascinating stuff.  Behind the curtain wonder, human tension and the mystery of stardom, well worth watching.  7/10

Motherless Brooklyn - Really liked this classic gumshoe mystery with a twist or should I say twitch.  Super portrayal by Norton Jr, but I couldn’t see past Baldwin.  Great moods, especially with the jazz soundtrack.   Funny and touching at times.  7/10

Wonder - Wonder  = wonderful.  As per the book(s) structure, I really liked the multi-POV sub plots.  Although there was massive star talent, the young actors stole the show.   From the lead Jacob Tremblay to the complexity of school stereotypes and on to collateral damage, the characters were so vivid. 8/10

Dolemite in My Name - A very unusual hero movie.  I suspected it was true but still came as a welcome surprise during the credits (I hope that's not too much of a spoiler) with comparisons to the real Rudy.  Sure, Murphy was in familiar territory but it took some deeper acting to balance the comical with the storytelling.  7/10  

From further back

Woodstock (2019 version with tag Three Days that Defined a Generation, available on Netflix) - this documentary of the famous event paid less attention to the music and more to the people.  The guys that made it happen, the people who attended and all that happened in between.  What were they thinking?  Loved the storytelling and what the event became. 7/10

The Rolling Stones Ole Ole Ole!: A Trip Across Latin America - (from Twitter) Wow. Found The Rolling Stones Ole Ole Ole: A Trip Across Latin America doc on the PVR (Feb 2019 CTV) - sums up the passion & joy of live music & The Stones beautifully; watch it if you can find it & if you’re on the same team #ItsOnlyRocknRollButILikeIt 9/10 Since posting that on Twitter, the movie is now available on Netflix.

and Parasite - watched it again.  Wow.  Again.

I'm Going to Break Your Heart

This one may be a little difficult to find - I watched it on an Air Canada fight under the Canadian Content section.

This is a documentary about the emotional and creative relationship of Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida.  You may recognize her name from Canadian music fame and perhaps his because he is the lead singer of the band Our Lady Peace.  My wife is a big fan of their new music duo MOON VS SUN and we saw them play live a while ago here in Toronto.


 

The movie is difficult to watch at times - I definitely felt he was real and she was a little theatrical.  But maybe that’s just how they are.

Uneasy because of similarities to my relationship with my wife.  Or dare I say many husbands and their wives.  Sure he’s a dope at times, but she’s also appears difficult.  Maybe extremes of us?

Interesting to see what went into the songs.  We saw them perform many songs from the album a few months ago.

Their therapist was too weird for me and I felt created some disingenuous interaction.

I’m not certain I believe it and I’m worried for them.

It feels wrong to even comment about these real people.

Maybe their expectations for writing in Saint Pierre et Miquelon were too high.   Sunny California had far less friction and seemed to warm their hearts.  Saint Pierre et Miquelon was just too damn cold.

But the tension and times of tenderness and love makes for some good music.  And that’s how they deal with their challenges by singing about it out loud.

7/10 for putting it all out there.

Generator Toronto 2020 with Chris Hadfield

My wife saw this event last year and got tickets for both of us for this year’s version.  Although main draw, headliner Chris Hadfield only had three appearances, the variety, depth and quality of the other presenters and artists was top notch.  From leading edge science, maths comedy and societal commentary, there was so much I enjoyed.  The venue was the still awesome Roy Thompson Hall, the setting was casual and quirky, but the content was delivered with a strong level of integrity and relevance.

Accompanied by the techno groove of TWRP, Chris’ son Evan Hadfield started off the evening and relayed the themes of positivity, scientific integrity and the value of honest dialogue (I didn’t take notes, but that’s what I took from his opening and the presentations). Rob Ince was the fast-paced humourous Brit host and kept the series of speakers and artists moving along nicely.

It wasn’t all serious science, and Second City (with some sing-a-long), Aaron Chen (from Australia) and Matt Parker (loved the math laughs and now recall I’ve seen him on YouTube previously) interjected a good amount of comedic material and even Jae Rhim Lee (of mushroom death suit fame) and Shari Forbes (with an explanation of a body farm) lightened the heavy topics of mortality and human remains.  Some of the presenters had appeared on Ted Talks, including Adrian Owen and Brendan Frey who enlightened the audience with their important and innovative advances in health sciences.  The night concluded with Simone Giertz adding youthful fun with personal seriousness in a conversation with Chris Hadfield.

But it was Chris Hadfield that we all came to see and he didn’t disappoint.  He delivered a nice acoustic rendition of The Animals’ House of the Rising Sun after the break, but his main contribution was on the topic of map history and science.  His is one (rare) of those people that can make any topic interesting in his passion, delivery, humour and intellect.  Those few minutes were worth the price of admission alone.

2019, Best of...(Music)

An annual tradition, shared various ways, not all new releases of 2019, but stuff I discovered in the past year that kept rattling around my ears and playlists.  The YouTube playlist has some great finds of the video versions, some didn't have videos, so there's a cover photo stand-in and I also chose some live ones as a preference.  There's a pretty broad variety in this year's list again - I hope  there’s something for everyone.  Enjoy. For those of you on Apple Music, the playlist is there too.

Apple Music: PJMixer 2019, Best of...

YouTube Playlist: 2019, Best of...

2018, Best of... (music)

An annual tradition, shared various ways, not all new releases of 2018, but stuff I found in the year and kept rattling around my ears and playlists.  The YouTube playlist has some great finds of the video versions, some didn't have videos, so there's a cover photo stand-in and I also chose some live ones as a preference.  There's a pretty broad variety in this year's list - I hope something for everyone.  I'm definitely more into the beats and hooks, rather than the deeper lyrical content, so apologies if some of these are on the edges of appropriateness for today's times.  Enjoy. 

YouTube Playlist: 2018, Best of...

Thoughts of the day - morning of Monday December 4th, 2017: Big Bangs and hypotheses; U2 and Economics

Inputs:

1. Reading Dan Brown's Origin - not finished yet, but hitting climax on futurist hypotheses reminding me of Yuval Noah Harari's Home Deus.
2. U2's performance of American Soul on Saturday Night Live.
3. Make Me Smart podcast - episode 41 - Do you hear the people sing.  So much to understand, but what to do with the new smarts?

Ideas:

1. Building on a Flickr group title as the basis of what I'm trying to say - The World Through My Eyes.
2. Using the Red Pill / Blue Pill concept from The Matrix - do you want to continue to live in this fake world, or do you want to know the truth?
3. What percentage of people who watch The Big Bang Theory believe in the big bang?

My best of 2014 music

Similar to last year, this year has quite a pop feel and many tracks get regular airplay on Indie88.  

• Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - In the Heat of the Moment - lead track from new album due April 2015; tickets purchased for TO gig
• Fitz & The Tantrums - The Walker - catchiest whistle hook of the year
• Kongos - Come With Me - perfect odd mix of sounds; Rio find
• Sam Smith - Stay With me - mega hit that cannot be ignored
• U2 - The Miracle (of Joey Ramone) - best guitar riff of the year; and it's free
• The Fratellis - She's Not Gone Yet But She's Leaving - another catchy track from Scottish brothers
• Hozier - Take Me to Church - powerful and serious, incl. the video
• Mark Ronson w/ Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk - irresistible, best moves, especially the back up guys, even better live on SNL if you can find it
• Kasabian - Eez-Eh - best live act in the world (voted by me and Q Mag)
• Luluc - Small Window - "flying over Chicago" with headphones is just too lovely a song
• Jeff Eager - Thanks for the Music - local talent, playing my 50th birthday party; we've got to get you a video man
• Pharrell Williams - Happy - just think of Gru and you're gotta smile
• Elbow - New York Morning - heard a lot of them last year
• Paolo Nutini - Let Me Down Easy - soulful stuff from the wee Scot
• Vance Joy - Riptide - love the line "closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you've ever seen"
• Damian Jurado - Silver Timothy - personal recommendation from I don't recall; I want to go to the desert; 60's vibe
• Billy Crudup - Home - yes, the actor, from the movie Rudderless (still to be seen)
• Thievery Corporation w/ Lou Lou Ghelichkhani - Firelight - blissful from my electronica fave
• Chromeo - Jealous (I ain't with it) - guilty pleasure track
• Passenger - Heart's on Fire - funny voice, but I love it

I collected them all in a YouTube playlist, but surprisingly, I hadn't seen quite a few of the videos.

3 seen in concert, an unproportional number of Scots, 1 Canadian (friend) and most genres covered.

Remembrance Day 2014

Another year has passed and a new war is with us.  Canada's part is modest, but important and potentially putting Canada in the crosshairs.  But most importantly, it's a day of remembrance for those brave souls who put their country first and sadly paid the price.  And also a thank you for those who survived the horrors of war and those who continue to put themselves in harm's way for our freedom.  

A collection of older reflections and photographs in this blog can be found here.

Movie Review catchup

Can't believe it's been over 5 months since the last movie review post.  I hope I have them all. Starting from the most recent (mere minutes ago).

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Wonderful storytelling and travel cinematography.  A very pleasant surprise - heartfelt, warm, humourous with spectacular splashes of action.  Beautiful job by Stiller, superb cameos and a lovely performance by Wig.  As a once good boarder, I loved the skateboarding bits.  Oh, and a great soundtrack, incl. Junip and Gonzalez.  

9/10

Searching for Sugar Man

The rave reviews were justified.  Wonderful story and music.  Amazed that we still don't hear him on the radio (but then again, it took me a long time to find him too).  Immediately downloaded his original two albums.  All the grit of woodstock era folk, but still sounds contemporary to me. 

9/10