It's no secret that The Big City Nights Band have lots and lots of songs. Some have said to me that I don't self edit enough, but I don't really think that's true. For our first record, I recorded at least 30 songs over a year and a half, and only 17 made it to the final tracklist. For A Steamroller Named Desire, again, I had over 30 songs and only 14 made it. On our third record I made a bit of a mistake and put absolutely everything on there, 26 tracks, which resulted in our sloppiest record by far. For the next one we swung back completely the other way and put 12 songs on Carry Me Ontario, which is our leanest record yet. I judiciously edited each record except for Complete Lung Champions and Gimme Gardens, for better or worse. My least favourite of our record is without a doubt Under The Overpass. It was done far too quickly (but not in the usual good way) and I was really fucked up at the time. I really like the first four songs a lot, but everything else is just EP material. I like the new one a lot, but I'm sure over time it'll fade a bit too.
It's definitely not as exciting as it used to be, although, paradoxically, I feel way more compelled to write songs now then I did in 2007. With that first record I used to toss and turn all night considering different tracklistings and guitar tones and lyrics. When it was finally finished I listened to it everyday for months. I loved it. The same goes for the second record. I was (and still am) immensely proud of that thing. These days the thrill doesn't last as long. I guess that's because we make new music so frequently.
Annnyway I'm just thinking out loud. I do think we'll do another record this summer, the breezy Dancing Days, but I think I'm running out of decent song ideas, or retreading old ground with less enthusiasm. I'm like a jaded washed-up rock star without the money or fans.
I've been thinking more and more about ending the band lately, either as a way of getting on with things and maybe starting a band that really makes a go of it, or as a dramatic way of getting people to shell out cash for a Best Of, which I've already been thinking about. I'd arrange it chronologically because I always liked compilations better that way; you can hear the growth or decay. Because I'm putting off writing an essay, here's the tracklisting as it would stand today:
01 Bicycle Man
02 Wedding Day
03 Mathematics
04 Let's Go To Hell
05 Horseshoes
06 Night Needles
07 Champs
08 Reena
09 Skeleton Man
10 That Evil Beat
11 Happy Man
12 Memory Motel
13 If Cold Is Coming, Football!
14 Vegetable Bros
15 Rainy River, ON
16 Beach Music
17 Lump In My Throat
18 Like A Song
19 As Near As Now
20 Under The Overpass
21 Lasagna Sunrise
22 Ever Say Ever
23 Come Back 2 Me
24 Keyboard Nights (Me On The Way)
25 Hey Thirsty!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Exile On Queen St
She's done, folks: http://thebigcitynightsband.bandcamp.com/album/exile-on-queen-st
The release show is April 30th @ The Drake Underground w/ The Flying Museum Band. Up next is a four or five song EP of B-sides from the Exile sessions and also last year, as well as two or three new songs. That EP is called Spaghetti Songs. After that my other band GIANTS are making a record, but that should be painless and easy considering that we all have recording gear, so once the drums are done we can all work on it at our various domiciles. I've already started writing for the next Big City Nights full length record which we're going to record at a cottage up north this summer. The working title for that record is Dancing Days. Once school ends my chief project will be the film Russell and I are working on, Sudbury '96.
The release show is April 30th @ The Drake Underground w/ The Flying Museum Band. Up next is a four or five song EP of B-sides from the Exile sessions and also last year, as well as two or three new songs. That EP is called Spaghetti Songs. After that my other band GIANTS are making a record, but that should be painless and easy considering that we all have recording gear, so once the drums are done we can all work on it at our various domiciles. I've already started writing for the next Big City Nights full length record which we're going to record at a cottage up north this summer. The working title for that record is Dancing Days. Once school ends my chief project will be the film Russell and I are working on, Sudbury '96.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Inching closer plus shows
The record is very close. Feeling lethargic with this one at the moment. Tracking is done, so I just have to mix. For some reason I enjoy that least (not that I don't enjoy it). The most fun thing ever is just endlessly doing guitar overdubs. I can't decide whether to leave the record as is or add a shit load of trombone and keyboard...maybe I'll do both and then ask people their opinions. That sounds like a good idea, but I probably won't do it. Adding all that stuff is fun and it works, but it kinda takes away from the vibe, and this one was a definite party record. Strange though, something about the party felt sad and rushed. Maybe it's because we're all approaching thirty and can't "go" like we used to. Or maybe it's the fact that we still "go" like we used to and we're almost thirty. Or maybe because I was drunker than everyone else and keep frantically leap-frogging from person to person, chatting but not really connecting. One of the three. I'm currently fighting an encroaching virus because I drink too much on weekends (and sometimes weekdays) and listening to this "chillwave" stuff everyone's been talking about. I dig it. School-wise, I have the most difficult month of my life coming up, so it would probably be best for my sleeping patterns and stomach if I finish mixing the last song "Millions", remix the two songs that need a bit of tweaking, and send them off to Mills to get mastered.
Looks like there will be thirteen or fifteen songs on the record with a few jokes tossed in at the end.
Soon, my babes. This month hopefully, and April at the very very latest.
Release show is April 30 @ The Drake Underground w/ The Flying Museum Band
My other band GIANTS is playing @ Siesta Nouveaux this Saturday w/ Animal Faces, who are amazing.
The Flower City 3 are playing a house show at my house on April Fool's Day (no foolin).
Sleep For The Nightlife are back in two weeks. Get ready.
Looks like there will be thirteen or fifteen songs on the record with a few jokes tossed in at the end.
Soon, my babes. This month hopefully, and April at the very very latest.
Release show is April 30 @ The Drake Underground w/ The Flying Museum Band
My other band GIANTS is playing @ Siesta Nouveaux this Saturday w/ Animal Faces, who are amazing.
The Flower City 3 are playing a house show at my house on April Fool's Day (no foolin).
Sleep For The Nightlife are back in two weeks. Get ready.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
My first scathing review
Here's a mean one, from iheartmusic.net: http://www.iheartmusic.net/serendipity/index.php?url=archives/2145-Wilting-Flower-City.html&serendipity[csuccess]=true
Brampton Comes Alive isn't the worst album I've ever heard.
I realize that's not exactly a ringing endorsement of The Flower City 3's debut. That I can write that, however, actually comes as a bit of a shock to me, since, for its first half, the album was sounding like a pretty strong contender for that title. For it to avoid that dubious honour and attain a level of...average-ness speaks to both a surprisingly decent second half, not to mention how, after repeated listens, the beginning of the album actually starts to sound endearing in its awfulness.
Of course, that could just be the musical equivalent of Stockholm Syndrome kicking in. Because make no mistake, the first half of Brampton Comes Alive is pretty awful. Painfully off-key vocals, even more off-key melodies, bizarre timing, production that makes it sound as though the album was recorded at a distance from the bottom of a well -- all those things are present on tracks like "All In The Bramalea" and "Wooden Parts", and they collectively make you wonder whether you might be in the presence of an album that never should've seen the light of day.
And then, magically, everything seems to come together around the midpoint of the album. While the band may not improve much on songs like "How I Came" and "Starting Over Again", they still get better, to the point you can see what they're going for. Specifically, you can tell (I think) that they're going for a lo-fi, Pavement-y kind of aesthetic -- and even if they're clearly not in the same league as Pavement, they've at least improved sufficiently over that horrid first half that you think that maybe, just maybe, the band might be worth listening to one day. As for the present...well, I think I'll wait until that one day comes. (Though the fact the album is currently available on a PWYC basis means you don't need to take my word for that!)
Ouch.
Brampton Comes Alive isn't the worst album I've ever heard.
I realize that's not exactly a ringing endorsement of The Flower City 3's debut. That I can write that, however, actually comes as a bit of a shock to me, since, for its first half, the album was sounding like a pretty strong contender for that title. For it to avoid that dubious honour and attain a level of...average-ness speaks to both a surprisingly decent second half, not to mention how, after repeated listens, the beginning of the album actually starts to sound endearing in its awfulness.
Of course, that could just be the musical equivalent of Stockholm Syndrome kicking in. Because make no mistake, the first half of Brampton Comes Alive is pretty awful. Painfully off-key vocals, even more off-key melodies, bizarre timing, production that makes it sound as though the album was recorded at a distance from the bottom of a well -- all those things are present on tracks like "All In The Bramalea" and "Wooden Parts", and they collectively make you wonder whether you might be in the presence of an album that never should've seen the light of day.
And then, magically, everything seems to come together around the midpoint of the album. While the band may not improve much on songs like "How I Came" and "Starting Over Again", they still get better, to the point you can see what they're going for. Specifically, you can tell (I think) that they're going for a lo-fi, Pavement-y kind of aesthetic -- and even if they're clearly not in the same league as Pavement, they've at least improved sufficiently over that horrid first half that you think that maybe, just maybe, the band might be worth listening to one day. As for the present...well, I think I'll wait until that one day comes. (Though the fact the album is currently available on a PWYC basis means you don't need to take my word for that!)
Ouch.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Lonnnng Weekend
Recovering from an unusual amount of debauchery committed this past weekend. I can't believe how much we got done considering the alcohol abuse. I'm not bragging. It was stupid. I'll probably be hungover until April. In other news, the record's well on it's way to being finished, I'd say it's 85% completed.
About fourteen songs are finished and just need better mixes. There's not much tracking left to do. If you're interested, you can hear a bunch of rough mixes here: http://soundcloud.com/bicycle-man
Most of the songs on that page will be on the upcoming record, which is still called Exile On Queen St.
Soon enough, my friends, soon enough.
Although this would sound odd coming from any other band, this will very likely be our only full-length record this year. There will be an EP of b-sides (including the legendary cuts "Rookie Organ Nite @ The Leaf Game" and "Overhead Mic Falls On James"), but I don't think another full-length this year. 2010 kinda burnt us out, and I have a shitload of other projects this year (The Flower City 3, GIANTS, and Sleep For The Nightlife).
I've been sleeping through the daylight.
I miss those guys.
I miss a lot of things.
Remember that album title All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone?
Gorgeous. I never got around to listening to it though.
I'm tired.
"Goodnight always, to all that's pure that's in your heart"
About fourteen songs are finished and just need better mixes. There's not much tracking left to do. If you're interested, you can hear a bunch of rough mixes here: http://soundcloud.com/bicycle-man
Most of the songs on that page will be on the upcoming record, which is still called Exile On Queen St.
Soon enough, my friends, soon enough.
Although this would sound odd coming from any other band, this will very likely be our only full-length record this year. There will be an EP of b-sides (including the legendary cuts "Rookie Organ Nite @ The Leaf Game" and "Overhead Mic Falls On James"), but I don't think another full-length this year. 2010 kinda burnt us out, and I have a shitload of other projects this year (The Flower City 3, GIANTS, and Sleep For The Nightlife).
I've been sleeping through the daylight.
I miss those guys.
I miss a lot of things.
Remember that album title All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone?
Gorgeous. I never got around to listening to it though.
I'm tired.
"Goodnight always, to all that's pure that's in your heart"
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Brampton Guardian interview/story on the FC3
My other band with Russell got a nod in our hometown paper. It feels good. That article is here: http://www.bramptonguardian.com/what's%20on/article/959915--band-has-brampton-in-mind
Serious recording for Exile On Queen St all weekend, starting tomorrow.
That's the news, lose yer blues.
Serious recording for Exile On Queen St all weekend, starting tomorrow.
That's the news, lose yer blues.