Upcoming release: Memphis's A Little Place in the Wilderness

∞

Although Canada is America's next-door neighbor, we still have not even skimmed the surface of the Canadian music scene. It is time to extend a hand and help them cross over this great divide. I have a feeling this long distance relationship will work. Maybe this is because I use to live in Toronto for five years, but also the Canadian bands that have crossed the border have been nothing but a breath of fresh air. Note: Arcade Fire, The New Pornographers, Stars, Do Make Say Think Metric, Feist, Broken Social Scene and now Memphis! Here's to making this list longer.

{If you are in a hurry, skip to "on the album..." paragraph.}

Where it all started...
On the gray streets of New York City where dreams are said to come true Torquil Campbell met Chris Dumont and formed a band with some of Campbell's childhood friends: Chris Seligman, James (Jimmy) Shaw and Adam Marvy called Luxe, this was in the early '90s. After awhile Seligman and Campbell moved onto the beloved Stars, while Shaw teamed up with Emily Haines forming Metric in 1998.

Dumont, who was originally from North Carolina continued working as a carousel operator in New York's Central Park. Campbell invited him to Vancouver one summer and Memphis arrived into the world. The two released an EP called A Good Day Sailing in 2002 and for the next two summers was filled with writing and recording for Memphis's first full-length album, which was released in 2004 on Paper Bag Records. They recorded their sophomore album, A Little Place in the Wilderness, in a Vancouver hotel room and at Studio Plateau located in Montreal during the winter. Canada had its hands on this album since August, but we will still have to wait to see it on shelves in early 2007.

On the album...
There are too few albums that I know of, which I can play the whole way through without skipping a track or two. Good thing Memphis's upcoming album, A Little Place in the Wilderness falls into that category. I can pop it in the stereo and sit back comfortably without lifting a finger. And as I sit back and ponder with the welcoming laid-back pop sounds that will make listeners dreamy-eyed and hopeful, I feel a soft, airy atmosphere that will wrap around even innocent bystanders.

This airy feel is partly from Torquil Campbell's unique voice that sounds weightless and smooth paired with the subtle echoes that makes it sound like there are two Torquil Campbells instead of one! Fear not, there are playful jazzy songs like "Incredibly Drunk on Whiskey" incorporating a saxophone and clarinet and a lively, fun "I'll Do Whatever You Want" that may feel more like it belongs in the Stars catalog.

There is a lone violin that will dip and soar throughout, but unlike the climatic feel of Stars, there is a gentleness in all the instruments on the album, like the yearning of the pedal steel and the long notes by Jimmy Shaw (Metric) on trumpets and bass. Even the drums sound somewhat distanced from the listener with its faraway crashes of cymbals. This all helps the listener sink into Campbell's voice and dream away.


Track by Track

{Hover over the track title for a short description and right click to download}

A Little Place In The Wilderness | Memphis

1. I Dreamed We Fell Apart
2. In The Cinema Alone
3. Incredibly Drunk On Whiskey
4. Time Away
5. A Ghost Story
6. A Little Place In The Wilderness
7. I'll Do Whatever You Want
8. Swallows And Amazons
9. In The Highest Room
10. The Night Watchmen
    

Links

>>> Memphis's Official Site
<<< Hear more songs on MySpace
>>> Buy the import!
<<< Watch video of "I'll Do Whatever You Want" directed by Daniel Handler who wrote the Lemony Snicket series

Word of advice: since there is not a set release date decided (early 2007...sometime) for this album just yet, you can go sign up on their mailing list so you won't miss it when it does. Just go to their site and click on news, type in your email address and you're all set.

~anne

From the Camera Crowd, To the Dancefloor

Although the Thanksgiving holiday is nearing its end, Christmas is right around the corner and so are the parties that come along with the holidays. I hope you won't have to be stuck at one where the same tasteless music is played over and over again, but if you are the one throwing the party, here are a few bands that will make your party dance-ilicious. Hint: you can also use this playlist to practice your dance moves when no one's looking...

Click on the song title to download!
Click on the artist/band name to find out more!

{ Once the Hype Machine records these songs onto our recent tracks page, you can click on their neat pop up flash player to listen to these songs and then just download the ones you like. Just click on the pop-up flash player located to your left to listen to this playlist now! }

From the Camera Crowd, To the Dancefloor

1. The Adjustor | The Octopus Project
2. IMpossible | Figurine
3. My Patch (Hot Chip remix) | Jim Noir

(found this on Quick Before It Melts blog)

4. This Charming Man | Stars {a Smiths cover!}
5. Glass Danse | The Faint
6. (You Can't Blame It On) Anybody | Phoenix
7. Crazy | Gnarls Barkley
8. Hotel | Broken Social Scene
9. Loose Ends | Imogen Heap
10. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger | Daft Punk
11. Mushaboom (The Postal Service remix) | Feist

Also check out anything from Ratatat, neat Brooklyn band that churns out lyric-free rock/electronica music like no other. They are also currently on tour with The Faint. And hey, if you want the easy way out, buy The Faint's Danse Macabre and Ratatat's Classics and you're set for almost two hours of music for your party.

~anne

Hello out there! | ACL Day One

Hello, cameracrowd is definitely still alive&well! Maybe a little under the weather with postage, but here comes the big wave of how ACL was. It is although a little belated and old news in the world of blogging, but since we're here and all, why not? It has been a week since Austin City Limits for me and I still am in the stage of peeling...yes I got sunburned, but I'm okay.

Also a little warning to readers: I used a 35mm point and shoot camera. So I am sorry for the terribleness of the photographs. I was afraid they would take up my nice digital Canon. Many apologies again!

Day One:
David Ford | Ghandia | The Dears | Guster | Stars** |Cat Power** | Ray LaMontange**

I'm going to skip a few bands I saw and jump in talking about seeing Stars, who played a beautiful set, even in Austin's unmerciful heat. Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, the two main singers of Stars, both have matching airy voices and Torquil is incredibly energetic and passionate during the preformance. I only knew a few songs off of Set Yourself On Fire, but enjoyed their whole set. The violin was hooked up to a Vox amp and resonated beautifully in the air. Torquil had a bit of a minor heatstroke, with his white buttonup shirt being soaked through and through, but he rejoined the band after a few minutes. Torquil also has such an expressive way of singing and just being so wrapped up in the set. Really makes me happy to see my fellow Canadians making such great music and being able to cross over the borders to share a breath of fresh air in music.

I rushed over to where Cat Power was going to play with Amanda. Chan Marshall snuck in onstage while her accompanying Memphis Rhythm Band was playing; she was caught up in Gnarls Barkley's set. I've heard and read so many past show reviews about her stage fright and then now about her renewed confidence and sense of fun onstage. I was pretty excited and half-relieved that Chan Marshall was in shape for a nicely lengthened set. It was my first time to see Cat Power and I am in love with the music that Chan Marshall creates.



She sang a lot of songs off her latest album, The Greatest, which was very very cool with the backup gospel-like singers and a small orchestra of violins and jazz instruments. She also played "Cross Bone Style", "I Don't Blame You", and a cover of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" which is available on her Covers record. She also sang a casual cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".

She danced to her songs and had gestures accompanying the storyline of the songs. Usually when I like a band/artist, it's because I'm infected with this energetic, pumped-up feeling during their set. To Cat Power, Chan Marshall casted this feeling of contentment and appreciation. The crowd responded back with enthusiastic clapping, whistles, smiles, laughs and even happy-crying.

We went to Ray LaMontagne after giving up on getting food from the long and treacherous lines leading to the small booths. The only song I really knew was "Jolene", but the set was nice to listen to. There were some major Ray LaMontagne fans there, screaming, singing alone and interpretive-dancing like there was no tomorrow. Somehow in my mind I didn't think Ray LaMontagne's set would draw so many people. We were close, but as I looked behind me...just a sea of people out there. This sea of people image will deja vu itself through the rest of ACL. He seemed a little modest and alone out there, with only himself and his guitar onstage. We also saw Jake Gyllenhaal and some of his friends to the side of the stage where VIPs usually are. It was neat to see him enjoying Ray LaMontagne's music and clapping to the songs.


A little sample of what I heard that day:

Reunion| Stars
Living Proof| Cat Power
Jolene| Ray LaMontagne


I will try and keep up posting! I know these posts aren't the most informational, but rather more a collection of thoughts and feelings that went through my "soul" these sets. ACL set an anchor for me this year, something to keep/hold me in place and remind me how good music is and just life in general. Now that I am a senior in high school and on the mountainous beginning of college applications and all that lovely workload of my classes and the newspaper staff I'm part of in school. Anyways! Look forward to reading about explosions in the sky and the new pornographers in the coming days!

~anne