Up next my first review of a band I’ve been enjoying for years but only now is revealed to you through the power of a random dice roll.
If you prefer live concert reviews, we have that for you today as well, as I quickly break down the many live performances I saw at the Rifflandia music festival on Sunday.
Strap in and here we go.
Disc 1767 is…Me You They We
Artist: Ages and Ages
Year of Release: 2019
What’s up with the Cover? This is not a skeleton sitting on a chair. This is a person dressed up as a skeleton, sitting on a chair.
I imagine this is a mortal that was trying to cross over into Hades, maybe to visit a girlfriend that recently suffered an untimely death. He successfully got across the River Styx with the help of his costume and a timely bribe of two coins.
Unfortunately, after a routine sniff from Cerberus at customs revealed the distinct smell of living human flesh he was pulled aside and is now in a waiting room while some agents go through his backpack. Within, they will discover both a sandwich and deodorant – two things no self-respecting skeleton requires.
If he’s lucky he’ll just get swiftly deported and put on a “did not die” list (the underworld’s version of “do not fly”).
How I Came To Know It: Sheila and I went to Portland in 2019 to see a couple of concerts (Mountain Goats and Iron Maiden). Portland has some first-rate record stores, and I always bring my wish list to see if I can find any rarities or hard to find items.
I found some of those, but also noticed this brand new – and heretofore unknown to me - Ages and Ages album. Liking their earlier stuff, I bought it and hoped for the best.
How It Stacks Up: I have four Ages and Ages albums. Of those four I rank “Me You They We” at third best.
Ratings: 3 stars
“Me You They We” is the most gentle and melodic Ages and Ages record. Previous efforts have the same tight harmonies and call and answer elements as earlier records, but on “Me You They We” they double down on both sweet and smooth.
The result is a record that leaves you in a light and carefree mood. It
was so pleasant that despite catching lyrics that felt anxiety inducing, or at
least thought provoking, I kept finding myself floating back into pleasant
reverie. Best to not pay too close attention, and let the music soothe me like
it seemed to want to.
This is in contrast to earlier Ages and Ages records where I was drawn in and left thinking heavy thoughts on many of the songs. The wiki page suggests a considerable amount of turnover (two original band members, but sixteen former ones), and this likely in part accounts for the different sound.
There are elements where it is a bit too dreamy, and all that vocal and creative activity from earlier records isn’t quite there. The songs are delightful to relax in, but sometimes they need a bit more bottom end and dynamics to hold your attention.
While this left me wishing for the more complex arrangements over their first two records (less so, their third) there were still moments that capture the old magic, and none more so than on “Unsung Songs” a beautiful bit of harmony that feels like a choir of angels singing you to your rest (in heaven, not Hades). “Unsung Songs” slowly evolves from pure vocals into an increasingly dense sounding rock song, before reverberating into the ether, and settling back into the celestial ease where it started. It is a rewarding journey.
The worst track is “Just My Luck” which is emotionally empty and has an annoying central sound of someone repeatedly hitting a bunch of high notes on a piano that sounds like a kid discovering a chord, but other than this one clanger, the record ranges between inoffensively pretty or downright joyful.
Ages and Ages haven’t released a record since this one, and five years is a long time to wait. Their website suggests there is no active tour, and maybe they just faded into the light after this record. Given how light, airy and calming it is, it is an easy fate to imagine for them.
Best tracks: Way Back To, Needle and Thread, Unsung Songs, Nothing Serious
The Concert – Various Bands at Rifflandia 2024, Victoria BC
It is that time of the year again when we all engage in a little “September Forever” magic and talk Rifflandia. (all photos below are by Sheila).
We only went on Sunday this week, but we went early and saw a lot of bands – seven in total - although two of these were truncated because at a festival you sometimes need to make real time decisions about what stage you’re going to go to or stay at. As the kids would say…FOMO!
To mix it up a little, I’m going to review these bands in the order I liked their performances, not in the order they played. Note that there were another eight bands that are not included here. I don’t review them because I didn’t watch them. I only regretted my decision of who to watch once – more on that below.
#1 L7
#1 and then some, L7 were the main reason I went to Rifflandia and I was not disappointed. Unbelievable punk rock energy from these badass ladies of rock and roll. They snarled their way through a 40-minute set that in any just world would have been twice that long. I felt immediately immersed in the rebellious energy, and the feeling remained – along with a bit of ringing in my ears – long after they stopped playing. L7 – you make my…hit list.
#2 Janky Bungag
Janky is an alt country singer from Vancouver and the main reason I wanted to get to the festival early (he was one of the first acts). He was worth the early arrival. Personable, believable and a great songwriter. He was also funny, as he sang song after song about loveable lowlifes. The only tour shirt I bought other than L7 and the only regret was he wasn’t also selling CDs.
#3 The Beaches
This was my fifth time seeing the Beaches, making them second only to Frank Turner. There is a reason the Beaches are a must-see event. Not only do they write great rock and roll songs, they are amazing live. Full of energy (despite just flying in from PEI), plenty of power and no small amount of mischief. Lead singer/bassist Jordan Miller oozes charisma, but frankly the whole band does, and I once again enjoyed the spectacle of one of Canada’s great live experiences.
#4 La Force
La Force is a woman who sings alt pop tunes with a voice of liquid gold. I didn’t find these songs catchy so much as immersive, but it was easy to fall into her sound. I don’t think I will go out of my way to buy a La Force record, but she was solid.
#5 Wooden Horsemen
Blues bar rock with a trumpet. Every rock band could add a trumpet in my opinion, and the Wooden Horsemen brought that trumpet to bear with zest. These songs weren’t exactly innovative, but they did get my feet tapping. Again, won’t buy the record, but had a good time all the same. Kudos the woman playing tambourine and singing back up who put her all into the performance. Also, did I mention the trumpet?
#6 K-OS
I admit I left this show halfway through to go take in the Beaches. I’d seen K-OS about twenty years ago when he was first making it big and I’d liked him then. His show has changed a lot. Much less innovative DJ action, and more of a mélange of crowd engagement activity. His rap is still great (including some freestyling I believe) but I needed a lot more of that, and a lot less exhortations for me to sing along to samples of old rock songs. Bonus points for the B-Boy dude whose only job appeared to be walking around looking cool and breaking out dance moves. He did a fine job of both.
#7 Crash Test Dummies
The Crash Test Dummies hadn’t been to Victoria in 30 years. The last time they were here they played on the lawn of the legislature at a free show that was worth exactly what it cost. One of the worst five shows I have ever seen. This time they were better, but it was a low bar to clear, and they didn’t clear it by much. The set list was uninspired and other than “Superman’s Song” largely forgettable. At one point they danced around in a way that felt like a Sharon, Lois and Bram show, but with less energy. I regret not leaving and going to see the Cro-Mags.
Apart from that one bummer show experience, this was one of the best lineups of any Rifflandia in recent memory, and well worth the price of admission and $14 cans of cider.
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