Athena Reich

"Her vocals are pure and full of heart, and her songs have
unexpected melodic twists that move me to new emotional levels
very different from your average or even good pop singer.
Mostly, Athena's lyrics combine story telling with a surprising hook
that pushes past cynicism and irony and spins your
typical love song on its ear." ~ Cynthia Daniels
A couple of years ago, on my other blog, I wrote a post entitled Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition about this amazing new talent that I'd just experienced: Athena Reich. At the time, I described her as being a cross between Ani DiFranco, Kate Bush, Laurie Anderson and Liza Minnelli. (Yes, just try to imagine that combination... it ain't easy.) What was so cool the next time I saw her was that she had these promo cards where she described her style as Cabaret Punk Pop. See, if I'd just added Sleater-Kinney to my list, I would have had all the bases covered!


Athena is currently working on her upcoming 5th CD, "Little Girl Dreams". Most of the songs are finished, and she's getting ready to go into the studio. She's particularly excited about this CD:

Read more...

After years of hard work, I feel I am finally connecting with key players in the industry. Cynthia Daniels (who is the Grammy & Emmy award winning producer/engineer of Chaka Khan, Sandra Bernhard, the Broadway musical "The Producers" and countless others) has fallen in love with my music and will be producing "Little Girl Dreams". I am in conversation with major labels, am being requested by numerous colleges and venues, and am signed to one of the top managers in North America, MGAM. I have been working hard at my craft by taking master classes with multi-platinum hit songwriter Lorraine Ferro in New York City and by paying my dues on rugged tours across North America. I am coming into my own as an artist, and have never had so much fun or felt so care-free about performing, or my life. "Little Girl Dreams", more than anything I have created in the past, has the real potential to radically catapult my career to a much higher level.

You can listen to demos of "Little Girl Dreams" on her website. To read the lyrics, go to her Music Page (which is listed in her Store drop down menu).

In an attempt to raise the money to finish the album (and lord knows these things aren't cheap), she's asked her fans to help out: by donating and getting a Thank You on the CD, by pre-ordering the CD (a signed copy, no less), plus there are T-shirts and posters and tickets, oh my! What you get depends on what level of support you choose. I opted for TRUE FAN ($30-50): Receive a signed copy of "Little Girl Dreams" upon release, special mention on the CD and website, if desired, and the glowing satisfaction of being a modern day patron of the arts. If you want to support this talented artist, you can do it through The Field, a very cool website that allows you to Sponsor Artists. Check out Athena's website for the details.

Singing the Dictionary

Remember, in my Let Me Hear You Say Hallelujah post, how I mentioned that some singers can sing the dictionary and sound beautiful? Well, if you don't believe me just watch this:

Let Me Hear You Say Hallelujah

"It is the tale, not he who tells it."

Stephen King once wrote that in a short story of his. Ironic, given the fact that Stephen King could manage to make his grocery list a fascinating read. While I do believe the story counts for a great deal, the teller of the tale is equally important... if not more so.

The same could be said of music. Some people claim that it is the song, not he who sings it. And sometimes that's true. There are some songs that transcend all singers of it. But even those songs may be sung by someone who elevates it to a different level altogether. (There are also singers who can literally sing the dictionary and sound beautiful, but that's for another post.)

So let me tell you the story of when I found the singer who elevates Cohen's Hallelujah for me. Several years ago, a friend of mine who lives in my building mentioned that she was going to see this chick perform at a local music venue. This friend knew that I was into indie music and said that this was one performer I couldn't miss. I hear that a lot and it's not always true, but I go anyway just in case. And this time, it was not just true but TRUTH. The perfomer? Jasmine Whenham.

Read more...

So I went with my friend and several people that I didn't know to a venue that I'd never been to before. There was another musical act before Jasmine that sounded okay but I barely remember them. Then Jasmine came on. It wasn't an immediate opening of the heavens, light streaming down and the angel choir singing ahh-ahh's type of moment. But it was good, very good. And then she sang Hallelujah. A song that I already loved. A song whose definitive version I thought I'd already found in Jeff Buckley. But I changed my mind that night. All of the pain and pathos of that song was present in Jasmine's voice and suddenly I had tears in my eyes. I didn't break down sobbing because there were strange people in a strange place, but if I'd been alone...

I have since fallen in love with many of Jasmine's original songs, but that moment is one that will remain branded on my memory.

For a lyrical discussion of the song itself, you can read my Hallelujah post. To listen to Jasmine sing it, click on My Music Box in my sidebar.

Every Little Thing They Do Is Magic

Speaking of music in the 80s, I'm sure most people are already aware that The Police are on tour again! Unfortunately, they're not coming to Calgary, just Edmonton on June 2, but I'm bloody tempted to make the trek for the concert. (If only it was the following weekend... I'm heading up there already for my cousin's wedding.)

I still remember the annual Police Picnics that they held in Toronto back in the 80's. I was lucky enough to go to the last one and even meet the band afterwards. They were great and they even signed my cast! (I'd gone to the concert with a broken arm.) I wanted to save the cast when it was taken off but it was just too gross. Fortunately, I did have their autographs on paper, too... but the cast would have been a really cool memento!

80s Lyrics Quiz

I found this thanks to Bebo's Retro Site: A lyrics quiz with lines from 222 1980s pop songs. The challenge: Name the song and artist/group. I decided to post the first 20 lines that I actually knew (minus the answers of course). To take the full quiz, head over to In The 80s.

1. Suckin on chili dogs outside the Tastee-Freez
2. Can you hear them? They talk about us, telling lies, well that's no surprise
3. Don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
4. You take me by the heart when you take me by the hand
5. Are you happy, are you satisfied, how long can you stand the heat
6. Knew he must've been about seventeen
7. I am the maker of rules, dealing with fools
8. Step on a crack, break your momma's back
9. Everyone you meet, they're jamming in the streets
10. Every time I see you falling, I get down on my knees and pray
11. I said to my reflection 'Let's get out of this place'
12. Didn't know how lost I was until I found you
13. I'm about to lose control and I think I like it
14. Write it on a pound note, pound note
15. We are strong, no one can tell us we're wrong
16. Out on the road today, I saw a deadhead sticker on a Cadillac
17. I know her love is true but it's so damn easy makin' love to you
18. Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones
19. No April rain, no flowers' bloom, no wedding Saturday within the month of June
20. There's a skeleton chokin' on a crust of bread

I'll come back in a few days and post the answers in the comments for anyone who's curious.

Mocking Shadows

One of my favourite local Calgary bands is the Mocking Shadows. With their combination of funk, soul, reggae and urban R&B, they've got one hell of a unique sound. The toured with B.B. King and do fantastic covers of songs like "New Orleans is Sinking" and an amazing Sublime-inspired version of "Summertime," but they also have an ever-expanding repetoire of funky original songs, such as "The Way I Deal" (which you can currently listen to in My Music Box). And they now have a MySpace page!

If you live in or around Calgary, they'll be playing the Lilac festival again this Sunday, May 27. You can find them at after party in the beer gardens (4th st & 17th). They promised to debut some new songs then... I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

(FYI: I don't like to have more than 7 or 8 songs in the Box at any given time. So depending on how old this post is when you read it, the song may have been bumped from the box to make room for something else.)

Great Day for a Storm

With the summer television season almost upon us, I wonder if we'll be subjected... er, treated to another round of Rockstar: somebody-or-other. I confess that I watched both Rockstar: INXS and Rock Star: Supernova, but I was severely underwhelmed with both bands' final choices: egotistical Canadian pseudo-bad-boys with adolescent attitudes. Oops... was that my outside voice?

Personally, I think INXS should have chosen Marty Casey. And I think Supernova should have chosen Dilana. Why Dilana, when my favourite performer was actually Storm Large? Well, Storm is waaay too much performer for those ageing rockers to handle and waaay too individual to be stuck in such a mainstream act. Her original song "Ladylike" convinced me of that (listen to it in My Music Box). Or for another brilliant, hilarious and highly entertaining example of her performing genius, watch her with her old band Storm, Inc. singing "Great Day":

Blue October Calgary Contest

Win a trip to see Blue October in concert on July 15 at the Calgary Stampede!

The grand prize winner will receive two nights accommodation (July 14 & 15), two flights from WestJet, a chance to meet Blue October, two midway rider cards, food vouchers and transportation to and from the Stampede. If I didn't already live in Calgary, I'd be entering. Hell, I'm tempted to enter anyway... who cares about the flights? I just want everything else!

To enter, head over to Access Magazine. The contest started last Monday and closes Saturday, June 30th, 2007. Winners will be drawn Tuesday, July 3rd and contacted by phone. Good luck!

Melissa McClelland

My cousin recently went to see Jesse Cookin concert and apparently the opening act was Melissa McClelland. I first saw Melissa at the Ironwood in Calgary, a wonderfully intimate venue, and she enchanted me. Her powerful voice in that cute little package, the contradiction of her sweet melodies and her edgy lyrics... I bought Stranded in Suburbia right then and there. I haven't heard Thumbelina's One Night Stand, her new CD, yet but I just discovered that you can listen to the songs over on her website so I'm looking forward to the chance to check out the new material. In the meantime, I've uploaded "Good as Gold" to My Music Box and I'm going to move my old Melissa McClelland post over to this blog...

Originally posted 11.02.2004 on Limes with Orange

I've been getting a whole bunch of hits on my blog from people looking for lyrics to Melissa McClelland songs. I checked her website and found out that "Pretty Blue" has just hit the airwaves, so I'm thinking that may have something to do with it. Or the fact that she's been nominated for Female Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Video of the Year (for "Jaded") by the Hamilton Music Awards. And since her website doesn't provide lyrics and her CD, Stranded in Suburbia, is apparently too new to be included on most lyrics sites, I figured I would include lyrics to a few of her songs here. (You can listen to all of the songs in their entirety on the jukebox at the Orange Record Label site.)

Good As Gold (listen to sample)
[my favourite song on the CD and the inspiration to the working title of my novel: "Howling At The Moon"]

Who keeps track of things like that
Well, I do
You better keep me happy
Or I'll be howling at the moon

Read more...

It's all fun and games
Till I'm feeling blue
I discovered a continent in you
But now I've settled

So I'm hitting every party
Gonna find myself some fun
We'll take uppers in the morning
Light our cigarettes off the sun
When night falls we'll go cruising
And drink until we're numb
And I'll make you
Make you want me
Want me until I'm done

Here's your last attempt
At keeping me at bay
You're gonna chain me
To every word I say

Oh, my resolve is weak
I always crack
And I've been reading too much Nin
And you Kerouak

When you wake me in the morning
I'll be motionless and cold
You will bring to me some water
Yeah, you'll do what you're told
When I see you looking somber
I'll say babe you're as good as gold
But I can't see you again tonight
I've got a reputation to uphold

Then he whispered in my ear
'You're a sly bitch, you are'
So I drank away my headache
And I stumbled out of his car
Through the fogged up glass of the window
He made a clearing with his hand
And with his eyes he told me
'One day you'll understand'
~

Little Birds (listen to sample)
[my next favourite song on the CD]

Morning came with such a jolt
That I forgot my soul at home
This pick-me-up, stale coffee cup
Is filling up my insides though
And here I sit on subway stains
With blue pin stripe corporate charades
Outside I'm sure it's magical
But today I've got to get paid

Little birds over the south pacific sea
Falling from the sky in perfect symmetry
Well, there goes
each and every one of my dreams
Shattered images of who I'll never be

What is summer without sunshine
Who likes dancing in a straight line
When all these colours fade into mine
Tell me, am I black and blue?

It's comforting to know the day begins
(and it will surely end)
Tucked between these filthy sheets
Where nightmares start
Where sweet dreams end
Caught in a kaleidoscope
Of timely orchestrated screams
Filling space with barren thought
Motionless antipathy

Little birds over the south pacific sea
Falling from the sky in perfect symmetry
Well, there goes
each and every one of my dreams
Shattered images of who I'll never be

It's like fucking without kissing
Or never knowing what you're missing
And you're finally confessing
That you'll never stand a chance

Little birds over the south pacific sea
Falling from the sky in perfect symmetry
Well, there goes
each and every one of my dreams
Shattered images of who I'll never be

Seeing Venice through a TV
Or thinking beautiful means pretty
When all these colors blend completely
Tell me can you even see me?
~

Encinitas Rainstorm (listen to sample)
[and my next favourite]

Oh, you make my spring
And winter's such a mean old thing
When it's cold
And I freeze
While the birds and the bees
Chase the golden sun in the breeze

But now the birds are flying home
They've got stories from down in Mexico
Oh, I envy their wings
Cause I've flown in my dreams
And I've seen such beautiful things
From up above
But I have to admit without your love
I'd rather be where the sun don't shine
And it rains for days at a time

Cause he's my Encinitas Rainstorm
Ooh and he gets so fresh
When he sees me staring out my window
Longing to be undressed
And soaking wet
My hair's a mess
I'm out of breath

Thunder clapping
Raindrops splashing down
Oh, I'm so curious
And I'm so full of lust
And we're washin' away all this dust
We've collected
Cause honey I'm resurrected
And you wouldn't believe how it's flooded away
All of the grey

I'm falling... I'm astounded...
I'm dreamin'...
I'm drownin'
In all of your love
~

Jaded (listen to sample)
[I believe this was the first big hit but the second single off the CD, "White Lies (Stranded in Suburbia)" being the first single... if anyone is looking for the lyrics to that one, let me know]

These things I say
Come spinning out of my mouth
Like they've lost their way
And there's no doubt about it
You heard me.
I shouted.
I think you'd preferred it
That whenever you come clean
I say nothing at all.

So what
You'd left
Before I had a single chance to second-guess
These bittersweet diversions
And late night excursions
Secret perversions
Well, maybe I'm naive
Cause I can't believe this.

And now you fill my heart with doubt
You've turned me inside out
But I'm not jaded
And still with all this overkill
And bitterness instilled
My heart's left unfulfilled
But I'm not jaded

My life
Complete
With minor twists and turns
And just a small defeat
You know you really got me
You burned me
You shocked me
You threw me
You lost me
Well maybe I'm naive
But I'm catching on fast

And how could I have been so proud
You've turned me inside out
But I'm not jaded
And still with all this overkill
And bitterness instilled
My heart's left unfulfilled
But I'm not jaded

You came around
Your hands did all the talking
As you sat me down
For a bittersweet reminder
You heard me
I shouted
I'd never allow it
Cause maybe I'm naive
But I'm not fucking stupid
~

Pretty Blue (listen to sample)
[most recent single off the CD]

Pretty blue
On my way
Smoke a hundred cigarettes
Charm the gas station boy
Buy you a pack of Nicorette
I'm your missionary
Your guru
I'm your God
I've been saving you all along

Park the car
Rehearse my lines
Say the right things at the right times
Love you so
Miss you not
Gonna wait in the parking lot
Take a moment and gaze up
through the sunroof
And reach up through the say
To the stars
From the confines of this car
And I'm gone
Like a thief escaping in the dark
But I'm stumbling blindly
And I'm trapped in the night
Goodbye my pretty blue sky

Stole away
Almost night
Through plexiglass we fight
Count the stars
What a mess
This universe
This life
And I glide through the open window
So I can touch the sky
The stars
From the confines of this car
And I'm gone
Like a thief escaping in the dark
But I'm stumbling blindly
And I'm trapped in the night
Goodbye my pretty blue sky

The sky is falling
Scattered stars
Like pieces of my youth
These are my scars tearing
I've got to heal myself
Not you

Home sweet home
A week to go
Gonna get some sleep now
~

And a few additional Melissa links for anyone who's interested:
Soul Shine Magazine: Melissa McClelland — Do the Strand
SceneandHeard.ca: Stranded in Suburbia review
The GATE'S CD Reviews: Stranded in Suburbia
Ladybird Sideshow online — Melissa McClelland bio (Ladybird Sideshow is Melissa's side project with Erin Smith, Janine Stoll and Lisa Winn)

Lacuna Coil

I just found out that Lacuna Coil is coming to Calgary on May 26, playing Mac Hall. I find it kind of funny ("I find it kind of sad..." sorry, couldn't resist) because I have an Eventful Sticker for Lacuna Coil up on my MySpace profile, but as far as I can tell those 31 demands for them to come to Calgary had nothing to do with their actual choice of tour locations. Oh well, they're coming so it really doesn't matter what got them here!

I'm not familiar with their new album yet, so I might have to pick it up and give it a listen to before the concert. In the meantime, I've uploaded "Swamped" from their previous album Comalies to My Music Box. Enjoy!

Ugly Side

Originally posted 1.25.2007 on Limes with Orange

I noticed that someone landed on my blog searching for the meaning of the Blue October song "Ugly Side." You can listen to sample from "Argue with a Tree", their live album — this is my favourite version — or stream the full version from "History for Sale" below.

Although on the one hand I think the general meaning is self-evident, I decided to write about it because the specific lyrics might seem a little odd to some people.

Ugly Side lyrics:

I must have sneezed
On knees I freeze
I mean I just choked up
Somehow I slept
I dream, I mean
I dreamt of nothing

Able to breathe
A sweet relief
Now that you're here with me
A northern degree
Dove into me
Now I'm recovering

[Chorus]
I only want you to see
My favorite part of me
And not my ugly side
Not my ugly side

Read more...

Hook up a C.B.
Wave a way
For conversation flow
I'm shoved in your cave,
to wage this rage
Don't let me go

A kick and a scream
is all that seems
To mean a lot thus far
I won't let you on
my stage, my page
You can't know
Yet you have to know

[Chorus]

So calm... and now it's dark
I look for you to light my heart
I'm in between the moon and where you are
I know... I can't be far

The most general interpretation is simply how hard it is to share your those parts of yourself that you don't like with someone that you actually want to share your whole self with. More specifically, I believe it relates to Justin Furstenfeld's history with drugs, his recovery and his ardent desire not to have to share that part of his past and himself with someone he's starting a new relationship with.

As for specific phrases that may or not make grammatical sense… I say don't analyze that stuff too deeply. It's poetry. It elicits an emotional reaction of confusion and melancholy and fear and love. In "Writing Down the Bones", Natalie Goldberg writes:

"The aim is to burn through to first thoughts... to the place where you are writing what your mind actually sees and feels, not what it thinks it should see and feel. It's a great opportunity to capture the oddities of your mind. Explore the rugged edge of thought."

I believe these lyrics are definitely the stuff of "first thoughts." Not to say that I don't have my ideas about what Justin means in certain phrases, but I'm more concerned with what he's feeling and how he makes me feel. So my advice is not to try to deconstruct the song, just feel it.

Introduction to Music Musings

I've decided that because I talk about music sooo much on my personal blog, that I would dedicate a blog strictly to music. Not to say that I won't still mention music on Limes with Orange, but the big long posts with discussions and lyrics will be here instead.

For this inaugural post, I'll just mention that my latest musical obsession, i.e. Blue October, will be playing at the Calgary Stampede on July 15!!! I guess I'll be doing the Stampede thing this year after all. Yeehaw!