Demetri Martin

Do you ever get that feeling that you’re going to school, but not really getting anything out of it? Oh, who am I kidding right, of course you have. Well that’s how I’ve felt this entire week. So far my week has gone something like this: Monday, I had a profile due late in the day, so we had the option of going to class if we felt we needed any assistance. Tuesday, my English lecture was cancelled because the professor was sick with a fever. As for yesterday’s Language of Persuasion lecture…well, where do you think I write the majority of these posts? Sometimes I wonder where that ridiculous amount of money my parents and I are paying is going (sighs). Also, I came back from class today, to find a message on my answering machine that said I was scheduled to work Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights this weekend. This after I made it quite clear that I did not want work on Fridays. At the risk of sounding juvenile, FML. In capitals.

On a positive note, I have almost finally caught up on my beauty sleep following last week’s craziness that was Canadian Music Week 2009. Even though almost nothing worked out according to plan, I still got the chance to check out some great live music, including performances by Charles Spearin, Crystal Castles, Dinosaur Bones, Lioness, Mansion and others. I’m working on a more in-depth recap of my highlights and lowlights from the week, so check back here soon for that. My voice even finally recovered on Tuesday from seeing Bloc Party on Saturday. Let it be known that whether or not crushing, Christian metalcore is your cup of tea or not, Underoath and Norma Jean (not to mention Philly’s Innerpartysystem who opened the show – mark my words, these guys are going to big in the next few months) put on a tight live show.

Here are some recent, and slightly older, music headlines from the past week or two:

I pretty much shrieked like a 14-year-old girl at a Britney Spears concert (I had to plug that in somehow – the Divine Ms. Spears is in town tonight at the ACC) when I learned that two of my favourite rock ‘n’ roll front-persons, Jack White (from The Raconteurs and some band called The White Stripes) and Alison Mosshart(The Kills), have started a new band called The Dead Weather. White also plays drums in the band – who are rounded out by Raconteurs bassist Jack Lawrence, and Queens of the Stone Age/Raconteurs member Dean Fertita, and you can hear their first single “Hang You From the Heavens” here. I think I speak for everyone when I say it’s certainly a better use of White and Mosshart’s star power than this, which is just proof that some things are better left alone.

Speaking of Bloc Party, the band has recently announced the details for the upcoming Intimacy Remixed album, which will see an A-list of established remixers and up-and-comers take on and reinterpret songs from the band’s third full-length album. Thanks to EXCLAIM! for the following tracklisting:

01. “Ares” (Villains remix)
02. “Mercury” (Herve Is In Disarray remix)
03. “Halo” (We Have Band Dub)
04. “Biko” (Mogwai remix)
05. “Trojan Horse” (John B remix)
06. “Signs” (Armand Van Helden remix)
07. “One Month Off” (Filthy Dukes remix)
08. “Zephyrus” (Phase One remix)
09. “Talons” (Phones RIP remix)
10. “Better Than Heaven” (No Age remix)
11. “Ion Square” (Banjo or Freakout remix)
12. “Your Visits Are Getting Shorter” (Double D Remix)

My first thought when I saw this list: No Age is doing a remix? The SoCal noise rock outfit recently turned out a highly unexpected version of Fucked Up’s “No Epiphany”, which was pretty decent, so I have high hopes for their remix of “Better Than Heaven”. This album has serious potential to be even better than Silent Alarm Remixed, and we all know how good that was.

Nashville folk-rockers Clem Snide have a new album titled Hungry Bird, and will be at El Mocambo this Saturday. Check them out here.

I recently learned the hard way (read: I didn’t get in) where the Wrongbar is located on Queen Street West, after failing to get into a show last week with my borrowed CMW media pass. I’m trying to line up some interviews before a show on April 5th, as that’ll be the only way I can get in otherwise, but if you are 19+ you should be sure to check out a stellar lineup including Brooklyn’s Ninjasonik and Japanther, and Toronto’s Meligrove Band.

If you’ve missed out on the dry, comedic genius of Demetri Martin then I would urge you to watch his showImportant Things with Demetri Martin either on the tube or online on The Comedy Network’s website. You can expect skits, sketches, songs and more from Martin, who used to be a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. “If you want to make a mythical creature, just take a regular animal and add wings to it. A horse becomes a pegasus, a lion becomes a griffin, and a hawk…becomes a double hawk.” So, so hilarious.

Cheers,
Max