c0micb0y

Same. I've listened to it more than any MG/MGB release besides BM. Man, I recall hearing 'empty road' for the first time on tour between avalanche and WLRRR, the words spoke to me immediately. It's such a refreshing album, very uncomplicated, focussed and full of soul. It's a blues record through and through. 'Little Terror' is the only track I'm not particularly fond of at this point. I give it a 5.

Constantines - Justice. The new Young Galaxy album, 'Invisible Republic' is fantastic.

Yeah def Symbolistic w/extended lyrics, blew my mind when I heard that live the first time. 21st Century made all the Avalanche shows so fucking current and relevant, with new comments and excerpts added every night. That blew my mind even more and sent my head spinning. I will also agree that Near Fantastica is probably the most badass live song that I've ever seen from 12 years of performances. Christian Thor Valdsen TORE THAT SHIT UP, and Matt was on his knees half the time rockin out. Hmmm Born to Kill was a pretty heavy assault as well...

Oh man, Moon over Marin is better in my opinion; 'True Love' doesn't have much replay value for me, kinda boring. --- Jenni's Song, easily. Failing The Rorschach Test vs. Truffle Pigs

Vancouver National Anthem/Empty's Theme Park is fucking incredible. The whole thing is actually great, really up on the beginning and end right now. The first two and last two songs have a very consistent feel, this will be a repeat player for sure. I hope a lot of you (naysayers) have chilled out at this point and at least considered considering and accepting the fact that this is another album, period. You know if you're a MG fan you will eventually enjoy and probably have your mind blown at some point by the majority of his material. Right now I'm excited as hell to see which songs will be incorporated into the live sets, and how.

The chorus of Silent Army In the Trees is vocally the same as the chorus of A Long Way Down. And the ending of the chorus for Last Parade (ain't good to be back HOOOooo oh ome) are the same notes, sung down a step, as the ending of Sort of a Protest Song (HEEeeeeey ey eey...). So what? So what. I can't help make the comparison every time I listen through, and it's not a detraction whatsoever.

What do you consider a small club, in terms of capacity? The Phoenix Concert Theatre in TO has a capacity of 1,000, and the average cost of a show there is $15 -$25. There are a few exceptions of course - I mean, who WOULDN'T pay $35 + service charges to see Collective Soul? But yeah Massey Hall (2,800 capacity), the (ugh) 'Kool Haus' (1600), the Sound Academy (approx 2600, and even deeper *shudder*) etc are usually about $25-$40 a pop. Maybe I'm just so used to seeing $5-$10 shows four nights a week lately. I'll still be going to any MG show of course, but that ain't cheap in my books. Again, a string section on tour with them would be King!

Geeeez $38 shows? I sure as heck hope that's to pay for a string section, it's about time he toured with one.

I can NOT wait to hear the drums in full quality. The stream is so poor, my god. It's going to be like hearing the album for the third time (demos, stream, full quality), helluva different way to experience an album from start to finish, literally. I like it, period. MG is still my shit.

Ack the vinyls are up for sale on maplemusic again, thanks (possibly) tho!

Solid, ordered a copy of the vinyl. Was looking forward to a freestyle war, but no one was up for it. YOUR LOSS

messaged you about the vancouver vinyl.

The only way to truly settle this is by freestyle rhyme. IM style. Typing errors will not count against the contestants, so long as the word and/or slang is decipherable. The edit I made was for a typo. Eff.

Silent Army in the Trees is reminding me of 'The Boy Come Home,' same vibe I'm feeling. And 'Oh Shit' I missed preordering the vinyl... how effing limited WAS it?? Anyone know? Craps.

Nice! Thanks for the tip

The West End Cultural Center in Winnipeg has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation over the last year, I was fortunate enough to see The Dears perform there when I was visiting at the end of May this year. I don't know what the sound quality was before the reno, but it's crisp as hell now. An MG show would be excellent there. I was at the Massey Hall show that was recorded for the live album, his vocals were drowned out half the time. It was incredible to hear the quality of the recording, night and day in my opinion. If I had my way, he'd play at Roy Thomson Hall next time he rolls through Toronto. I've never heard a cleaner sounding show anywhere else, other than Convocation Hall on U of T campus.

I think Matt should reply to Christian's email regarding an appearance on 'The Nightshift' program while he's in town, on University of Toronto community radio station CIUT 89.5

You know what, I just listened to half of Avalanche, and HOSAM just made me lose my shit all over again. Unbelievable vocal inflection, sounds so effortless and so goddamn resigned to the piece itself... Matt needs to quit smoking.

Hah same here, Empty's Theme Park handed me my shit. I'm not busting a nut over this album, but then I haven't immediately wet myself during the first few listens of a MG album since Avalanche. I know Vancouver is going to worm its way into my skull, just a matter of time. Us Remains Impossible is the strangest track... sounds like a mashup of elements from very different eras (early 90's alt rock/sunshine pop harmonies (???)). I can sense there's a lot underlying this work, it'll come to the surface and I will greet it with a handshake, not a handjob. MGBFC! No? No? Okay. Someone rip/cut/upload this album already...

Easily. I find White Light the most enjoyable and repeatedly listenable album from top to bottom. I haven't stopped spinning it regularly since it was released. The Who homage alone on 'Ex Pats' still makes me smile every time! I love that album... shit.

I agree, that line is such a snarling criticism of misconstrued representation in the media campaign of disinformation that has been the home front battle of western administrations throughout this most recent middle-east debacle. HUGE 'fuck you, go educate yourself.' I always smile when I hear it. I must say that I think the new album, on the whole, is the least musically challenging that matt has released. That's not to say it's not good, but I'm not blown away by a lot technically. It's definitely got buckets of emotional inflection, without which a lot of the songs wouldn't carry as well lyrically (when considered alongside previous work). It's all very personal, and a lot of 'clever' metaphor has been dispensed with in favour of a sort of desperate honesty. In this way, a lot of the metaphors created are even more obscure than, say, the lyrics from 'the audio of being,' which are tantalizingly constructed but also seem written somewhat to please the ear of the listener (which may be an inaccurate observation).

"digging down you'll find your hole, in time" I always thought it was much cooler than 'you'll find you're old inside'

Rusty's Groovy Dead sounds a LOT like Nirvana's PennyRoyal Tea

The set was just over an hour and a half. It sounds like the Toronto show was 'the shit.' I guess his setlist depends on crowd size. I'm only a tiny bit upset.

The Oakville show was definitely a short set compared to other dates. It may have been because he was dealing with a cold, or because he threw up twice from motion sickness after getting off the tour bus