So I grew up in the 90’s, I couldn’t help it. In this new series I’d like to explore some great music from the 90’s. It does exist, of this I’m sure. Somewhere in my parent’s basement exists a CD titled “Absolute 90’s” and while the bands on that album, acts like Elastica and White Zombie, are exactly the kind of talent that I have in mind there was some good music to be had amongst all the, well, other stuff.

I Mother Earth, remember them? Remember the think metallic-beaded necklaces and the spiky, bleached blond hair? That certain way of holding the microphone that Fred Durst later made popular. These were the 90’s and it was all fair game. But I Mother Earth did some things right. Hailing straight out of the grunge movement, and trying to look the part, they mixed in just a touch bit of World Music and interesting percussion into their compositions to make them stand out. Not necessarily their singles, but certainly their b-sides, were often very cleverly composed and interesting-sounded pieces full of heavy toms and light bongo drums and if you can get past the machismo vocals they’re not so bad to listen to.

And so I present to you, readers, I Mother Earth. Love children of the 1990’s, born of the grunge movement and firmly planted in the memories of adults just about my age all over this great country. They’re not so bad.

Used to be Alright (1996)

I don’t know a lot about The Jayhawks but I do know a few things. First of all, they seem to have just arrived, to the present, from the past. Seriously. Their music, their sound and their appearance is that of a band somewhere in the early 70’s, don’t you think? Their vocal styling, the way they’re recorded and captured lived, and even their harmonies are reminiscent of something much farther back in musical history. But this track is from 2006. It’s hard to believe.

The other thing I know about The Jayhawks is that this song is killer. On top of all the aged beauty of The Jayhawks style it’s simply a really good song. It’s simple and yet interesting. It lulls and soars and seems to be exactly the right length. Those harmonies do sound so good and the guitars, especially in this live version, are so crisp and clean and give the entire song a twangy kind of feel that I really dig.

Finally, I know that this song is perfect for a rainy, stormy day like today.

Save it for a Rainy Day

I admit, I’m a ravenous fan of The New Pornographers so heading into this album I knew it would take a lot to disappointment. But Together does not disappoint, not the diehard fan and, I would suggest, not someone with brand new ears either. If you’ve never listened to The New Pornographers before, perhaps here is a good starting point.

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Another entry is my ongoing Favourite Tracks series.

The Weakerthans are one of those quintessentially Canadian bands. Like The Tragically Hip, they can sing about mundane things like garage sales, cats, or, in this case, curling. They can make anything interesting thanks to frontman John K. Sampson’s phenomenal writing ability, and their solid musicality. And, to be sure, I’ve been a fan of The Weakerthans for a long time and over the years, slowly, all the skeptics seem to be disappearing. If you aren’t a fan of The Weakerthans yet, give it a few years.

It’s hard to pick a favourite track, but here’s one, of many, that I love.

Tournament of Hearts

Two things that I love, music and ghosts, a match made in heaven.

Weighty Ghost

Weighty Ghost by Halifax’s Wintersleep is quite possibly the best song ever. I mean, really, listen to it. First of all, it’s got a really great beat to it, driven almost entirely by a kind of handclapped rhythm, an acoustic guitar, and the powerful yet fragile voice of frontman Paul Murphy. It’s a truly beautiful piece of music. And second, it’s got a great story to it. In my opinion it’s our story, the modern plight of a kind of world without direction, a body without a soul—a soul without a body. To put down a particularly good pun for y’all: it’s haunting.

Let’s get something straight: I don’t love Barenaked Ladies but this is an album I fully support. In that context, I present to you the following.

Barenaked Ladies got a lot of press over the past year and a bit, and most of it was not positive. Long seen as a pretty wholesome and friendly band—much like that goofy uncle of yours—Barenaked Ladies were dealt a nearly crippling blow when their co-frontman Steven Page was busted for drug possession, and hard drugs at that. It was a bombshell that sent the band into a complete tailspin. Pun intended, because shortly after the drug bust, it was the other frontman, Ed Robertson, who was making headlines. This time it was after he survived crashing his plane in Northern Ontario.

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Here’s another entry in my Favourite Tracks series.

I saw The New Pornographers live about five or six years ago. They were one of those bands that I had heard of but never heard. They were opening for Belle & Sebastian down at The Docks, when it was still called The Docks, on night I remember as being absolutely freezing, among other things. I remember not being hugely impressed by The New Pornographers but after having spent something like two hours in the freezing cold, lined up to get a good place to stand to see the main act, I think I was still thawing out.

“We’re just like you,” one of the band members said in between songs, “We’re all here to see Belle & Sebastian!” I thought it was a hilarious remark, but if I had known then what I know now, I would’ve been there to see The New Pornographers, too.

Adventures in Solitude

Adventures in Solitude just feels right, don’t you agree? A.C. Newman singing softly with Neko Case and Kathryn Calder. The beautiful back-and-forth. The gentle guitars. The building swell that comes like the tide and then breaks into an ocean of a chorus. It’s incredible even if my attempt to describe it is very poor. And, it’s summer music, don’t you think? It’s a breath of fresh air; it’s sunlight. Enjoy.