Master Tracks: Drive Faster

This time on Master Tracks, Moe and Laurence show that it takes a lot of meticulous (yet fun) work to make a song sound like it was done live off the floor in one take. The song in question: "Analog" by the Toronto-via-Calgary band Drive Faster, who had recently changed their name in the search for a new sound. They go a long way toward finding that sound - in between games of pool - with some help from Moe's Stratocaster and "delightful" lead vocals that make Moe feel like he's been drinking. Enjoy it all here or below:

Master Tracks: Mamabolo

In this edition of Master Tracks, the director gets some direction, as film festival favourite Rob Stefaniuk (Suck, Phil the Alien) plays keyboards for Mamabolo (named after the lovely Barb up front), whose track "Close Your Eyes" gets the demo-to-download-in-a-day treatment. Moe and Laurence take what was a "Rush-style arrangement" and put all the cool things in order, with the help of a bass from a garage sale and some delicious Italian sandwiches. Check it out here or below:


And while we're here, there's also a swell web bonus video in which Moe ushers us into the glamorous world of guitar tuning. Enjoy here, or down there:

Ambers For Christmas...and Boxing Week!

Behold the mighty Suchy Sisters of St. Albert, aka The Ambers. Last week, Renée and her sisters put on "The Canadian Christmas Canon", a concert with holiday music new and old and vaguely-related, and you can find it all from Concerts On Demand on CBC.ca for your gift-wrapping or opening pleasure - and it IS a pleasure (turns out Renée's sisters are as funny as she is).

But that's not all. Though the CD they made with Moe lo these many months ago, Rain and Sun, has been on CD Baby for a while, next week it gets a proper release party. Not only will the ladies be rocking it out live at The Ivory Club in Edmonton December 28, Moe (who just happens to be home for the holidays) will be playing alongside them! If you're anywhere near the City of Champions, hightail it on your snowmobile for an amazing night - until we can drag the girls out for more shows in other places.

Master Tracks: Diemonds

In this edition of Master Tracks, Diemonds bring the rock for "Little Miss", but Moe starts feeling like he's trying to turn around a bad date. With a few beers and a lesson in "Arrangement 101", though, things do indeed turn around. Check it out here or below:

Master Tracks: Big Ideas

This time on Master Tracks, Big Ideas accepts some of Moe and Lawrence's ideas for their song "Set a Fire". Moe tries not to mess with the bassist's "contrary motion," the guitarist learns a new chord, the boys pick prettiness over twang and the drummer tries not to lose his shirt. Check it out here or below:

Kris and Dee Lose My Mind

The latest song posted by Kris Abbott and her wife Dee Abbott-McNeil was actually born of Dee's day job as a physiotherapist and educator in elder care in Kingston, Ontario. According to Kris' blog post on their myspace page, Dee was preparing a conference presentation about Dementia, and when she sought stories to give a more human perspective on the condition, she found a woman in the UK who has been keeping a photo journal of her experiences with her mother, who lives with Dementia. A collaboration began for which music was needed. Kris describes her role in the project as "co writer and musical interpretor of the photo journal collaboration. ie.. producing I suppose and getting the music to match their evolution between technical and emotional."

Read the blog post for more details about creating the song, but more importantly, check out the song itself, "Lose My Mind", on the main Kris and Dee myspace page or their ReverbNation page on Facebook.

Master Tracks: Everything All the Time

In this edition of Master Tracks, studio virgins Everything All the Time set a record (longest day? shortest day? most gang vocals?) working on their song "Love Love" with Moe and Laurence, who have to navigate FIVE sets of keyboards. Look out for Laurence's secret mic technique, drums that are "more April Wine than AC/DC" and the use of a rattlesnake. Take a look here or below: