[here] Beer, Booze & Bars

Drink’N'Music 2009

Craig’s 10 Favourite Records of 2009, Paired with10 Favourite Tipples

Once again I find myself shuffling through my CD’s and record (I only bought one piece of vinyl this year), and checking my Iphone (yes, I finally broke down and downloaded a few records this year, out of necessity) to argue with myself about which should make my top 10.

As I get older I buy more jazz, classical & country, while still collecting Beatlesque pop, new wave and punk influenced music with older roots, and singer/songwriter standards.

I listen to a lot of “indie” music, too, online on myspace, on college radio, free concerts at radio3.cbc.ca, and their excellent Grant Lawrence-hosted podcasts. I’ve argued for years that indie is not a type of music: it’s a statement of your career status. It’s as meaningless a word as “alternative” (alternative to what?) Much indie music has little in common with the others in the genre: some is pop, some is punkish, some electronic, some 60’s folk, and some a mix of all those. Yes, I’ve heard Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective, tops on many people’s lists, but if I’m going to pay for indie, it’s most likely to be local. Examples are Halifax’s Brent Randall or Saint John’s Clinton Charlton.

2009 was a very strong year for music, so I’ve added some honourable mentions at the bottom that could just as easily have made my top 10.

1. Pugwash – Giddy (Beatlesque Pop, Ireland)

This Irish pop group has done very well in the UK with their original songs that echo the later Beatles, ELO, The Beach Boys and XTC, but they are virtually unknown in North America. XTC’s Andy Partridge’s Apehouse label is trying to change this, releasing Giddy, a collection of songs from their 4 studio albums, remastered and now available here in North America as well as via the apehouse site (http://apehouse.prevuz.com/tag/pugwash/) Partridge is credited as co-writer on several tracks, and guitarist/arranger extraordinaire Dave Gregory (also of XTC) is involved too. Just one listen to It’s Nice To Be Nice and I was hooked. Find it on youtube for a sample.

What to Drink:

I’d choose English traditional method sparkling wine (a burgeoning industry) because fizz makes me Giddy, but we don’t get any here, so instead I’ll choose a good value sparkler: Freixenet Carta Nevada Cava from Spain ($14.49).

2. Brent Randall and those Magnificent Pinecones – We Were Strangers in Paddington Green (60’s Style Pop, Canada)

Every now and then I hear a new band and I think “Wow! A new track from one of my favourite bands!” That was the case with Halifax’s Brent Randall’s beautiful Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy). I was sure it was John Southworth, or perhaps an old Kinks song. The album art even looks like an old 60’s British record. This is wonderfully dreamy music from another time, another place, and I can’t wait to see him live.

Drink With: Gin & Tonic, definitely, on the lawn while watching the kids play, a cricket match or actual crickets. I’m using Gin from the small Myriad Distillery in PEI at the moment as well as New Amsterdam Straight ($28.99).

3. David Sylvian – Manafon (Ambient Jazz, England)

It is difficult to classify Sylvian since he has been everything from a Velvet Underground aping rocker and Asian/synth pop star in the band Japan, to a crooning (think Bryan Ferry) acoustic solo artist, prog rock duelist with King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, and now ambient jazz experimentalist. With the changes, two things stay the same: his deep, vibrato-affected, perfect voice, and his poems, turned into lyrics. Though still a difficult first listen, Manafon, recorded with an array of international improvising session musicians, is more approachable than his last record, the angular, almost atonal Blemish (now THAT was a breakup record!) By the third listen you will be either addicted or simply bewildered. I like that kind of challenge sometimes. Try Small Metal Gods and go from there.

Drink With: One of my favourites for those odd times when I feel like something weird is Campari (a bitter Italian liqueur often mixed with soda) and Orange juice, making for, like Manafon, a bittersweet experience.

4. Elvis Costello – Secret, Profane and Sugarcane (Country/Bluegrass/Music Hall, England/America)

Ever the genre hopper, to some folks’ dismay and others’ delight, Costello’s latest, a Grammy nominated LP, is a mostly acoustic record with some of USA’s most respected musicians, including the “World’s Best Dobro player,” Jerry Douglas. The album is a bit of a mish-mash; some is straight ahead Bluegrass & Country, including collaborations with Loretta Lynn and Emmy Lou Harris and there are a couple of odd covers (extended version has Femme Fatale by the Velvets), but the highlights are complex pieces he wrote for an opera about Hans Christian Andersen. She Handed Me A Mirror and How Deep Is The Red are moving music hall pieces, among the best songs he’s ever written.

Drink With: Samuel Adams Boston Lager, an American beer, but influenced by good European beer. It has a hoppy personality ($2.36/ 355 ml bottle)

5. Robbie Fulks – 50-Vc. Doberman (mostly Country, USA)

Robbie Fulks embarked on an ambitious project in 2009; he successfully recorded 50 songs, mostly his own, for release in a “digital download only” format (you can buy tracks at itunes or amazon.com). Although known mainly as an acerbic, disgruntled country artist, this talented Chicago singer songwriter has many musical styles on this release: heavy metal, soul, gospel, Broadway tunes, straight ahead pop, Zappa-ish stuff, and old time country. Next year he hopes to release a full album of Michael Jackson covers. I’m sure it will top the charts. His cover of Beyonce’s Irreplaceable sounds like a surefire country soul hit, It Was Love That Ruined Me sounds like John Hiatt or Nick Lowe at their best, and Pretty Girls is a hilarious country tune that would be a hit for someone famous: “The world is full of pretty girls, and pretty girls are full of themselves too.”

Drink With: whatever straight whisky you prefer. Maybe it should be Bourbon, but I’m partial to Single Malt, but I’m cheap, so I usually buy Vatted Malt, a blend of Single Malts, like Famous Grouse 12 Year Old, a blend that includes Highland Park and The Macallan for $35.29.

6. John Southworth – Mama Tevatron (Electronic Pop, Canada)

Southworth is as indie as anyone, by my definition, as his 6 records and 1 EP r over his 14 year recording career have come out on a bunch of different small labels. This latest was only available as a Digital Download until recently when it was released on CD by Dead Daisy/Outside music from the USA. It can now be purchased at MapleMusic.com. His videos are always conversation pieces, and arguably works of art; First of May http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ik_069zpxA from this record is worth a look. Southworth is known as a whimsical guitar and piano playing singer-songwriter, so his decision to do this as pretty much a synth record came as a bit of a surprise, but the results are refreshing. The single Get It Now is receiving lots of internet play on CBC Radio 3, which should help him reach the right demographic. Also, his regular performances as part of Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble’s live classical/pop hybrids have been memorable. You can link to these things at his http://sud-de-valeur.blogspot.com/ site, including his Christmas song called Space Age Santa.

Drink with: a floral, complex, idiosyncratic white wine that ages well, much like his music. My pick at the ANBL is Donnafugata Anthilia for $17.99 from Southern Italy.

7. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (Country/pop/rock, USA)

Neko Case is a superstar, debuting high on the Billboard charts, and garnering a Grammy nomination this year (up against Costello, actually), but her records are nothing like typical modern American popular music. An honourary Canadian (she sings with the New Pornographers), Case can write and has written “real’ country, but most of the songs here straddle 60’s and 70’s pop, country, and rock genres; they’re very “Brill Building.” Middle Cyclone is a varied, high quality release with great lyrics and performances. Right from the stellar opening track This Tornado Loves You, her powerful, pure voice dominates the record.

Drink with: Neko Case’s music is retro in only good ways, and it make me want to match her with something out of fashion that deserves more attention: oaky Chardonnay. It’s not an everyday wine, but sometimes I want rich and creamy, flavour packed wine. My pick is Bonterra Chardonnay, from California, for $21.99. And, like Neko, it’s organic!

8. Regina Spektor – Far (Piano pop, USA)

Branded by some as another in a line of piano playing sirens/Kate Bush clones (Sara McLachlan, Tori Amos, Sara Slean, etc. ), which is by no means an insult, Spektor has now made three consecutive records of bright, sometimes beautiful pop tunes. I was worried when I saw that Jeff Lynne (ELO) had produced 4 tracks because, although I like a lot of ELO’s music, I don’t like the way he overtakes other artists (Dave Edmunds, George Harrison). My concerns were unwarranted; the Lynne produced songs sound nothing like ELO: Folding Chair is a chirpy, radio-friendly tune. I love the record, especially the quirkier tunes like Eet and Dance Anthem of the 80’s.

Drink with: high quality vodka and soda with a lime wedge, pure, fresh & clean. I use Kittling Ridge Prince Igor Extreme ($24.99), Citadelle ($31.29) or Iceberg ($24.79).

9. Ben Folds Presents: University A Capella (Pop, USA)

I love Ben Folds and I love Glee, and I believe Ben’s work on this record predates, or perhaps foretells Glee. Note also that he is a judge for the popular new “The Sing Off” TV show on NBC. Folds held auditions for university singing groups to perform a capella versions of songs from his catalogue, selected some and recorded them professionally, adding a couple of his own versions. The result is a joyful, gorgeous record that you might not want to listen to every day, but will surely pep you up on a down day. Folds is one of the best songwriters of the past 20 years and this record celebrates this. The Spartones’ version of Not The Same, about a friend who finds God, is transcendent, hymn-like in its anti-religiosity. Folds’ version of Effington is simply brilliant.

Drink with: Premium rum, a capella. For value, I love Havana Club 7 year old ($28.48).

10. John Doe & The Sadies (Country rock, USA/Canada)

Doe has had a mildly successful solo career since his seminal West Coast punk band X called it quits, but he’s never sounded better or more comfortable than he does on this set of standards and his own compositions, playing alongside Canadian country rock legends The Sadies. Always a fan of country (he made two country records with wife Exene Cervenka of X and other bandmates under the name The Knitters), this record shows how perfect his easy drawl is for classics like Husbands and Wives, and Help Me Make It Through The Night.

Drink with: a beer. Your choice. I’ll take Pump House SOB.

Honourable Mentions:

Joel Plaskett – Three (Folk/Rock/Pop, Canada), Sondre Lerche – Heartbeat Radio (Jazzy Pop, Norway), Brian Setzer – Lonely Avenue (Jazzy Rockabilly, USA), Ben Kweller – Changing Horses (Country, USA), Cheap Trick – The Latest (Power Pop, USA), Clinton Charlton – Parade (Folk/Country, Canada).

MISSED FROM 2008: Molly Johnson – Lucky (Traditional jazz, Canada)

STILL NEED TO TRY FROM 2009: Madness – The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Ska-pop, England)

Craig Pinhey thinks that everyone should make their own top ten list. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.

Craig’s 10 Favourite Records of 2008, Paired with10 Favourite Tipples

It is Christmas, time for my list of ten favourite music releases from 2008, each matched with a suitable drink. It’s hard work, but, well, you know…

I get accused regularly of dwelling in the past when it comes to music; my response is that I am always listening to modern music, seeking new artists that turn my crank. I find them fairly regularly, and I glom onto them until, in most cases, I realize that they are just a pretender: the proverbial great hyped hope.  They can’t compete in my brain with artists I’ve loved for 20 or 30 years, who are still “bringing it.”

I’ll listen to anything that people recommend, and with myspace sites it is pretty easy to get a taste of someone else’s faves in a few minutes.  So please let me know when the next Elvis Costello, Andy Partridge or Tom Waits (or Mark Everett, Sondre Lerche, or John Southworth, for that matter) comes along, because I’m looking for them.

1. Joe Jackson – Rain
Always playing second fiddle to Costello in the “angry British New Waver turned eclectic musician” department must be frustrating for Joe, since he was a jazz musician first, but he keeps making new and interesting albums, like this excellent jazz influenced piano-bass-drums (no guitars, period) record.  It is less biting than some of his music but both the songs and musicianship are very strong. Rush Across The Road is a classic, unforgettable melody.

Matched with… Warsteiner ($2.56/500 ml can), a crisply bitter German pils. Joe has made his new home in Berlin (learn about it at www.youtube.com/joejacksonrain), because he is so bitter about the smoking ban in his former love, New York.

2. Elvis Costello  – Momofuku
This is by no means one of my favourite Costello albums, but even his dashed off albums (he reportedly made this in a couple weeks, including writing many of the songs, I suspect) are better than most of the dreck out there. Named after the Japanese inventor of instant noodles, Momofuku is an uneven, diverse album, with everything from alt-country to This Year’s Model style rants (”American Gangster Time,” “No Hiding Place”) and sentimental ballads (”My Three Sons”). The background singers, including Jenny Lewis, add a sense of newness to this record.

Matched with…Champagne! We need something that goes with everything. Well, how about a more affordable traditional method sparkler instead. I’m loving the Cordon Rosado from Freixenet ($16.49).

3. Sloan – Parallel Play
It was difficult to follow up Never Hear The End Of It, but they did a decent job of it. The record shows flashes of brilliance, especially Jay Ferguson’s “Witch’s Wand” and “Cheap Champagne” (when is he going to do a solo record?) and great rockers from Andrew Scott (the Dylanesque “Down In The Basement’).  This record sounds like 4 solo EP’s randomly mixed together.

Matched with…a Mojito, a cocktail with 4 distinct components: mint, sugar, soda and good quality white rum. You decide which part goes with which band member – it depends on which one you are sweet on and which one is muddled. Use the tasty new El Dorado 3-year wood aged white rum ($28.29)

4. Juliana Hatfield – How To Walk Away (Demos)
As I get older I find myself liking stripped down production rather than grandiose stuff (with exceptions, see pick #5), which is why I paid extra to get the “How To Walk Away ” demos along with the new Juliana disc.  There are 20 tracks, including bonus ones plus most of the demos of songs on the regular CD.  “Shining On” sounds like a MOR single on the regular record, but is a poignant indie pop song as a demo.

Matched with…A Sugar Plum Fairy. That’s what I think of when I hear Hatfield’s sexy Tinkerbelle voice.  This is, as I learned from the bartender at Onyx in Halifax last week, a martini made with Japanese Plum Wine, Champagne and Grand Marnier. If you can’t find the plum wine (you can get it in Halifax at Bishop’s Cellar), I’d substitute a small dose of semi-sweet rosé wine, such as Mateus, plus put in a dash of something sour, like cranberry or lemon juice, as plum wine has a sweet and sour taste.

5. Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
I’ve read of music described as frenetic, but I think Of Montreal (a Georgia band who actually have nothing to do with Montreal, as far as I can tell) should own the word. This album is all over the place, very complex, layered and insane. It’s also very singable, with a few exceptions, and danceable. It’s quite original, although I hear Prince, early British psychedelia, lots of Bowie, and electronica in there. There’s an element of classical music too; many of the songs are made up of various distinct movements. Some of the ridiculously pretentious song titles drive me crazy (”An Eluardian Instance” and “Beware Our Nubile Miscreants”) but I’m really enjoying trying to figure out this challenging album.

Matched with…Torrontes from Don David in Argentina ($16.49). The cliché choice would be something hallucinogenic, but I’ve chosen a fresh, distinct, and exotic white wine.

6. Pretenders – Break Up The Concrete
Finally, the great album that should have followed Pretenders II. This has the gritty rock and roll sound that largely disappeared from the band when two original members died within two years, from excesses of the job. Chrissie Hynde’s voice has never lost its unique appeal, but she has been spotty in terms of output over the last 20 years. This album rocks! Listen to “Boots of Chinese Plastic” on www.thepretenders.com for a taste.

Matched with… Maker’s Mark Bourbon ($44.70), straight but smooth American whisky, since Hynde is from Ohio.

7. Sarah Slean – Baroness
Canada’s siren returns with her strongest album yet, filled with haunting piano and her pure voice. The single “Get Home,” about infidelity, is incredibly moving and almost too personal.

Matched with… Mission Hill Five Vineyards ($18.79) Pinot Noir, a late night glass (one of the huge Burgundy ones that holds almost a bottle) of smooth, seductive BC Pinot.

8.  Skydiggers – City Of Sirens
Canada’s folk pop troubadours are still making great records, although quietly. Andy Maize’s gravelly voice has never sounded better. “City Of Sirens”, written from an excerpt of a Schubert song, and “Hello Beautiful Life” and “Laura Love”, similarly developed from Schumann compositions, are highlights.

Matched with… Pelee Island Merlot ($12.99), a simple comfort wine from Ontario, smooth and round, but with some elegance.

9. Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
Former child actress Lewis has turned her success in indie band Rilo Kiley into an acclaimed solo career. Acid Tongue is more alt-country than anything, and she really shows her chops as a lyricist and vocalist. She’s great live too. You can watch her duet with Elvis Costello on “Carpetbaggers” from Letterman on youtube.

Matched with…Lingenfelder Fish Label Riesling from Mosel, Germany ($17.79). Acid tongue makes me think of Riesling, and this fresh and fruity mineral & citrus laden white is a perfect choice!

10. Chris Difford – The Last Temptation of Chris
This is the second recent solo effort from Squeeze’s “other” vocalist (remember “Cool for Cats”?), and it’s a winner. Difford is the one of the best lyricists in music, responsible for the wry satire in all those great Squeeze hits, and his songwriting is very good as well. Watch the disturbing and also clever “Fat As A Fiddle” video at www.myspace.com/cdifford

Matched with…Fuller’s London Pride ($3.99), a pint of fantastic hoppy English bitter.

Craig Pinhey feels guilty about leaving out 5 or 6 other albums he loved, but not about the 5 or 6 drinks. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.

[here] Beer, Booze & Bars, Dec 28, 2006
Pet Sounds
Craig’s 10 Favourite Records of 2006, Paired with Suitable Drinks

Here I sit watching Canada’s best soccer player’s team on TV, thinking about my favourite records from 2006. Owen Hargreaves is a star for Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga, was England’s best player in this year’s World Cup, and he’s Canadian. Is he a traitor, an opportunist, or just managing his career? Actually, at the moment he is but a lame duck, sitting out with a web injury…

It makes me think about my “best album” choices for 2006. Am I disloyal for not picking any New Brunswick bands? Should my list be All Canadian?  I’ve been in several online arguments – well, discussions – over the past while regarding music. Specifically, is there anything wrong with your favourite music coming from away? Some think we owe it to our local music scene to support it above all others. There’s merit in this, but music is very personal, and anyone who is a serious fan of music, a collector, knows that, when you hear the right sound, you must buy it, regardless of origin. Some of us find those sounds easily, on commercial radio, as backing tracks to favourite TV shows, in a bar, or at a friend’s house. Others search far and wide, using the Internet as a valuable tool, to find that certain aural satisfaction that we just can’t adequately describe to nonbelievers.

However you find your muse, it can be rewarding to share with others.  Or not. When you list your favourite records, your Pet Sounds, you are to some extent laying your soul bare – giving others insight into your most personal and perhaps political thoughts. “If he likes that,” they think, “he must be ignorant/gay/uneducated/a communist/misogynistic/a psychotic loner/insert your own psychiatric assessment here.”

Well, I’m willing to take that chance, just in case one of you finds your own pet sound amongst my picks.

So, here they are, my top ten from 2006, with drinks to match.

1. Sloan – Never Hear The End Of It
30 tracks of diverse music from four singer songwriters with wide ranging influences, this was a welcome relief after their disappointing Action Pact. From Beatlesque pop to jangly, tuneful, retro rock, psychedelic angst, radio friendly ballads and hard rock/punk, Sloan does it all. It would be a great album to retire on – a “magnum popus” of sorts – but I sure hope they don’t.

A Favourite Line: “I’m unable to tell if I know who I am. A modest success, a shill or a sham.”

Drink?
Sloan demands four drinks for four unique performers. For Chris: Black Sheep English Ale, for his introspective Lennonish-leanings. For Patrick:  Black & Tan, radically opposite, like his pop ballads and hardcore punk.  For Jay: something classic, a Manhattan. For Andrew, how about some mushroom tea of the wild variety?

2. Elvis Costello and Allen Touissant – The River In Reverse

Arguably one of the most important urban American releases of 2006, The River in Reverse was missed by many, perhaps because a cocky white Brit was involved. The fact that soul legend Allen Toussaint would work with Costello to create this poetic response to the flood may surprise some, but not anyone familiar with both artists. Some noticed. It is up for a Grammy, in a category with some of the worst culprits in mass-marketed American crap. To see the hot touring band, complete with New Orleans horns, check out “Hot as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade,” a concert DVD released in time for Christmas.

A Favourite Line: “Wake me up. Wake me up with a slap and a kiss. There must be something better than this. But I don’t think that it can get much worse. What do we have to do to send the river in reverse?”

Drink?
Classic N’Awlins: coffee made with chicory, or a Hurricane: lots of rum and fruit juice, bought and drank on the street.

3.  Lloyd Cole – Antidepressant

This 45 year old Scotsman – living in New York — continues making fabulous records in the moping, manic depressive singer-songwriter style, along the lines of Bob Dylan consorting with John Lennon. Ever a critic’s darling, Lloyd sells few records. I find this depressing.

A Favourite Line: “I said I’m trying to write my novel. She said Neither am I.”

Drink? Vodka and Valium, hold the vodka.

4. Hawksley Workman – Treeful of Starling

Hawksley took a major turn from Lover/Fighter, which had some folks comparing him to Bono (not me), and released this gorgeous, intimate folk-pop record. It’s perfect music for lazy relaxation, on the grass under a tree in the summer.

A Favourite Line:  “And in ten thousand years time, when we’re found there, still entwined, in a near eternal kiss, that would impress the scientists.”

Drink? Homemade lemonade.

5. The Nines – Calling Distance Stations

I’m not sure why it took me so long to buy a Nines record. They’ve been touted as a fave of XTC’s Andy Partridge and Jellyfish’s Jason Faulkner (who both guest on the new album), they are Canadian, and lead singer Steve Eggers does a dead-on McCartney.

A Favourite Line: “All of the things I could have said, I kept it all inside my head instead. So long Mary-Jane.”

Drink? Great Ontario wine: Henry Of Pelham Non-oaked Chardonnay.

6. Nine Horses – Snow Borne Sorrow

Everything David Sylvian touches is golden. This new CD also features his brother and ex-Japan co-member Steve Jansen, and other guests including the legendary Ryuichi Sakamoto. Enjoy ambient, haunting melodies, anchored by Sylvian’s deep, silky voice.

A Favourite Line: “God bless amnesia, and the things I’ve suppressed. I can reframe the image, I can discard the rest.”

Drink? Herbal tea of your choosing, or opium.

7. Andy Partridge/XTC – Fuzzy Warbles 7&8 + Box

Andy completes his epic cataloguing of rarities, assembled in his garden shed/recording studio. Fuzzy Warbles concludes with volumes 7 & 8, and a bonus CD, “Hinges”, included when ardent fans purchased the Collector’s Album, perhaps the most original and brilliant piece of CD packaging ever. It’s like a big, happy stamp album!

A Favourite Line: “I’m unbecome. I dissipate. You are the fresh bread upon my plate. Oh, what’s to be done? My heart was cloud light but now it weighs a ton.”

Drink? In Swindon, where Andy lives, typical ale on cask would be a Bitter from Archers, a local brewer. Stuck here, I’ll drink Picaroons or Pump House.

8. Elvis Costello Live with the Metropole Orchestra – My Flame Burns Blue

Although mainly Costello classics reworked for a jazz orchestra, some of these tunes sound completely new with the treatment. Reviews from fans have been mixed, but people seem to like it at our dinner parties. Hora Decubitus alone is worth the sticker price. This opening track is a Mingus tune with Costello penned lyrics, which he practically scats.

A Favourite Line: “The score is obscure, the melody fractured. It went by my window, refused to be captured.”

Drink: Martini. Dry. Gin. Two olives.

9. Danny Michel – Valhalla

One of the best live shows in New Brunswick was Ontario’s Danny Michel at Sessions Café in Rothesay. This CD captures the intense feel of his stripped down live act. If you haven’t seen him – do!

A Favourite Line: “When your heart is soaked in gas and someone fumbles for a match, you’ll be rescued by the wind.”

Drink: Straight whisky or whiskey, depending on your mood.

10. Roddy Frame – Western Skies

Aztec Camera frontman Frame makes easy listening music for intelligent adults, which sounds vaguely insulting, but these are remarkable songs, beautifully sung, and the guitar work is fantastic.

A Favourite Line: “I’ve wiped my phone and I’ve grown my hair, and I’ve thrown away the things we used to share.”

Drink: Gin & Tonic – relaxing and very British.

Note: I haven’t heard Tom Waits’ new 3 CD Box Set yet (”Orphans”), hence it’s absence here.

Craig Pinhey still listens to LP’s. Yes, he’s old. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.

[here] Beer, Booze & Bars, Dec 27, 2007
Drink’N'Music
Craig’s 10 Favourite Records of 2007, Paired with10 Favourite Tipples

It is very difficult to pick 10 records and 10 drinks in a world where everyone and their cat (and the cat’s mice, and their fleas…) can release a CD, and the selection of wine, beer and spirits on the ANBL shelves is ever increasing to the point where I don’t know what to buy anymore. In the face of this veritable tidal wave (admittedly strewn with garbage)  of content, the natural reaction is to hole up with your all time personal favourites.  But with risk there is reward, and that’s why I almost always check out recommendations from friends, whether it’s a quick visit to myspace or youtube, a nip with friends at your favourite pub or wine bar, a loaned record or emailed “flac,” a wine and food dinner at a friend’s home, or even a full evening out to see a few local bands.

This year I decided to make it more difficult. I’ve picked 10 of my favourite locally available drink selections, and matched them to 10 favourite albums. It puts restrictions on my choices, but I’m up for the challenge.

MUSIC
1. Apples In Stereo – New Magnetic Wonder: bright & cheery ELO & Beatles influenced pop, with plenty of single-worthy tracks. Right from track 1 “Can You Feel It,” this LP has you smiling. It’s almost too happy to listen to the entire album in one sitting.

Matched with…2006 Santa Carolina Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Rapel Valley, Chile, $13.99
Fresh, vibrant, fun & exciting – I’m talking about the Apples in Stereo AND this new Sauvignon from Chile, which has fast become one of the best sources for good value Sauvignon Blanc in the world.

2. Any Trouble – Life In Reverse: classic pub rock, clever lyrics, hum-able tunes, with neat little guitar solos and Clive Gregson’s perfectly clean voice.

Matched with…2006 Gaspereau Riesling, Nova Scotia (500 ml, $18.99), available at the Gaspereau winery – could be sold out by now but we are awaiting the 07. Like Any Trouble:  light, clean, and friendly, but with subtle complexity. My comments: “floral and citrus notes, and lots of minerality – wet stone – as well as a crisp, clean finish, with great acid.”

3. Graham Parker – Don’t Tell Columbus: a Brit who adopted the USA, and made it his own. Gruff and tough folk and roll with the usual acerbic lyrics. Hailed by critics and fans as a new classic Parker LP.

Matched with…Garrison IPA – coming soon to the ANBL if not already here. Here’s another  Brit(ish beer style) adopted by Americans. Canadian Beer of the Year, at the 2007 Canadian Brewing Awards. Bitter and bold, like Parker,  super hoppy, aromatic and strong, with a bittersweet finish. To quote a famed beer geek, it tastes “moreish.”  A new Canadian classic.

4. Joel Plaskett – Ashtray Rock: A hook and riff-ridden rock opera about Joel’s days in a Halifax high school, his band and “the girl.” This is fun, singable poprock. Fashionable People gets my nod for single and local video  of the year.

Matched with…Pump House SOB or Picaroons Best Bitter. These bitter yet balanced craft ales are, like Joel and his band, dependable local favourites.

5. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga: minimalist guitar-bass-drums-keys rock, with odd, interesting lyrics. This is new rock music that actually feels fresh. I don’t see how they do it, given the simplicity of their shtick, but they do.

Matched with…2005 French Tom Chardonnay, from Barton & Guestier, VdP D’Oc, France,  $15.99.
Like Spoon, this is straightforward but more than the sum of its parts. It’s a round, smooth, oaked French Chardonnay, but possessing class and elegance beyond it’s price tag.

6. Nick Lowe — At My Age: gentle country swing and jazz ballads by a man who’s aging wonderfully.

Matched with…Johnny Ziegler Senior, 10 Year Wood-Aged Apple Brandy – a fine spirit made locally, at Winegarden Estates. You can buy it there or order it from them, very fairly priced at $25. As with Lowe, age has brought smoothness.

7. Buck 65 – Situation: this wordy rapper’s partnership with Skratch Bastid proves a bit more old school than his last 2 records, and his rapping and wordplay is as sharp as ever.

Matched with…Champagne Henriot Blanc Souverain, $64.29 at ANBL.
It may seem cliché to match Champagne and rap, but this applies doubly since this one comes only from white grapes, Chardonnay specifically. Henriot bubbly is exhilarating and decadent, leaving you breathless, just like you’d be if you tried to rap along with Buck 65…

8. Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen Reissue (8 new acoustic tracks): a reissue of one of the best albums of the 80’s, with now-hermit Paddy McAloon reprising 8 of his favourites on acoustic guitar and harmonica. Pristine, sensual and thoughtful pop.

Matched with…2005 Henry of Pelham Reserve Pinot Noir ($35.98 at ANBL):
Pinot Noir is a difficult grape, just like Paddy, who has spent the last few years in near obscurity with a rare illness. But, when given the chance to shine, Pinot makes excellent, elegant & sensual wines, like this award winner, displaying minerality, earthiness and ripe cherry fruit.

9. Elvis Costello – My Aim Is True Reissue with New Live CD from 1978.
I’ve been burned by being forced to purchase yet another Costello reissue; meanwhile he’s in the media saying he doesn’t feel the need to record another record, suggesting we should come to his live shows to hear his new songs (!). Still, I can’t deny the excitement of the newly released live album included here. It’s the best live recording of the Attractions in existence, to my ears.

Matched with…Las Moras Reserve Tannat, Argentina, $12.49:
Like Elvis, Tannat is more comfortable, and even popular, across the pond than where he grew up. South America is a second home for Tannat, which originates from France. This is a power red for the price of plonk. It has big fruit and tannins, and goes well with red meat.  I don’t know if it will age as well as Elvis, who celebrated the 30th anniversary of My Aim Is True in 2007 with the re-release.

10. Robbie Fulks – Revenge (Live 2CD)
Fulks is bold, odd, hilarious, irreverent, and real: all the things I love in music.  This is strong throughout, but worth it for two tracks alone: His cheeky cover of the Cher hit “Believe,” and “I Like Being Left Alone,” an autobiographical song about fame’s pitfalls.

Matched with…2005 Chateau Ksara Reserve Couvent, Lebanon, $18.49:
This Fulksian (odd) Rhone-style blend of Syrah, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon is full and tannic, with a portion of the grapes undergoing oak aging for 12 months.  Lebanon has a long history of winemaking from Rhône grapes. Like Robbie says in his song, “I like being left alone. I like chocolate pie,  a clear blue sky, and a glass of Côtes du Rhône.”

Craig Pinhey spends too much time listening to music while drinking. And not enough. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.