backyards/langley (15).The fifteenth edition to the whistlehum podcast; third in the “element of/place” theme. I thought my hometown needed some defining. All these songs were chosen with Langley in mind. I hope you agree with the overall feel of it. It should feel comforting, but with an underlining urgency to look beyond.

1. “Used To Be,” from Beach House’s Teen Dream.

2. “Sugarcube,” from Yo La Tengo’s I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One.

3. “Sing, Sing, Sing,” written by Louis Prima.

4. “You Don’t Love Me,” from The Abramson Singers’ self-titled album The Abramson Singers.

5. “Ghost,” from Neutral Milk Hotel’s “the Aeroplane Over The Sea.”

6. “Bless This Mess,” from David Bazan’s Curse Your Branches.

7. “Up On Cripple Creek,” from The Band’s self-titled album, The Band.

8. “Jackson,” from Johnny Cash’s Carryin’ On with Johnny Cash and June Carter.

9. “Mine’s Not A High Horse,” from the Shins’ Chutes Too Narrow.

10. “Inspiration Information,” by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, from Dark Was The Night: A Red Hot Compilation.

11. “Unsatisfied,” from The Replacements’ Let It Be.

12. “Newark Wilder,” from Pavement’s Crooked Rain Crooked Rain.

13. “Trashcan,” from Delta Spirit’s Ode To Sunshine.

14. “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out,” from Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run.

15. “I Know There’s An Answer,” from the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds.

16. “I’m Into Something Good,” from the Langley School Music Project’s Innocence and Despair.

17. “Come Monday Night,” from God Help the Girl’s God Help the Girl.

pucks/canada (14).

Despite what you may have heard in the Closing Ceremonies a couple Sundays ago, this is what Canada sounds like.

1. “Helicopters” by The Stills

2. “Penpals” by Sloan

3. “Detroit ‘67″ by Sam Roberts

4. “These Eyes” by The Guess Who

5. “One Man Guy” by Rufus Wainwright

6. “Dirty Water” by k-os

7. “No Satisfaction” by Black Mountain

8. “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” by The Arcade Fire

9. “Keep It Real” by Plants & Animals

10. “Past In Present” by Feist

11. “Call It Off” by Tegan and Sara

12. “Country Girl: Whiskey Boot Hill/Down, Down, Down/Country Girl (I Think You’re Pretty)” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

13. “Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)” by Broken Social Scene

14. “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye” by Leonard Cohen

15. “Next Train” by Miracle Fortress

16. “Acadian Driftwood” by The Band

17. “Flowers Grow Out Of My Grave” by Dead Man’s Bones

This requires a little explanation. For the last couple years, I’ve been making playlists based on places and the people going there. When Nick and Ken went to South Africa, I made “lions/africa;” when Nick and Grady went to Austria, I made “snitzel/austria;” etc. Today a friend,  Laura Kunst, is off learning about Jesus in New Zealand. Thus, we have sheep/new zealand (13).

Laura, may your trip be illuminating.

With every song there is a story. Here is the list and the story.

1. Grizzly Bear’s “Foreground.” I had heard a few songs off “Veckatamist” before Nick bought the CD. Songs like “Two Weeks” and “While You Wait For The Others.” It’s taken me a bit to gain a relationship with this album, partly because it got a lot of hype on the internet, so it was difficult not to go in expecting grandeur. “Foreground” is the last song on the album, but for some reason, it just worked better as the first one here. It’s pretty great.

2. Gold Panda’s “Quitters Raga” I found on Pitchfork.com’s “Forkast,” the part of the website where they have new songs to listen to. The first time I heard it, my mind exploded. It starts off with this great tune, and then just goes bizurk. Insane. By the middle, it almost becomes too much. It’s a blessing it’s only 2:00. I don’t think you could take much more. Still, pretty awesome.

3. Animal Collective is a great band. They put out their album “Merriweather Post Pavillion” last year, and “My Girls” was the first song I heard from it. I’m actually surprised it didn’t end up on a whistlehum episode before this. Just a great song all around. Great tune, great lyrics, even if it is a bit repetative. I would encourage looking into them more.

4. The first time I heard about Dead Man’s Bones, I knew I would like them. One of my favorite actors, Ryan Gosling, makes a band with a former girlfriend’s brother (or something like that) based on their love spookiness, and Langley Schools Music Project, of all things. My mom bought the Langley Schools Music Project CD on a whim many years ago. I didn’t think much of it until I went on a road trip in 2008 and found it in a record store in Seattle with a quote from David Bowie on the cover. It’s a children’s choir from our hometown singing pop songs from the 60’s and the 70’s, and it’s awesome.

The song “Pa Pa Power” makes me want to write music.

5. “Valentine” just seemed like an appropriate name for a song in February. Plus it sounds great. Justice knows how to lay the beat.

6. “Long Distance Call” by Phoenix. Get it? Because you’re away from home, you’ll be making a lot of “long distance calls?” Plus I assumed you had heard new Phoenix and I wanted to show some great older stuff from them. Great band.

7. Peter Bjorn & John’s “Paris 2004″ was named after a place far away. New Zealand is also far away. That’s about it for that one.

8. Bon Iver was my music in 2009. I love that guy. This song is the last one on the album, “For Emma, Forever Ago.” Amazing. Go buy it.  “Re: Stacks” is such a devastating song. The guy was so in love. You just want to give him a big hug and say, “Everything is going to be okay.”

9. Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” No explanation necessary.

10. I thought you would like “Cheap Like Sebastien,” by Apostle of Hustle because it is a great song. The rythmn really worked with the other songs, too. I really like the part with the girl singing, “La, la, la, la.”

11. I just bought Spoon’s new album “Transference,” along with the Dead Man’s Bones album, on Saturday. I like it a lot, and this song fits with everything the best, I thought. The echo on the guitar is sweet.

12. The Brunettes are actually from New Zealand. I saw them on that road trip I spoke of a few songs back, when they opened for the band Beirut. They sounded great, so I bought their CD, “Structure and Cosmetics.” This song is from it and it’s called “Hairagami Set.” They have a new album that just came out. I haven’t heard it yet.

13. “Sweet Song” is by Blur, the band who sings the “Woohoo,” song you’ve heard at hockey games and on beer commercials. I’m actually not a huge fan, but this is a nice song.

14. Belle & Sebastian are one of Nick’s and my favorite bands. This song, “We Are The Sleepyheads,” is off their album, “The Life Pursuit.” Great song, great album, yeah.

15. Ray LaMontagne is an example of manhood to me. He has owns a farm, he writes great music, including glorious songs like “Jolene;” one of the more powerful songs you will ever hear. Ray is one of those people that just knows how to put things. You could listen to this song over and over again, if you’d like. We here in Squamish put it on repeat every now and then.

16. “Gold,” by Interference, is from the movie “Once,” which I know you’ve seen. It’s the only song that isn’t from one of the main characters specifically, although I’m pretty sure that’s Glenn Hansard on back-up vocals. If I think of the landscape New Zealand is known for, this song goes along with that pretty well. Epic and grandiose.

Anyway, enjoy Capernray. Come home safe.

This is episode 12. A few of these songs were a big part of my life circa 2009. Like Apple Scruffs. And St. Augustine. Great songs.

1. Tightrope>Yeasayer

2. Backed Out On The…>Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew

3. Mirror Kissers>The Cribs

4. Thirteen>Big Star

5. Goin’ To Acapulco>Jim James & Calexico cover Bob Dylan

6. So Long, Marianne>Leonard Cohen

7. Apple Scruffs>George Harrison

8. Blindsided>Bon Iver

9. Second to None>Pheonix

10. The Rip>Portishead

11. Children>Delta Spirit

12. Two Weeks>Grizzly Bear

13. St. Augustine>Band of Horses

14. Abel>The National

15. Cold Day from the Birdhouse>The Twilight Sad

16. When It’s Sleepy Time Down South>Louis Armstrong

worship.

LOOK! A NEW EPISODE! Excuse the all-caps. This has taken three months. I introduce two roommates here (kind of). They are Jill Marie Stokes and Matt Davies. Together, with Nick, our other roommate Katrina, and a whole slew of others, we are on the road to opening a cafe called “The Ledge” in Squamish, B.C. All we need is a couple days of no rain to start some roofing.

But enough about that. More about the music! This will be the last of the “Music Action Words” series. I think it’s great one to leave off on.

The list is:

1. Peter, Bjorn and John: Writer’s Block.

2. Peter, Bjorn and John (again): Objects of My Affection.

3. Menomena: Muscle’n Flo.

4. Sufjan Stevens: To Be Alone With You

5. Damien Rice: Cold Water.

6. Danielson: When it Comes to You I’m Lazy

7. The Welcome Wagon: Sold! To the Nice, Rich Man.

8. Jill Marie and Matt make fun of me.

8. The Tragically Hip: Ahead by a Century

9. The Hold Steady: Citrus.

10. Neutral Milk Hotel: King of Carrot Flowers Part 2 & 3.

11. The Microphones: My Roots Are Strong and Deep.

12. Plants and Animals: New Kind of Love.

13. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Gospel Song.

14. The Arcade Fire: My Body is a Cage.

15. Johnny Cash: Hurt.

16. Sufjan Stevens: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

17. U2: The First Time.

love.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” – Jesus Christ.

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” – Paul, the apostle .

The Flamings have a fight test. Pheonix calls 1901. Amy Millan says, “Baby, I.” David Bowie has soul love. Neutral Milk Hotel is in the aeroplane over the sea. Your heart, it races to Archetecture in Helsinki. The Ramones wanna be your boyfriend. The Beatles are so tired. Blitzen Trapper loves u. Bon Iver wants his skinny love. The Microphones won’t contain you. The National tells an apartment story. Menomena is wet and rusting. Iron & Wine are naked as they came. God only knows what the Beach Boys would be without you. Johnny Cash is so doggone lonesome. Fleet Foxes are your protector. Wilco is trying to break your heart. Peter, Bjorn & John start to melt. God only knows what the Langley Schools Music Project would do without you, too.

Thank you Sarah, for the Pheonix. Thank you Nick, for the Blitzen Trapper and Fleet Foxes. Thank you all and remember, I love you.

rebel.

“Run with the little guy… create some change.” – every Jones Soda bottle.

The list: 1. Dunhamites. 2. “Make Your Own Kind of Music,” by Mama Cass Elliot. 3. “Just Drums,” by Tapes n’ Tapes. 4. “Modern World,” by Wolf Parade. 5. “Grown Men Don’t Fall in the River Just Like That,” by Liars. 6. “Blasphemy,” by Miracle Fortress. 7. “Save Your Day,” by José Gonzà lez. 8. “Magic Doors,” by Portishead. 9. “Navy Nurse,” by the Fiery Furnaces. 10. “Innocent Bones,” by Iron & Wine. 11. “Go To Sleep (Little Man Being Erased),” by Radiohead. 12. Anger vs. Hunger. 13. “Eraser,” by No Age. 14. “My Generation,” by the Who. 15. “Knock Knock,” by the Hives. 16. “But it’s not true!” Ida said. 17. “Maggie’s Farm,” by Bob Dylan. 18. “Rotten Hell,” by Menomena. “Soft Revolution,” by Stars. “Windowsill,” by the Arcade Fire. “All the Wild Horses,” by Ray LaMontagne.

Thank you Darrell for that last one. Thank you Bibliotheque et Archive nationales du Quebec for the Portishead.

share.

I’m going to talk about this morning. Last night was La Nuit Blanche, a city-wide all nighter. There were free or cheap events happening all over the city, and we took part with a few people from Dunham, the other YWAM base we went to in December. We didn’t get home till 4:30 am. I was not planning to go to church.

Then Bado’s love-interest called at 9:30 and woke both of us up. I decided it was divine intervention and got cleaned up. Man, am I happy I did. I guess mostly because I was there alone, I ended up sitting beside Dave, a guy I met there last week, and we ended up talking during the break (we always have a coffee break before the sermon) and afterward. He’s a drummer too, and we have similar taste in music. We’re going to get together some time this week. Pretty exciting.

More importantly, it was announced in front that River’s Edge will be helping fund a café ministry in the city. The woman starting it said it looks like it won’t be opening till June, but I went over afterward and talked to her anyway. She said I could possibly help her get things started and could definitely look at their business plan and learn from what they’re doing. Awesome. Internship, here I come.

Now that I’ve shared, it’s your turn! I am in a predicament. I still need to pay $1500 to YWAM. I currently have just over $200. I need money pretty badly. God has pulled through here so far, and I believe he will bless me further by taking care of this situation. But if I’ve learned anything here in Montreal, it’s that God often blesses people through other people. If your heart says “yes,” be that person. It would make me happy.

Send to: 1204 boul St. Joseph Montreal QC H2J 1L6. Merci mes amis, merci.

Oh right, the list.

1. Strangers, The Kinks (from Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneyground, Part 1).
2. Teen Creeps, No Age (from Nouns).
3. Canadian Girl, The Walkmen (from You & Me).
4. Sesame Street’s Two-Headed Monster shares (from Youtube).
5. The New Pollution, Beck (from Odelay).
6. For Corners, Digable Planets (from Blowout Comb).
7. Yer Blues, The Beatles (from the White Album).
8. Set You Free, The Black Keys (from Thickfreakness).
9. The German (Something Came Up), Richard Swift (from Richard Swift as Onasis).
10. Secret Heart, Feist (from Let It Die).
11. Summertime Clothes, Animal Collective (from Merriweather Post Pavilion).
12. So Jealous, Tegan and Sara (from So Jealous).
13. Soul Love, David Bowie (from the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars).
14. High Fidelity, Daft Punk (from Homework).
15. Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan (from Highway 61 Revisited).
16. Which Will, Nick Drake (from Pink Moon).
17. Source Tags & Codes, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (from Source Tags & Codes).

play.

Don’t take yourself so seriously!

Andrew Bird â™ Dark Matter ♣ Sufjan Stevens ♥ Godzuki/Super Sexy Woman ♦ Nada Surf â™ Happy Kid ♣ The Magician ♥ Indicator Stop Bath ♦ Dr. Dog â™ The Old Days ♣ The Who ♥ The Kids Are Alright ♦ The Band â™ Ain’t Got No Home ♣ Belle & Sebastian ♥ Judy & the Dream of Horses ♦ BOAT â™ I’m a Donkey for Your Love ♣ M.I.A. ♥ Mango Pickle Down River ♦ Broken Social Scene â™ Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl ♣ The Arcade Fire ♥ Wake Up ♦ The Brunettes â™ If Your Were Alien ♣ Weezer ♥ In the Garage ♦ The Kinks â™ Picture Book ♣ The Langley Schools Music Project ♥ Sweet Caroline ♦ I’m From Barcelona â™ Treehouse ♣

face.

This is kind of a soundtrack to my last week in Ontario. Some of it was Christmas presents, some was just background stuff I recognized, and some of it just ended up in my head. One song, “Written on Planes” is from a band I saw in Montreal before I left. Pierre knew them so we went with Denny. They were pretty cool.

Anyway, list:

Sufjan Stevens – Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid). Dave Brubeck Quartet – Blue Rondo a la Turk. Digable Planets – Dog It. Jason Collett – Brownie Hawkeye. The Beatles – Happiness is a Warm Gun. The Walkmen – In the New Year. Spoon – Eddie’s Ragga. Wilco – Via Chicago. Pedro the Lion – Options. Death Cab for Cutie – I Was a Kaleidescope. Jefferson Airplane – My Best Friend. Fleet Foxes – Blue Ridge Mountains. Flotilla – Written On Planes. David Bazan – Fewer Broken Pieces. Waitin’ for Superman – the Flaming Lips. TV on the Radio – Family Tree.