the least worst of james windsor

because we all like avoiding what we really should be doing.

Friday, January 30, 2009

FLUXUS Good Enough For Government Work EP

The band I am in, FLUXUS recently released our first EP. The songs are all very different so please take a chance to at least preview them all. We wanted to have something out before we played our next show, so the songs aren't necessarily exactly how we wanted them to sound like, but good enough. They sound nothing like this live, but that is to be expected. We are working on our first full length album, and are hoping to play various festivals and shows across Canada, and New York state this coming summer. Hope you enjoy it. j. windsor

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Friday, January 09, 2009

Guitar Tab - Serena Ryder Dark as the Black

Guitar tab time, seeing that the Hayden song I did seems to be the only reason people visit this site, I figured I'd share another. Here is one by the lovely Serena Ryder. Don't judge her by her recorded albums, the live show is a billion times better.

Serena Ryder - Dark As the Black
Tune Down a Full Step

Can be seen played live here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwU1tU5-Ng4

This is a simple transcription of what shes playing. the C in the verse is x32033. (normal C at other parts I think)
The C/D is sort of a walk down removing your finger from the D string x30033. Then the D after that is sort of just picking away at it.. To give it more character, hammer fingers on and off on the Em. just use your ear, and figure it out.

G C G C C/D D
There's a crack in the ground from Waterloo all the way to Arizona.
I can see from the fire escape outside, that help me get to know you
Em C D G D G
What was it like, when I was in your life, did my touch feel the same,
D
as your touch it felt so good to me, it felt so good to me.

Em D G C
One world, one love, means nothing if you're just pretending
One world, one love, there's nothing to good intentions
Em D Em
Dark as the black in the cracks in the ground.

There's a crack in the ground from Tennessee all the way to Caledonia
I can tell by the way the silence rings, and echoes in the corners.
Em C D G D G
how many times you wanted to cry, but you kept it inside.
D
Now the silence echoes deafening, its much too loud for me.

One world, one love, means nothing if you're just pretending
One world, one love, there's nothing to good intentions
Dark as the black in the cracks in the ground.

There's a crack in the ground from Old New York, all the way to Minnesota
I can see by the way ten thousand lakes are screaming for more water.
Give us some hope, we haven't got enough.
To keep ourselves filled up, when you drink us empty, drink us dry and ask us why we're dry.

One world, one love, means nothing if you're just pretending
One world, one love, there's nothing to good intentions
One world, one love, means nothing if you're just pretending
To do, your part, there's nothing to good intentions
Dark as the black in the cracks in the ground.
Dark as the black in the cracks in the dark
Dark as the black in the cracks in the ground.

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Wednesday, January 07, 2009

best albums of 2008

with the exception of a few amazing albums, most of the music of 2008 was disapointing or fucking lame. Then again I'm not sure how much of it i even bothered to listen to. So here we go:

1. Constantines - Kensington Heights Number one with a bullet, and also hailed as album of the year by the associated press we have the Constantines with Kensington Heights. This one is tamer then their previous albums, but still packs a punch. Some of the songs still don't quite mach their brilliance live, but they come damn close. This one also contains the best song to date sung by Steve Lambke, "Shower of Stones". While his vocal stylings might not be everyones cup of tea, this song has gorgeous texture, builds up brilliantly, and the main line of "all love can be a shower of stones" is a gem. All the other songs are all brilliant in their own unique way. I would have named the album Queenston Heights, as a slight reference to the Americans essentially losing the war of 1812 because of this famous battle, but I have since spent time in Toronto and discovered that the Kensington Market area is pretty fucking kick ass, and home to a great guitar shop called "paul's botique". I got a sweet amp from their, and the dudes are actually helpful, rather then out to screw clueless musicians such as myself.

2. Hayden - In Field and Town
Like all Hayden albums, this one contains 4 amazing songs, and then a bunch of really pretty ones. Simple, wonderful and easy to digest. Personal favorites are: Damn This Feeling, Lonely Security Guard, and Weight of the World.

3. Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs
While none of these songs were recorded in 2008 the latest installment of the Dylan Bootleg series was released in 2008. Another fine example of this old bastards ability to write a song and play it a million different ways. A good live version of Cocaine Blues, pretty similar to Van Ronk's but freeer and more swinging. A simple acoustic take on Most of Time is interesting to hear, and while I always thought a stripped down version of any Dylan song is always superior to its band backed counterpart, this one makes you realise that.... they are both great, fucking dylan. Not for everyone I know, but have your local dylan fanatic pick and choose em for you.

4. Ray LaMontagne - Gossip in the Grain
A good example of being able to release an album to a wide audience and not have it suck really badly. Some songs are a bit boring, but Meg White, Hey Me Hey Mama, and Henry Nearly Killed Me carry most of the weight.


Most disapointing albums: Raconteurs, Nick Cave's Dig Lazaurs, and Coldplay's boring crap fest Viva La Vida.

Most Over Hyped: Anything on pitchforks list.

Pretty Good or
If I listened to them more then once they might be good: James' Hey Ma, doing pop just as well as they ever did. Not a solid album from begining to end but Hey Ma is a good anti-war tune, and the rest are pretty and non-offensive. Kings Of Leon's Only By Night is nothing too new or interesting, but as far as top 40 rock n roll goes, its better then most of the shit they put on the radio. Portishead's third, Tv on the Radio's science something or other, cut copy.. my buddy sean likes them so it could be good. blaa bla bla im tired of writing.

Band's who might have been good at one point in time, but don't have to bother listening to ever again because they clearly have gone past the point of no return:
Catpower, Coldplay, Ryan Adams, and i hate to do this... Billy Bragg

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Sunday, January 04, 2009

i wish ron paul was the president

figured this was worth posting. I am 98% sure Obama is going to be useless.

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