Caretakers take on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show

Jeffrey, Lena and Norm along with Barry Mac brought their accoustic sound to Caledon recently to join DJ Rick Jones and Tom Beyer live in studio.

The new CD Unfinished Thoughts has just been released and it is anything but unfinished. Recorded at the Hamilton landmark Vibe Wrangler Studios this first release for the band has very polished and rehearsed sound. The big wooden studio where they recorded this release has a real warmth that comes out in the Caretakers sound.

The Caretakers emerged from the current hub of Canadian Music - Hamilton Ontario several years ago. But they could have easily stepped off a stage in Greewich Village - circa 1964. With folk music at their roots and the cultural grit of a working class city upbringing, this band fuses Peter Paul and Mary style harmonies with REM inspired melodies with a sometimes swampy '70's inspired southern rock groove.

The Caretakers music speaks to your heart and your mind. They are making music for people who remember a time when folk music was king, and the lyrics and thoughts behind the music meant something. The Caretakers sing about war, animal cruelty, and domestic strife - they are probably not going to be the subject of an 18 year old's tweet any time soon. And that's probably just all right by them.

Check out this clip from their live unplugged radio studio performance...

Gogol Bordello one of the best concerts so far in 2010

Ever heard of this band? Let me fill you in.
This large combo played a sold out show at the Sound Academy this week and it was one of the rockinest shows I've seen this year.

Gogol Bordello is a Gypsy punk band from the Lower East Side of New York City. It was formed in 1999 and is known for its theatrical stage shows and persistent touring. Much of the band's sound is inspired by Gypsy music. The band incorporates minor-key accordion and violin (and on some albums, saxophone) mixed with punk and dub.

“Gogol” comes from the name Nikolai Gogol. As one of the most influential writers in Russian and Ukrainian literature, Gogol paved the way for the likes of Kafka and Dostoevsky. He also serves as an ideological influence for the band because he "smuggled" Ukrainian culture into Russian society, which Gogol Bordello intends to do with Gypsy/ East-European music in the English-speaking world."Bordello", in Italian, refers to a brothel or a "gentleman's club". The band was originally titled Hütz and the Béla Bartóks, but Eugene Hütz says that they decided to change the name because "nobody knows who the hell Béla Bartók is in the United States". The band played their first show as the unofficial band at an after-hours club called Ohuetz on Ridge Street, where they became the house band and DJ Hütz became the house DJ.



Gogol Bordello's first single was released in 1999, and since then they have released four full-length albums, and one EP. In 2005 the band signed to punk label SideOneDummy Records. The band has toured tirelessly throughout Europe and America on numerous international festivals and toured with such diverse bands as Primus, Flogging Molly, and Cake. In an interview with NPR, frontman Eugene Hütz cites Jimi Hendrix and Parliament-Funkadelic as among the band's main musical influences. They have mentioned Manu Chao, Fugazi, Zvuki Mu, Sasha Kolpakov and The Clash as influences as well.

Arkells CD Jackson Square now available on CHCanada.com

These lads from the Hammer have a lot to be happy about. There is a real buzz about this band and it's easy to see why. Rock n Roll is not dead - just watch this clip and you'll see what I mean.

Their newest release, for which they won at the Hamilton Music Awards is Jackson Square...pick it up by going to this link:
http://www.chcanada.com/product/7972/Canadian_Sounds

Old school licks with a power and energy seldom found nowadays. Check em out here - caught at the Hamilton Music Awards a few months back.

Ben Somer and Matt Paxton Live on the radio

The Hockey Song - what can be more Canadian than hockey and Paul Coffey. Ben Somer brings his A game to the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show and busts out this jem. It is an oldie that he has been playing recently at his latest gigs. Ben's latest release can be purchased by going to:
http://www.chcanada.com/category/Indie_Music?r=dfyt

Matt Paxton is a singer songwriter who is also touring with Ben at the moment. They have a similar sound - the new folk sound for the 21st century. These guys are good friends - just don't ask them to play together - they won't. But it was a lot of fun having them in the studio. Like old friends they joked and kidded each other about a variety of subjects. Oh to be able to broadcast what is said while the mics are off!

Take a listen and look at Matt - he also debuted a new song on the Indie Radio Show.
Check these guys out when they come to your town - you won't be disappointed.