Song of the Week - Greg Trooper

Greg Trooper - They Call Me Hank
Album: Upside-Down Town

After a long and busy week, nothing is more relaxing soft guitar and soothing lyrics. Earlier this year, folk lovers were treated to New Jersey native Greg Trooper releasing his tenth album, Upside-Down Town. Trooper has found himself living living in Texas, Kansas, New York, and Nashville since leaving high school, and one can feel the long road of travelling in his voice. Inspired by legends Bob Dylan and Hank Williams, Trooper has that same storytelling power in his lyrics, making one stop in their tracks and really listen.

Song of the Week - Coconut Records

Coconut Records - Microphone
Album: Davy

I want to be Jason Schwartzman's best friend. The man is beyond hilarious, beyond talented. Anyone debating his sense of humour need look no further than his New Yorker promo for the iPad. His success in film is solidified merely by being a staple actor in almost every Wes Anderson movie, and he has found a new niche on televsion starring in the HBO show Bored to Death, now entering its 2nd season and also featuring Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis.

Acting clearly isn't Schwartzman's only forte. His solo musical project, in the form of Coconut Records, already has two full length albums. His first album, Nighttiming, found several of his songs in major motion pictures such as Spider-Man 3, Funny People, and Cloverfield. His songs have appeared in numurous television shows, and Schwartzmen even produced the theme song for his aforementioned HBO show Bored to Death. If you just find him doing anything, odds are you will be more than impressed. Go buy his CDs, go watch his movies. If I talk him up enough, maybe he'll become my friend.


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The EdgeWalk: A Thrill for Some, Too Much for Others

Starting this August, Toronto’s CN Tower, once proud owner of the title “World’s Tallest Freestanding Building”, will be adding a new feature to the tower: the EdgeWalk. Quite simply, it is a 20-30 minute hands-free walk around of the tower at 356 metres above the city. These walkers will find themselves just above the restaurant at the top, strapped into the building while wearing a special outfit harnessing them to the building. From there, they are free to lean forward and look down at the city below, all without any glass or screen blocking their view. In other words, it’s terrifying. 

When I first told a friend of mine about the EdgeWalk, she replied quite simply: “That sounds like a bad idea.” Surely safety must be at the primary concern of most people, but the safety standards have apparently surpassed expectations according to the official website. Others might determine that the $175 price tag is a bit too much for the thrill. I would argue that what good is money if not for a grand and unforgettable experience.

Song of the Week - Gordon Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald
Album: Summertime Dream

The popularity of Gordon Lightfoot is almost untouchable north of the border. This past week, the Orillia, Ontario native brought a full crowd to Massey Hall four nights in a row. Besides the 16 Juno's and multiple Grammy nominations, Lightfoot is also a Companion of the Order of Canada - Canada's highest civilian honour - and a member of Canada's Walk of Fame. Now at the age of 72, Gordon Lightfoot has proven that his music will forever be engraved in the history of Canadian music.

Song of the Week - Rush

Rush - Limelight
Album: Moving Pictures

Finding great songs are easy when you look back at the history of Rush. The Canadian band, which formed in 1968, has won almost every award possible, and now find themselves on the Canadian Walk of Fame as well as the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Though their popularity has never dwindled, Rush got another dose of promotion from the recent film I Love You, Man, where two friends bond over their love of Rush. Some bands just have what it takes to stand the test of time.

Song(s) of the Week - The Decemberists

The Decemberists - Don't Carry It All
                             - This is Why We Fight (live)

Album: The King is Dead

After missing one installment of the Song of the Week, it's only fair that I give a double dose this week to make up for it. Thankfully, The Decemberists' new album is full of great songs. With their sixth full length album, The King is Dead, The Decemberists ease into a more folk and country feel with the soft harmonica found on several tracks and the generally more melodic feel. With all that, this is really not a folk/country album at all, as the band mixes the styles well with their indie rock roots. The Portland, Oregon band truly are a delight to hear.

Doing Away with the Hard Slides

Tsuyoshi Nishioka was playing in his sixth professional MLB game, as a member of the Minnesota Twins, when he was injured in a hard slide from New York Yankee Nick Swisher. In a successful effort to prevent a double play, Swisher slide hard at the legs of Nishioka in order to force a wayward throw. What Swisher also did slide right into Nishioka’s left leg, breaking the fibula, and the second baseman has been on the disabled list ever since.

Nick Swisher, 33, breaks the leg of Twins 2B Tsuyoshi Nishioka on a hard slide.

Jayson Nix came to the Toronto Blue Jays from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for ‘cash considerations’. That doesn’t sound like the makings of a superstar baseball player, and Nix isn’t a star. What he is, however, is a good utility player and journeyman on his fourth team in as many years. This season, Nix finally found himself as a regular day starter after strong performances at third base in the first month. With injuries present in the Jays’ infield, Nix was moved to second base for a game versus the Tampa Rays. During a routine double-play ball, the Rays’ base-runner slide legs up and cleated Nix on the shin. The runner was successful in preventing the double play, and Nix went off injured with a left knee contusion, and onto the 15-day disabled list. When he comes back, who knows if his starting spot is still there for him?