As the reviews keep pouring in, we're pleased to point out the first one from England and its a great one! Go here to check it out.
More shows will be announced soon too! Another Canadian, Another Great Record
A thread in the Americana-UK forum late last year started to debate why Canada produces so much very good music. After a few suggestions (no X-Factor was one) it turned into a list of great Canadian musicians. Chris Page wasn’t on that list – he should be.
'A Date with A Smoke Machine' has (and I’m using my broadest of broad brushes to paint this picture) two types of track: the acoustic track and the electric track. The beauty of this is that Page seems to have written each song with whatever was a hand at the time. If there was something to plug the Gretch he is holding on the back cover of the album into, then it was electric, if there wasn’t it was acoustic.
Page would seem to be the sort of guy who, if he were hungry, would wander down to the local grocery store with just a vague idea of want he wanted to eat, would have a look around to see what looked good then take it home and cook it. He’s not the sort who would ponder for hours over the latest celebrity chef’s book, make an extensive list then give up because he couldn’t get the right colour pepper. He has the ability to move from the tender folky acoustics of 'Closets Overflowing' to the rockiness of “Fall Back Morning” without missing a beat or breaking sweat.
'A Date With A Smoke Machine' with it’s mix of folk and rock and punk gets better and better with every listen.
Date review added: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 Reviewer: John Hawes Reviewers Rating: 9 of 10 Related web link: Artist Myspace
**** this saturday is the big record launch show here in ottawa to launch 'a date with a smoke machine'. the show is at the dom polski (MAP IT HERE) and doors are at 8pm. CKCU, beau's beer and kelp records are co-sponsoring. come on out, have a few beau's and help send this pop nugget into the stratosphere.
8pm: doors 9pm: year zero 10pm: chris page w/special guests 11pm: camp radio w/special guests
**** the vinyl is out and it looks and sounds amazing! we'll have it on sale at the show. of course it contains download cards so you can grab the mp3s from the kelp web site while you spin this slab o' glory on your fave turntable!
Sandy was a super guy who touched everyone he met. He was a jokester and true entertainer with a huge heart. He always had that sparkle in his eye and a mischievous grin that gave away the fact he was up to no good.
I have many great memories of this good ol' farmer.
Sandy let The Stand GT take over his house and farm one day to shoot a video. Always the sport, he also agreed to let these nutty young kids cast him as the drummer in some strange story that had him in a band featuring Doug's family. The plot unfolded: the boys in The Stand GT were trying to get to the 'show' to see this band.
But when we finally got there it was too late.
The final scene is of Sandy with that telling smirk, reading the paper.
The show was over. Or was it just a dream?
Sandy, you'll be greatly missed.
Our thoughts are with Doug and his entire family tonight and for the coming days.
we're still a month away from the release of 'smoke machine' and show details are starting to come together. check back here for the full scoop on the bash soon.
here are a couple of early reviews in the meantime...
Chris Page A Date With A Smoke Machine (Kelp Records) ***** Not only will the sexy, tormented voice of Chris Page make you melt, but that guitar work of his is pure greatness. A Date with a Smoke Machine is haunting. The songs cling to you as the memories that made them must cling to Page. And there isn’t a single letdown in the bunch. It’s poetic and moving and constantly surprising you with lyrics like, “I creep into your sleep with panic stricken song.” Page even provides the back story for each song, revealing that even his point of view is poetic. He borrowed a friend’s guitar while on tour and used it to write the introduction to a song. He admits, “I’m not sure if taking songs out of someone’s guitar is fair game.” All’s fair in love Chris, and I love this CD. It’s a new staple for road trips and lazy Sundays. STACEY LAWRENCE See Magazine, Edmonton January 2010
"Coax the Ending Day" This standout from an upcoming solo album by one-third of the underappreciated Ottawa pop-punk band Camp Radio is so propulsive, it's a shock to belatedly realize that the arrangement has no drums. If you can imagine a cross between Billy Bragg's "Levi Stubbs' Tears" and The Shins' "Kissing the Lipless," you'll be about halfway there. (From A Date With a Smoke Machine, out Feb. 16, http://chrispage.bandcamp.com) John Sakamoto Anti-Hit List January 2010 Toronto Star
you can get the CD now from kelp or this weekend in wakefield when i play with micarza camaro at the awesome kaffe 1870!
so it's now 2010 and i'm thrilled this decade is starting off on a friday. it feels much more stabilizing to know you've got a couple of days to get your act together before being thrown head first into the new year.
i reviewed my dorky 'revolutions' from last year on here and i think i did pretty well. i failed at spending less time in vintages and recording junior farmer songs, but i did manage to bike through the winter and, for the most part, keep my shit together. i'm still not on facebook though kelp plans to set me up with an artist page soon. *shudder* maybe i'll see some of you then.
i'll lay off the resolution list this year and only say that my plan is to play and record as much music as possible. the new record is out next month and camp radio mixing of the brand new full length is well under way. i've got solo shows booked and more plans to play with the wonderful jill zmud, so i guess i'm off to a pretty good head start 12 hours into the year.
as i look down the calendar i realize that march 15th is the 25th anniversary of the stand gt plugging in amps for the very first time. interesting. more on that to come i'm sure.
check back here soon for some demos and covers i'll be releasing in advance of 'smoke machine' seeing the light of day. show dates are hopefully coming soon as well.
i've got the test presses for the vinyl and they sound pretty hot. you can get the cd now and the records should be along via saved by vinyl in a month or so.
i'm going to go and watch the hangover now (yes, the movie). ;)
all the best to you and yours for 2010. see you down the line and/or on twitter!