The only band ever?

It was August 5, 2011 when I heard the news. I lay on my bed reading Orson Scott Card's Children of the Mind when I decided to check out my social feeds on my BlackBerry. I log onto my Facebook app and read this message posted by one of my friends on the home page: "Alexisonfire broke up :(". I read it again. I panic. I immediately hop onto Twitter, searching for any tweets with the word "Alexisonfire" in them. Lo-and-behold, my Facebook friend appeared to be right. Numerous tweeters were reporting similar news. One tweet sent me to exclaim magazine's site, another to Alexisonfire's site and soon enough it became clear that it was official: the "only band ever" was no more. 

Alexisonfire is - er, was - one of my favourite bands, if not the favourite. Their 2004 album Watch Out! is my favourite album ever produced by any musical act. I accidently bought it back when I was 14 years old, as I was trying to purchase the band's self-titled first album after falling in love with their song "Waterwings". It took me awhile to get into and appreciate the type of music Alexisonfire played as it was very different from any type of music I had been exposed to previously. However, once I got into their music, I got into it in big way. With their musical styling and intensity combined with powerful and emotional lyrics, Alexisonfire became a mainstay in my life growing up and continue to be so to this day.

While the band's latest LP Old Crows/Young Cardinals is good and entirely serviceable in its own right, it was not what I was expecting from the band as I eagerly anticipated their follow-up to 2006's stellar offering of Crisis. The new album was different from the band's older works, a little too different for my tastes, and my initial opinion of the album was simply tampered by my anticipation of what I thought it could have been (the band itself were anticipating this fan criticism for how this album, as described in the lead track "Old Crows"). While at first Old Crows/Young Cardinals seem to cause a speed-bump in my absolute Alexis fandom, I had eventually come to appreciate the album in its own way and understand why the band decided to take their music down this path. The band also somewhat redeemed itself in my eyes (or ears rather) by releasing the Dog's Blood EP last year which is very reminiscent of the band's old Watch Out!-Crisis musical stylings.   

Regardless of the more recent tribulations in my relationship with the band, it is not an exaggeration to say that I really was devastated by the news that the band had broken up. The initial shock was like hearing that a good friend had just suddenly decided to move away. Alexisonfire have been a mainstay in my life for the past 7 years, and I have become attached to the band as an idea, entity, and group of artists. Great bands are the ones that can so effectively target the core of its listeners and connect with them that the band and the music become much more than just entertainment. Alexisonfire was one such band and it is sad to see them go. It is also pertinent to note that I am not alone in this feeling of loss for such a great band as Alexisonfire have sold thousands of records and have even had some mainstream success in the latter part of their career. Many fans were upset the evening of August 5th.

With Alexisonfire calling it quits, music got a little suckier. With that being said, there is no point in really dwelling on this loss. Through their decade long run, Alexisonfire became one of the great Canadian bands around today (my opinion obviously), especially in the genres of alternative and hardcore (or post-hardcore) rock. As the saying goes: with the closing of one door, another couple inevitably open. Alexisonfire may have been one of my favourite bands, but they are in no way the only band making good music today (there are a few others out there, you just need to know where to look). While it is sad that Alexisonfire is no more, this leaves room for other bands to emerge and fill the void. If anything, I can find solace in the fact that while the break-up wasn't completely amicable, the band didn't dissolve due to a major fight or anything serious like that. These artists simply felt that they gave all that they could to Alexisonfire and wanted to expand their horizons. Dallas Green will go on with City and Colour, Wade MacNeil will continue with his band Black Lungs and is also joining Gallows (the move that decisively ended Alexisonfire), and George Pettit assured fans that the remaining members of the band will go onto something new. There is also talk of Alexisonfire doing one final "goodbye" tour, as well as a special album release in celebration of their 10-year anniversary. If either of these things become something substantial, I'll be the first one in line.

An audio-visual history of the band:

Music video for "Pulmonary Archery" off of 2001's Alexisonfire

Music video for "Accidents" off of 2004's Watch Out!

Music video for "Passing Out In America" (Moneen cover) off of 2005's The Switcheroo Series: Alexisonfire vs. Moneen

Music video for "This Could Be Anywhere In The World" off of 2006's Crisis

Music video for "The Northern" off of 2009's Old Crows/Young Cardinals

Dallas.

City and Colour's newest album Little Hell was released yesterday and I picked it up as soon as I could get myself to an HMV. With the album playing for the first time in the background I decided to write my next blog post about Dallas Green, front man of City and Colour and one of few people whom I would consider an idol of mine.

For those who don't know, City and Colour officially came to be on November 1, 2005 when St. Catherines-born musician Dallas Green released a full-length album of acoustic songs he was working on alongside his time playing lead guitar for Alexisonfire (who themselves are probably my favourite band ever). The album, Sometimes, featured singles: "Save Your Scissors" and "Comin' Home". My favourite tracks off the album include: "Off By Heart...", "Hello I'm In Delaware", and "Casey's Song", but really the whole album is terrific and everyone should give it a listen. Despite achieving Gold status in March 2006 and Platinum status in November of the same year, the album wasn't too much of a hit with mainstream music listeners (their loss).

City and Colour at Rogers Picnic, 2008

Sometimes was followed up with 2008's Bring Me Your Love (BMYL). This new album marked a departure from the pure-guitar and piano focused solo act of Sometimes as it introduced more instruments to the mix (such as the harmonica, banjo, lap steel, and drums) as well as more band members, resulting in BMYL having a folk-influenced sound. While I personally prefer Sometimes to BMYL, the album is noteworthy for a number of things. As already mentioned, the evolution of City and Colour from a solo act to a folk-influenced band, but also for featuring significant artists on the album. Many tracks on BMYL featured the work of members of indie/folk rock band Attack In Black (another favourite of mine, one time I got to see them play a small show in Newmarket with The Flatliners. I remember seeing some of the band members outside the venue as I was going in and I went up to them and exclaimed, "Hey! You're in the band right!?", they just looked at me funny and said, "yeah" followed by an awkward silence, I replied with "well, have a good show then" and walked off. If only I had remembered their names and played it cooler, I could have made some neat friends that day...oh well, back to the Dallas) as well as Gordon Downie of the Tragically Hip. With the support of singles "Waiting..." and "Sleeping Sickness" BMYL would follow the precedent set by Sometimes and go Platinum in Canada. My personal favourite tracks off the album include: "Sleeping Sickness" (probably one of my favourite songs of all time), "The Girl", and "What Makes Man".

With Little Hell just released yesterday I cannot really discuss much about the album in regards as to how it will act as yet another progression for Green and his music. However I can say that, after one listen, it is clear that the days of Green being the sole member of City and Colour playing guitar or piano are long gone as Little Hell's tracks all feature a full band - following in BMYL's footsteps. It's a good album, but I'll have to listen to it a few more times before I make any definitive statements about it. Although I can say that it's different from City and Colour has done before, but this is in no way a bad thing. The first single "Fragile Bird" is currently making its way up the Canadian and international music charts, and there is no doubt that this new album will only help to bolster City and Colour's career and bring them into the mainstream (as demonstrated by Dallas Green being featured on the show One Tree Hill). I eagerly await a Canadian tour announcement in support of the new album.

City and Colour at Massey Hall, 2009

There are many reasons why I find Dallas Green so appealing. For one, he's an excellent Canadian musician, capable of a wide range of musical styles and abilities (as demonstrated with his leading guitar and vocal contributions to both the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire and the acoustic/folk/alternative work of City and Colour). He's my favourite member of my favourite band ever (Alexisonfire, whom I started listening to at the age of 14). His music has been a part of my life's soundtrack for a long time now; playing in the disc tray, through my computer speakers, or on my iPod in times of a frustration, loss, joy, sadness, reassurance and all the other emotions any typical teenager-turned young adult might - and does - experience. I have had the privilege of seeing Dallas Green play live three times (twice with City and Colour and once with Alexisonfire) and he is an artist that has proven his ability in the recording booth and live on stage. He's worked all his life being dedicated to what he's passionate about (he started playing music with Alexisonfire at the age of 21 - he's now 30) and he has found success doing this (he's sold numerous albums and won many awards throughout his music career). His lyrical style is passionate and emotional, exemplified by his "angelic" (as I've heard it be referred to as) vocal abilities. He is a genuine musician in every sense of the word. I liken Dallas Green to my generation's Neil Young or Bryan Adams, and while he isn't a Canadian great yet (in terms of popular music culture in this country) I have no doubt that he one day will be.

My greatest gift to you.

With a semi-formal dinner and dance (dubbed "Highball") coming up at my school in a couple weeks I'm sure many girls and boys will be fretting about what they should wear, who they should go with, and how they should act upon arriving at the event. There will be many hours and many dollars spent in preparation. These thoughts brought my attention to one of my favourite songs by one of my favourite bands. The song is called "Get Fighted" by Alexisonfire off of their 2004 album Watch Out!.

Watch Out! is my favourite album (ever). I picked it up at the age of 14, and although it took a little while for me to get used to Alexisonfire's style of post-hardcore music, once I did I have been in love with the album (and the band) ever since. "Get Fighted" is one of my favourite tracks off the album and I have posted the lyrics below for your viewing pleasure. Like many of Alexisonfire's songs, "Get Fighted" is wrought with musical intensity and lyrical beauty and meaning. Even if this style of music isn't your 'cup of tea' I'd ask that you give the song at least one listen through while following along with the lyrics below:  

"So make sure you love like you've never been hurt
and when you dance, dance like there's no one watching you"

'Cause you can waste your time, redefining the day that music died
Or you can spend your life, guilt free and ostracized
'Cause all the fashion in the world can't save you now
It's something, I'll write it down for you

"So make sure you love like you've never been hurt
and when you dance, dance like there's no one watching you"

'Cause this shit is not about pants
And this shit is not about shirts
And this shit's definitly not about hair
This shit is about having a good fucking time
Maybe music isn't dead
Maybe music isn't dead
Maybe we all just forgot what it fucking sounded like
They forgot!
They forgot!

'Cause you can waste your time, redefining the day that music died
Or you can spend your life, guilt free and ostracized
'Cause all the fashion in the world can't save you now
It's something, I'll write it down for you

My greatest gift to you
is a dance floor
free from insecurity

Highball will be here soon and let us remember that we're all intending to have a good time. It doesn't matter how expensive your dress is, who you're sitting with at your table, or how good looking you may or may not be. It is a night to let loose and have fun. 

Let's just put on some good music and hit the dance floor.