The Useless Critic 2.0

Another song I enjoyed from 2023 was the throwback banger "Blame Brett" by the Canadian band The Beaches. How this song didn't get ANY bigger, I don't know. (Apparently, it was quite big on TikTok but for me I didn't get that full effect.) The garage rock and even faint "Riot GRRL" vibes are strong in this one.  This song is so much blissful fun and a considerable hit from The Beaches, who followed up with a great album: "Blame My Ex." There are some other standout tracks on their second album, like "Edge of the Earth." But also isn't it great that Brett is a REAL guy who dated the lead singer and is in the band The Glorious Sons? (Actually, it's really not that bad. One time I texted a girl I liked who I got into it with - and she was very environmentally conscious - that I really loved straws, so. Um. We all have our moments.) Happy listening! I hope to share a few more songs before 2024 arrives.

Apparently a motorcycle can cure a boy's broken heart, and we have proof. Justin Bieber has been spotted flying around on a Ducati Superbike 848 Evo. Yeah, a motorcycle that starts at $15,000. Rumor has it that it has "SWAG 24/7" printed on the side. Isn't he Canadian? To be perfectly honest, I hope the whole Selena/Justin thing was a contractual obligation. Those two made my head hurt. I wish him safe travels, but this has to be one of the dumbest things I've seen lately.  Can we send him back to Canada yet?

You may know Diamond Rings . I first heard him in Toronto, oddly:  his homebase. Or you may not know him, but you should. Also, I know I promised not to do a lot this week, because I need to focus my energy elsewhere, but this is a special circumstance!  I honestly didn't expect this to come back so fast, but here we go- a few questions with the extremely unique Canadian singer-songwriter, aka John O'Regan: UC: What was your impetus behind your new album? John:  "Free Dimensional" is about embracing my own diversity as a person and artist through the medium of music. UC:  You were/are touring with fellow Canadians Stars. How did that go? John:  Great! We played some really classy venues and had some really enlightening conversations with the band about music and life. They're now really good friends. UC:  How does color figure into your work? It seems like a strong theme for you. John:  Colour is not as important to me now as it was in ...

TORONTO, ON - January 26, 2012 -  SiriusXM Canada (TSX: XSR), the country's leading audio entertainment company, today announced that it will host the SiriusXM Indie Awards as part of its sponsorship of Canadian Music Week. The 12 th  annual celebration acknowledging the year's top Canadian independent bands   will take place in Toronto at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Saturday, March 24, 2012. The awards show will feature performances from some of last year's hottest artists including The Sheepdogs, Dan Mangan and Rich Aucoin. SiriusXM subscribers across Canada and the U.S. will be able to listen to the Awards and concert live on The Verge on XM 151 and Iceberg on SIRIUS 151. "SiriusXM Canada is excited and proud to present the SiriusXM Indie Awards as part of Canadian Music Week," said Andreanne Sasseville, Director, Industry Relations and Canadian Content Development, SiriusXM Canada. "We're looking forward to showcasing an amazing night of performa...

That was a trick question. Who doesn't love autumn! So Olenka and the Autumn Lovers hail from London, Ontario, which is just a hop across the great diseased Lake Erie. I talked to Olenka (who is ORIGINALLY from Poland) via the phone last Saturday in my first Useless Critic phone interview. :O Who they are:   a popular Canadian indie folk band, growing an international buzz little by little. Olenka Krakus is the singer-songwriter at the head of the band, joined by Sara Froese, Simon Larochette, Kelly Wallruff, Evan Brodie and Jeff Moon.  They use a diverse range of instruments, such as my favorite, the cello. SEE HERE They are a very autumn-sounding band methinks. And they just came off a lottttt of touring (they also have two albums out- the last one And Now We Sing  was released in 2010) which won't stop any time this October. But then, as Olenka said, a much-deserved (needed) break. The band won't be coming to America any time in the near future, sad t...

in other news yawn here's the new Avril Lavigne song I'm going to be kind and give it an A- because it will GET IN YOUR HEAD. Avril must be thinking she's Ke$ha. good for her, I was surprised she was doing something other than designing clothes for Kohl's, you know? HEY YOU I DON'T LIKE YOUR GIRLFRIEND

so I can't think of a good reason I've never listened to this band intently before: SOUNDS LIKE THE XX, NO? but I'm kind of sick of the Xx. but this also has some kind of African vibe going for it, too. and that girl is COUER DU PIRATE; check her out too. this Canadian band will be in Buffalo, November 5th. I can say I'm certainly tempted. this is an easy A. I'm going to go come now.

I swear this man - Mr. Elias Koteas - has been in more movies than ANYONE ELSE I HAVE EVER KNOWN. he turns up in everything! everything! Yesterday I saw Shutter Island (which wasn't amazing but not terrible) and guess who shows up in this film. ELIAS KOTEAS- who, here, look at his imdb list and gawk: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000480/ He was the blind clockmaker in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button . He also turned up in Milla Jovovich's The Fourth Kind , not sure as what though. And he was in the awful, forgettable The Haunting In the State that Keeps J. Crew Afloat , although his character was interesting. I think every other film I see from this point forward will showcase Mr. Bald Canadian as a coffee table, old woman or warlock. What can't he do! really! This is, though, not to sidestep what is arguably his best, most notable role to date: Casey Jones (YES) in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . Jones, as you remember (or suppressed until just now) was the badass human ...

so the day is closing upon us when we will have to deal with a squealing Kathy Lee Gifford talk about how much she simply adores winter sports and awkwardly hit on professional skiirs. That being said, the 2010 Winter Olympics, which are being held in Vancouver, will kick off on in early February. And THAT being said, do you care? ... I personally like bobsledding and speedskating. but I so long for snow-shovelling, facesitting and bodyshaving to be made into recognized sports. I think Denmark and Japan would succeed at the latter two. What say you, readers? You going to watch? Or merely facesit instead?