Road Sounds Redux

Lately I have been traveling a lot. Some for the operatives of work and some for the simple joy of road tripping with friends, dogs, coffee and more. Either way you look at it, I have spent more time away from home this year than ever, giving me a new scope on the coffee shop landscape in BC as well as an ever growing music collection; here dear reader is a short laundry list of the albums heard on my last trip brought to you once again from the Starbucks in Kamloops..


M83 Saturday = Youth
Melodic and eery residual 80's sounds for you, very good. Described as opening a love letter from the 80's. Can't remember where I got that..



Mariachi El Bronx
Interesting blend of tightly knit Mariachi band mixed with "cake" like vocals, good lyrics. Sometimes disturbing/compelling and the music is so damn catchy. Good.
Amon Tobin : Permutations
An electronic classic, when Mike Pollard first played this for me I was floored. Ambient alien sounds mixed with rock solid drum and base.
Murs and 9th Wonder - Murrays Revenge.
A good rap album from Mur's, a departure from his earlier stuff, more introspective and thought full. less ego and gun clapping.
Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet.
What can I say...probably a top ten for me..extra brilliance in that in addition to Walkin' and relaxin', was recorded before the switch of record labels and to essentially fulfill a contratctual agreement. They did a few of these albums, the last Miles Davis' cool jazz works in a matter of months. They are all considered standard albums and jazz wonderfreund. Miles went on to set his own perimeters with the explosive sounds of Bitches Brew and others..

Girl Talk - ALL DAY
A mash up classic and a genre defining album. Crazy for the uninitiated but brilliant noise to others. I like.

Paul Mailloux

My Dad was a great man. He loved, laughed and lived as good or better than most I know.

He loved Carrie and I, not one to say it with words- He showed it. Cross province moves, random house repairs when you didn't even know he stopped by and lots of phone calls "just cause" to see what was new in your world. When you spoke to my dad, he really wanted to know how you were doing, he was just an easy guy to talk to. A lot of people told me how much they liked him and spoke of a genuine kindness in his heart, if there is one quality I will remember of my Dad it would be this.

When I was 16 I thought I knew everything there was to know about climbing mountains and we just so happened to be in California and in the famous halls of Yosemite on a family vacation. Already infatuated with everything in sight, I gazed upon the 1000m walls of El Capitan and told my dad at once what we were going to do, I said "Pops! I will make you a harness. I've got a few biners and some rope- lets go and climb that thing!". Without much protest, we were at the base of the Captain staring up into the void. My Dad with his homemade harness and me leading off with nothing more then two allowance's worth of climbing gear and a dream in my mind. I looked down at my dad at a hard section and I could see him egging me on, I slipped and he caught me with the rope. Just like that our summit fever was gone. We retired to a burger stand nearby and talked about bigger ideas, it was one of those great memories I have of him. He was supportive like that, with his actions.

I have a lot of good memories of him.

During the last few years he developed a penchant for travelling. As he packed for places like Russia, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Dominican Republic I was amazed at his pragmatism and "take it as it comes" attitude. He would disappear for a month or so, usually befriending a local family who he would stay with and become friends with over time, helping around the house and sharing stories, living simply. He spoke of these people often, he loved to meet new people.

Sometime when kids grow up they waver at the idea of being like their parents. I Cannot say the same about my Dad. He was certain, caring and attentive to almost everyone. Its been a few months since he passed on but I think about him everyday. Godspeed pops.