You know how your Mother always tells you to put your best foot forward? Most people don’t listen, many bands play showcases and leave their best song for the encore, failing to realize that many A&R people want to hear the hit right away. As many bands as we see on a weekly basis sometimes we only have time for 2 songs and can’t stick around for the show-stopper that takes 30 minutes to get to. Wouldn’t it be great if bands always sent you their best song first, or it was always listed at side one, track one? With that said, allow us to introduce you to this week’s featured blog: SideOne: TrackOne was started in August of 2006 by John Laird, formerly the Music Director at KSAU. His prior experiences include work in radio promotions and New Media PR. “I missed my favorite part of college radio, which was being able to share a lot of great artists with an audience. Now, I’m here blogging away until the world ends.” Jon stated recently. In conclusion he told us something that is very soothing and quite honestly music to our ears... “The main point of SideOne: TrackOne is just to share good music. If it was any more complicated then I wouldn’t bother”. Amen!

After traveling nearly 8,000 miles round trip on my recent voyage to the Atlantic Film Festival, I have realized a few things about its host city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. First off, I had seriously never known where Nova Scotia was prior to this trip. I know, I know…write me off as the typical ignorant American but at least I’m honest about it. I’d challenge any non–Canadian to look at this blank map of North America and point out Nova Scotia without hesitation. Regardless, I’m now a huge fan of the city, the people and the music as well. Another thing I learned is the satisfaction one gets by having lobster for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’m not talking about just any lobster; Halifax is known around the world for its lobster––and with very good reason! Lastly I was reassured that no matter where you are at in the world, good music is still just that – good music.

The 2007 Atlantic Film Festival took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia from September 13–22. With a population roughly the size of Buffalo, NY or St. Paul, MN, Halifax has a surprisingly vibrant music scene that is perhaps even more impressive than the quality of seafood. I wasn’t really sure what to expect upon arriving but by the time that I left I was certain that there was indeed something in the water other than plump entrees waiting to be served. Now in its 27th year, the festival has enjoyed consistent growth as of late and just recently made an effort to welcome in the music industry to their conference as well. The 2003 conference marked the launch of the festival’s “Inspired Industry Sessions,” which highlight three areas that are all complementary to the film–making process: Music, Scripts and Documentaries. As a part of those sessions there were also two days of one–on–one meetings in which the international delegates could meet artists and managers face–to–face in hopes of giving advice and insight while also sampling their music as well. In addition to the hundreds of films being shown at the festival there were over a dozen artist showcases, an awards ceremony, engaging industry panels, a golf tournament and numerous parties/events. The most innovative part of this conference, however, was the 10x10 Program by Norwood Cheek, a veteran filmmaker and director of over 70 music videos. In a nutshell, he paired up 10 independent artists with 10 independent filmmakers and gave them each 48 hours to make a music video that would then be debuted at the festival during the closing night gala. The result was a handful of fantastic music videos and the burning of a final DVD literally minutes before it was set to be shown.

(all pictured above). If one were to say that I was out of my league it would be an understatement, but I felt that the few bumbling rants I was able to squeak out were somewhat intelligent and perhaps people actually took notes on them. In all seriousness though, it was a great time. I was very nervous at first but then I just realized that an industry panel is simply talking amongst your peers about the state of the industry and giving a bit of educational advice to those that request it at the end.

Meaghan Smith

To expand upon the aforementioned plethora of musical talent in Halifax, one would have to look no further than local songstress

“IN THE MUSIC,” KONGOS: Down through the years of the rock & roll era, many acts have fancied themselves a “band of brothers,” despite having no familial ties whatsoever (same surnames notwithstanding…we’re lookin’ at you, Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, et al). But the South African-born, London-bred and now Phoenix-based group Kongos is exactly that--a band of four brothers, to be precise, who are the sons of million-selling British singer/songwriter John Kongos and have thus spent their entire young lives around studios, music and a wide variety of different cultures. This is readily apparent in the innovative, inventive music of their self-titled debut, which was written, produced and engineered by the brothers themselves, then released through iTunes back in January. Recently deemed “Best Rock Band in Phoenix” by the local alt-weekly Phoenix New Times, Kongos’ recipe for success involves rhythmic, intelligent pop-rock with hooks a-plenty. Check it out for yourself by streaming “ In the Music”.

“BLACK GLOVES,” GOOSE: In retrospect, it all seems so obvious…I mean, who doesn’t love “The Fast and the Furious,” soapbox derby racing and the chariot scene from “Ben-Hur”? However, it took the tantalizingly twisted minds of the Belgian techno quartet Goose to bring all these disparate elements together as backdrop for their seething instrumental track “Black Gloves.” Filmed along the highways and byways of beautiful Brighton, England, the “Black Gloves” video features dueling soapbox derby racers doing their darnedest to run each other off the road while striving for victory in the race of their lives. One thing’s for sure, though: the real winners are the viewers of this entertaining video.

BAND OF HORSES MAKES IT TWO IN A ROW: Sub Pop’s Band of Horses once again runs for the roses, making it two weeks in a row atop both the Mediaguide Alternative Specialty Song airplay chart and the Album index with “Is There a Ghost” and Cease to Begin, respectively. The orchestral-pop productions from these equine enthusiasts have obviously struck a responsive chord with the panel. San Diego’s Pinback spends a third week in a row firmly entrenched at #2 on the Song chart with “From Nothing to Nowhere” (Touch and Go), while full-length Autumn of the Seraphs likewise stays at #4. Rolling a pair of threes is Hard Fi (Necessary/Atlantic), who occupy that slot on both charts with “Suburban Knights” and Once Upon a Time in the West…and why we have the sudden urge to say “Ni!” and bed down Claudia Cardinale after writing that line, we couldn’t really say. Too much time spent with Sixties and Seventies cinema, no doubt. Also moving into the Top 5 is Rogue Wave with “Lake Michigan” (Brushfire), which ascends to #4; full-length Asleep at Heaven’s Gate also moves into the Top 10 on the Album side, reaching #9. Top debut on the Song side goes to 4AD’s Emma Pollock with “Acid Test” at #12, helping album Watch the Fireworks secure a #15 debut slot. Other debuts on the Song side include Tiny Masters of Today with “Hologram World” (Great Society) at #14, followed at #15 by the Cave Singers with the tastily titled “Dancing on Our Graves” (Matador). And finally, top debut on the Album chart goes to Electric Six (Metropolis) at #12 with I Shall Exterminate Everything around Me that Restricts Me from Being the Master…a title that may be more than a mouthful, but it’s a great way to fill up a word count.