The Official Website & Blog of Paxton Allewell. Communications Specialist, Educator, Writer and Designer.
Music
SHAD – Rose Garden (Official Video)
Jul 26th
I’ve heard this song “Rose Garden” a couple times on CBC Radio 2 and had to go find it online…very catchy stuff, cool that he’s Canadian too – raised in London, ON. More info on SHAD here >>
When You’re Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)
Jul 26th
Heard this song today…a great reminder to SMILE 
and LAUGH (HA HA)…
Feeling this song today…
Jul 22nd
I’m feeling this song today and thought I’d share it! If you listen to it, be sure to listen till the end. There’s a cool chanty dance beat at 4:09.
I find myself quite often looking for good yoga-type music and this is a good example of what I’m looking for. YouTube has some decent meditation/yoga songs, but there’s a lot not so great stuff too. Hit and miss. I’m probably going to end up buying some music on iTunes or at the music store, but I’m also on the hunt to put together a good YouTube playlist too… Enjoy!
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Don’t let your feet touch ground
Jun 2nd
I heard this song “Don’t let your feet touch ground” by Ash Koley on the way to work today and it really made me happy. I’m not a fan of this music video, but I do really like the song…so feel free to jump to another page as you listen to the song. Hope you enjoy!
Listen to the New Broken Social Scene Album!
May 20th
I found this nifty little music player (below) on Broken Social Scene’s MySpace website – A cool new online marketing tactic for bands.
You can actually listen to the whole new album ‘Forgiveness Rock Record’ on the player below so have a listen and buy the album if you wish.I haven’t actually listened to the whole album yet, but so far so great!
Right now you can also download their song ‘World Sick’ for free on their MySpace site. Enjoy! http://www.myspace.com/brokensocialscene
Bryan Adams: Bare Bones
May 7th
I came across this short NFB doc on Bryan Adams the other day and thought you might like it too. Really cool that he’s Canadian! It’s also really cool that the NFB lets people, like me, share and embed their documentaries with their stylish video embed player.
Phoenix “1901″ – The Cadillac Song
Mar 14th
I remember hearing this song on a Cadillac commercial awhile back (and still hear it lately) and it really made me want to hear the rest of the song; not to buy a Cadillac.
Not long ago a friend of mine was playing the song in her car and I was pumped to hear it outside of the context of a commercial. She told me the name of the band was called Phoenix, which I had never heard of. But I finally got to hear the whole song – and it was in a volkswagen.
Perhaps you haven’t been able to hear the whole song yet? Well, it’s your lucky day because the video below features the full tune!
But I have to give the Cadillac’s advertising team credit for finding such a cool song. While it’s kinda of annoying that this awesome song is now associated with Cadillac, it’s deeper essence is perhaps even more associated with the joy and excitement of driving on the road. Beyond that it’s really a pump up song and gets you excited to live your life! And good for Phoenix who not only must have got paid very well for their song on the commercial, it also got their music out to a huge audience, including me.
I’m listening to their myspace as I type this, and I actually know another one of their songs – it’s called “If I ever feel better.” But it looks like it was on their older album.
See their myspace site here: www.myspace.com/wearephoenix
See lyrics to Phoenix’s ’1901′ song >>
New Dark Mean Music – Free Download!
Mar 3rd
My friend Sandy Johnston’s band “Dark Mean,” who are based in Hamilton ON, recently launched their second EP (extended play) and I am a big fan, and I want you to listen to it!
“Music Box” is the latest EP’s name (blue cover) and it features 4 new songs from the band. Their first EP (green cover) is called “Frankencottage.”
You can listen and download the new EP for FREE at darkmean.bandcamp.com – Go there now!
You can also listen to the band’s first EP and download it there as well. After you listen to Music Box, click on the green cover titled “Frankencottage” and you can listen and download from there. It will ask you to “name your price” if you want to download the songs and you’re welcome to pay for the CD, or just put $0 and you can get them for free too.
My favourite Dark Mean songs are: Frankencottage, China, (green cd) and I really enjoy all of the Music Box songs which are: Music Box; Piano & Beat; Acoustic; Dark Banjo.
For more info on the Dark Mean Band see: myspace.com/darkmeanband or darkmean.com
Band members: Billy Holmes, Sandy Johnston, Mark Dean
They’ve tagged their band “Ambient” “Canadian” “Folk” “Indie” “Canada” on bandcamp, so that might help you with defining their style and genre.
I would also say that Dark Mean’s style is very artistic and has good depth and complexity of sound, and overall it’s mostly chill music that may remind you of the cottage, but it definitely has some rockin’ moments as well. I think you need to listen their songs a few times to get a feel for them, but once you do, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Some comparisons/influences that I hear in their music: Coldplay, Radiohead, Broken Social Scene…
Happy Listening!
Do you like their music? Share a comment here>>
Empire State of Mind
Dec 28th
Once in awhile a song gives me shivers. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ ‘Empire State of Mind’ (official video below) is one of those songs.
I was driving along the road yesterday and this song came on. I had heard it maybe once or twice before, but this time I was able to turn it way up. While I’m not an Alicia Keys fan, her voice and lyrics in the chorus are absolutely awesome and pump me up: “In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of; There’s nothing you can’t do, now you’re in New York; These streets will make you feel brand new; Big lights will inspire you, let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York.” (all lyrics here)
I’ve only visited New York once. It was right after University when I was trying to figure out what to do next. It was a short trip, but I had a really good time and the trip helped me out because it reinforced the fact that I wanted to live in a big city. Not long after my trip I moved to downtown Toronto – Canada’s largest metropolis.
Now that I’m living back in Niagara again it’s really great, but I still get urges to visit big and famous cities like New York, Montreal, Paris, London and Los Angeles. I’m over the urge to live in those big cities, but I’d still like to visit and do business in them more often.
‘Empire State of Mind’ certainly pumps me up and beckons me to visit New York. Two other New York songs that I think of are Frank Sinatra’s ‘New York, New York’ and the other is Madonna’s ‘I love New York,’ which I’ve danced to in the privacy of my own home many a times.
Interestingly, I came across a YouTube video of one of Madonna’s concerts where she said “…I wrote a song about loving New York because that’s the place I learned how to survive, okay. It’s all about survival, right. But for me New York is more a state of mind than a place. What is a New York state of mind? It’s having something to say! It’s never taking no for an answer!” I like the way she put that.
Kudos to this new New York song, and to New York City which has inspired so many. Check out the Official ‘Empire State of Mind’ video below. Hope you enjoy.
Ever been to New York? Do you have an Empire State of Mind? Then feel free to leave a comment.