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Here it is...



Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Where You Been?

My bad.

I've neglected you. I've left "sans musique" for far too long.

I promise, though. I'll deliver. I'll give you what you want... and need.

For starters, enjoy this little ditty from The Hold Steady. Cheers!

The Hold Steady - Girls Like Status

Long-Awaited Sophmore Effort

Clipse. That's all I've got to say. The internet's favourite rap group is back. The duo who rocked the world with Lord Willin is back and haven't lost a step - despite all of the obstacles that have prevented the release of their second album, Hell Hath no Fury. Well, it's finally here...and it was worth the wait. Malice and Pusha T have just as much - if not more - hunger than was evident in their previous releases. Most surprisingly, the Neptunes have managed to come up with some beats that eclipse many of their recent, less memorable productions.



Clipse - Hell Hath no Fury

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Out of Retirement? Surprise.

The return of Jay-Z was more or less inevitable. When he first retired from “the game,” most people speculated that it wouldn’t be a permanent move. When others in the industry started calling him out (i.e. Camron), it only increased the probability of his comeback. But what truly cemented his return was his Presidency at Def Jam Records. The ol’ Jigga Man has made some bold moves while there – many of which have failed to pay off. The Roots latest effort, although a solid album, was a commercial flop. Lady Sovereign’s State-side debut has thus far been disastrous. The album has been rightfully panned by critics and would-have-been fans… Essentially, Def Jam needed something big right now. So Jay-Z did what he had to, and now Kingdom Come is ready for the world…

But is his latest album any good? Many were wondering if he could repeat the recent success he has found on his Black Album and Blueprint LPs. The answer? While Kingdom Come is a solid album, it’s hardly a classic. It lacks the moments of raw emotion of tracks like 'Song Cry' and 'Public Service Announcement' – songs that defined the mood and tone of his previous works. The album feels like a re-hash of his recent successes. Jay reaches out to producers like Just Blaze and Dr. Dre to try to replicate past hits, but instead these collaborations feel like variations of those previous tracks. It isn’t the inventive and introspective Hov album many people were expecting. But don’t get me wrong – it still has it’s moments and is worth checking out…



Jay-Z - Kingdom Come

[Buy it]

Sports Update... Toronto's Losing Ways

Raptors:
It's almost two weeks into the NBA season and your Toronto Raptors are already looking improved over last year. But don't think that means they're a sharp looking team on the court. In fact, they're anything but.

Today, veteran swingman Mo Pete will lose his starting spot on the roster to former slam dunk champion Fred Jones. Coming off a stellar year last season, Peterson has failed to perform so far this year... And now he will pay!

Read about it here.

Argos:
Well, Ricky Williams' tenure north of the 49th has finally come to an end. His unimpressive season was concluded with a loss to Montreal on Sunday in the CFL's Eastern Final. Ricky will now travel back to the No Fun League, where he will either suit up for the Fish, or be traded... or get high and be banned from playing again.

The real story from Sunday's game, however, was the absurdity of Argos' receiver Arland Bruce (pictured). Displaying his tremendous sore-loser skills, Bruce cried that the refs were racist, unfair, and had taken bribes.

Read about it here.

The Block's a Rockin...

Upon the release of Silent Alarm, Bloc Party was instantly vaulted to star status. The album's punk-pop-funk feel appealed to a wide and diverse audience. Now, the band is set to return. Early 2007 will see the release of A Weekend in the City - the follow up to the disc that earned them praise from both critics and the masses. With the new LP, the boys in Bloc Party try to increase the breadth of their sound... embarking on a swift departure from the style that brought them so much success. Will the new album reach the same heights as Silent Alarm? Only time will tell...



Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City

[Buy Silent Alarm]

Quick Update...

...at work.

...too busy to type much.

....check this out.



Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity

[Buy more Deerhoof here]

Who Likes it Ruff?

Oh... the Toronto music scene. It continues to produce these great little bands. The Born Ruffians are one of the latest to emerge from the city. Their debut self-titled EP is a six track sampling of what the group is capable of. When at their best, Born Ruffians sound like Hot Hot Heat circa Make Up the Breakdown. Check out the tunes 'This Sentence Will Save/Ruin Your Life' and 'Merry Little Fancy Things.'



Born Ruffians - Born Ruffians

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News Flash!... Health Edition

Oh the joys of Google News. You never know what you might run into with a little bit of searching around. Especially in the often forgotten world of Health & Science news. For example, did you know that there has been a 65% increase in belly fat in the United States since the 1990s? It's true. It's science.

Read about it here.

Meanwhile, north of the border, we're still packing on the pounds... only at a lesser rate. As the Reuters headline suggests: Canadians getting fatter, but more slowly.

Read about it here.

Another astonishing article suggests that Duct Tape isn't quite the wart-buster it was thought to be, especially for school children. What?!!? Sometimes I think scientists come up with stupid ideas like this just to waste their days away.

Read about it here.

Because Everyone Loves Him...

I'm not really one to get into movie soundtracks. The last soundtrack that I truly enjoyed was from the movie Anchorman. Will Ferrel saved the album by introducing each song with a ridiculous story:

"For this next song I wanted Survivor, but they wouldn't return my calls. I get it. I'm not Survivor..."

"This next song reminds me of the first time I killed a man..."

Check it out if you ever have the chance - you'll laugh your ass off. Borat is another rare exception. The collection of music, both from the film and episodes of the television program, continues the entire charade that is the character.



Borat - Original Soundtrack

[Buy it]