From: owner-canadian-music-digest@smoe.org (canadian-music-digest) To: canadian-music-digest@smoe.org Subject: canadian-music-digest V2 #44 Reply-To: canadian-music@smoe.org Sender: owner-canadian-music-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-canadian-music-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk canadian-music-digest Monday, March 8 1999 Volume 02 : Number 044 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Say it ain't so! [Paul Schreiber ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 00:42:00 -0500 From: Paul Schreiber Subject: Re: Say it ain't so! > By MIKE ROSS -- Edmonton Sun [snip] > BEST NEW SOLO ARTIST: Melanie Doane, > Emm Gryner, Bruce Guthro, Hayden and Tamia. > Winner: Close, but Doane's probably the strongest > all-around singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. > She looks great, too. Okay, someone pull this guy's head out of his ass. Emm is a way better songwriter (she's won _how many_ contests?), singer (a capella "This Mad," how she says "high" in "Summerlong" is the best :), instrumentalist (*eight* on "Public" alone), and she's cute, too. (Melanie is just ick.) Jessica wrote: >I won't make the Melanie Doane fans angry with my thoughts I don't feel like being so nice to them. There's simply no comparison between Gryner and Doane. I've seen 'em both live (Melanie twice, Emm four or five times), and I was _far_ more impressed with Emm. She *rocks* live. And to offer a bit of evidence that I am being honest here, and not biased, a quick story: I picked up Public solely because of the nagging of Steve, after hearing Sarah Slean and such. Anyway, I gave it a couple spins, thought, "okay, no big deal." I caught her in Hamilton, at La Luna, opening for Rufus Wainwright. The place was crowded, and I managed to squeeze my way in to where I could just barely see her. She was *amazing*. I'm walking out of the show thinking "Wow. She is _really_ good." It was Emm's performance that won me over. And I'm now very much a fan of hers. If you know me, you know this to be true. Public is now one of my favourite CDs. Paul shad 96c / 3A CS / mac activist / eda / fumbler fan of / jewel / sophie b. / sarah slean / steve poltz / emm gryner / / x-files / buffy / dawson's creek / habs / bills / 49ers / t h i n k d i f f e r e n t. "It's like signing a record contract is like signing away your human rights." -- CMG ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 07 Mar 1999 02:29:37 -0500 From: Steve I Subject: Re: Say it ain't so! Just getting in from CMW, and thought I'd post a quick note about Melanie... Paul Schreiber wrote (in response to Jessica): >Jessica wrote: >>I won't make the Melanie Doane fans angry with my thoughts > >I don't feel like being so nice to them. There's simply no comparison >between Gryner and Doane. I've seen 'em both live (Melanie twice, Emm >four or five times), and I was _far_ more impressed with Emm. She *rocks* >live. And to offer a bit of evidence that I am being honest here, and not >biased, a quick story: > >I picked up Public solely because of the nagging of Steve, after hearing I assume that I'm the nag Paul refers to, so it may sound wierd that I would speak up for Melanie here. I know one of the times Paul saw Melanie was at a bookstore appearance (and that was the only time Jess saw her), and believe me when I say that it really wasn't representative of just how powerful her shows can be. Except for that bookstore show I haven't seen her in at least a couple of years, but before "Adams Rib" came out I thought that Melanie Doane was one of the most underappreciated performers around. I saw her play at a magical (and criminally poorly attended) show at the Bathurst St Theatre 2 or 3 years ago with Suzanne Little and Damnhait Doyle. Melanie Doane OWNED the place that night. (Tab was there too and she'll back me up on this). I'd really gone to see Suzanne Little, and Damnhait Doyle who was getting hugely hyped back then, but for me, Melanie put on a show that put the others to shame. Playing a charming brand of maritime flavoured folky pop and switching between guitar and piano and SCORCHING electric fiddle, she completely captivated the entire crowd. Since then I've brought at least half a dozen friends to various club shows of hers, and each of them walked away in complete awe of her. When that reviewer said she was a good instrumentalist, he was right on the money, she really *is* that good. She disappeared for awhile after those club shows as she recorded the current album and I went through Melanie withdrawal for awhile. Then her name came up in a really surprising way, at least to me. I went to see Kevin Fox play a solo show at last year's NXNE (North by NorthEast) festival, at least my 11th or 12th time seeing him play (6th or 7th time doing his own stuff), and he made a remark about writing a song with a friend of his, Melanie Doane, which completely floored me. I couldn't believe I didn't know about that. Anyway I think it was around that time that James came up with the 6 degrees of Kevin Fox thing. But I digress. This all is not to say that I think she should win the Juno or anything. I don't think anyone here needs any convincing that I'm a big supporter of Emm Gryner. But I also think that Melanie has earned the right to be seriously considered for a Juno, (although strictly speaking she isn't a new artist, but anyways), just as Emm has. Steve ------------------------------ End of canadian-music-digest V2 #44 ***********************************