Andy Canadian's blog has moved to www.canadianinvasion.org

Moving on up...

2009-09-02T15:04:00.002-04:00

CI friends,

We've revamped WWW.CANADIANINVASION.ORG with the help of design masters They're Using Tools, and now the site is full of neat content and ever-changing weirdness.

So, this blog is getting its own section on the new CI website. If you'd still like to follow my adventures, click HERE.

Thanks as always for supporting Canadian Invasion!!!!!!!

Back-to-School Canadian Invasion T-shirt Blowout THIS WEEK ONLY!

2009-09-01T11:02:00.002-04:00

To get you back to school in style, we're having a mega-sale on the uber-fashionable Canadian Invasion THREE CHEERS FOR THE INVISIBLE HAND t-shirt!

This week only you can get your shirt--normally $15 + S&H--for only $10 INCLUDING S&H!!!!!!! Sale ends on Labor Day, so get choppin' if you want to chestily support Canadian Invasion!

CI May Update

2009-05-23T23:30:00.009-04:00

Hi friends,

Sorry about the lack of updates recently. The weather's gotten nice, and all of us in CI have probably spent more time throwing the football around and going to Phillies games than actually doing band work. That's not to say there aren't some cool things in the works for Canadian Invasion this summer.

CI Live on WPRB
First, we're kicking things off with a special live appearance on 103.3 WPRB in Princeton. We'll be debuting a couple of new songs, playing some interesting covers, and maybe even reworking some old tunes. All this goes down Friday, June 19th, starting at 10pm. So after you get in from a wild night of gallantry, plop down by the computer--or radio!--and tune in.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO WPRB LIVE ON THE WEB

CI Concert Review
Jess over at popwreckoning has posted a nice review of CI's gig at the North Star Bar on May 2nd with New Zealand's Cut Off Your Hands. Including with the review are some neat photos of me writhing on the floor as I am wont to do after a few Red Bulls. If this isn't proof that you need to come out and see us live, I don't know what is.

CHECK OUT popwreckoning's REVIEW HERE

Follow CI on Twitter & Facebook
All you Twitter-aholics out there can follow my insane exploits and get instant updates about the band by signing up to follow me on Twitter or becoming one of our fans on Facebook!

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
BECOME A CI FAN ON FACEBOOK HERE

Download CI Covering The Pixies & Vampire Weekend
If you stop over at our Myspace page, you can download mp3 of our live covers of The Pixies' "Wave of Mutilation" and Vampire Weekend's "Mansard Roof". Both were recorded live for radio station appearances we made recently. Hope you enjoy 'em!

DOWNLOAD CI's COVER SONGS HERE

***

There's plenty more a-brewing in CI land, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears to the ground!

Love,

Andy Canadian

New Video for "Tomorrow..."

2009-04-19T21:44:00.002-04:00

Melinda the Martian, the mastermind behind our videos for One Hand Claps the Other and Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand, has done it again: this time for our song "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" and with the help of her cohorts, They're Using Tools.

Watch the story of yours truly, Andy Canadian, as I wander through my droll life until one evening I awake with a lawnmower for a chest and a taste for destruction! Yup, pretty much my regular life :)

Behind the Scenes at 104.5 FM Live @ Five Broadcast

2009-04-04T20:39:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Go behind the scenes as Canadian Invasion performs live on Radio 104.5 Philadelphia's Live @ Five program! See Andy flex his considerable muscle! See the boys appreciate an MC Hammer platinum record! And catch a full performance of the band's song "My Swashbuckling Days are Over"!

CI on the Radio and New Video Sneak Peak

2009-04-01T17:49:00.004-04:00

Friends,

This is no April Fool's joke: April has a lot in store for Canadian Invasion. Here's what you can expect...

CI Live on 104.5 Radio this Friday, April 3rd
Canadian Invasion will be performing two songs live on the air at 5pm on Friday, April 3rd for Philly modern rock station 104.5! We;ll be performing a tune from Three Cheers as well as a special cover song. You can live on terrestrial radio or on the web HERE.

CI on Pandora
You lovers of Pandora, the internet's premier music streaming site, can now listen to Canadian Invasion on the web! Click HERE to visit Canadian Invasion Radio on Pandora.

Sneak Peak of the New CI Music Video
CI's visual arts muse, Melinda the Martian, is hard at work with her cohorts in They're Using Tools on a new music video for CI's "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow". Below is a neat sneak peak of the green screening craziness that has gone into the new video. The gentleman front is center is my body double :) Enjoy...

Yours,
Andy Canadian

What's In Store for the Invasion...

2009-03-21T14:57:00.013-04:00

Friends,

With the new CI disc finally out and our momentous CD release party behind us, I figured I'd fill you in on a few of the things CI will be up to in the next few months.

RADIO APPEARANCES
I'm excited to say the we'll be appearing on Philly radio not once but twice this April. First, we'll be playing a few songs live on the air on 104.5 as part of their Friday Live at Five series. We'll be playing "My Swashbuckling Days are Over" and our cover of the Pixies' "Wave of Mutilation" on the air on Friday, April 5th at 5pm sharp. You can listen online by clicking HERE, or you can listen on your iPhone or Blackberry by downloading the new iheartradio app.

And on Easter Sunday we will be taping a live session for our good friends at XPN! We're pulling out all the stops for the session, so expect some tunes from Three Cheers as well as some surprises, including one we've never played before! We'll have details about when the session will air very soon.

SHOWS and MORE SHOWS!
At the end of March we're taking part in a little something we've come to dub the "Canadian Invasion / Golden Bloom Weekend Swap"! We'll be swapping gigs--and spit perhaps?--with our pal Shawn Fogel and his fine band of brothers, Golden Bloom. On Friday, March 27th you can catch both bands at Matchless Bar in Brooklyn for a free show that starts at 8pm. Then on Sunday, March 29th both bands will be in Philly at the M Room for a gig sponsored by one of our favorite Philly music blogs, Bag of Songs (and in the interest of full-disclosure, we love Tom from Bag of Songs).

MARCH MADNESS (no brackets required!)
CI is excited to be a part of West Chester University Radio's March Madness Battle of the Bands! What this means is that CI is pitted against 15 other bands in a bracket style showdown in which YOU, by casting votes online, can determine the winner! CI will face their first opponent on Thursday, March 26th. Support the guys and get us to the next round by stopping by the West Chester University Radio website and voting for Canadian Invasion on March 26th. CLICK HERE TO VOTE...

And if you live in the listening radius of WCUR, listen for CI on the hour every hour on the 26th!

GET UR CI T-SHIRT!
The new Canadian Invasion t-shirts have finally arrived! Take a look for yourself:

You can have your very own for only $15 by clicking below...

MORE UPDATES COMING!
And finally, keep checking in on us! We hope to have news very soon about some more gigs in the DC and Boston Metro ares, some more news about stores where you can pick up Three Cheers, and yet another music video for the album!

Until then, thanks so much for your support!

-Andy Canadian
www.canadianinvasion.org

The Aftermath...

2009-03-15T02:50:00.003-04:00

Tonight was awesome. It's three in the morning, I was vert recently dancing to Biz Markee, and so many of you ventured out to support us at the World Cafe.

I got to hang with my video soulmate, Melinda the Martian, we covered the Pixies, some of my old band mates were in the house...and I got to share the stage with 4 of the best guys in the world.

Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome

Tonight is the Night!

2009-03-14T13:18:00.002-04:00

Friends,

Tonight is the night we celebrate the release of our new album Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand, which comes to you after three long years of turmoil, tumult, and now, some semblance of triumph.

If you've followed the band for a bit, you surely know how long this record has been in the works and how humbled we are to be able to share it with you and the world.

Before I get all gushy, I am going to make a few promises to all of you who have given us so much:

1. We are going to try our hardest not to take three years between every record! Our next one, believe it or not, is well on it's way to being completely written, so hopefully, we'll be doing this CD release thing again sometime before 2012 (which is good, because apparently that's when the world is supposed to end, or at least that's what the TV tells me).

2. We're going to get to more of those places that we've never been able to get to in the past. Boston, watch out: we're on our way. Chapel Hill: hide your daughters! And, with some luck, the list will go on and on...

3. We are going to do more to build up our community of fans, friends, and talented individuals. In the past three years we've had the pleasure of working with video makers, poster artists, producers, and many others. We have some big ideas about how we can build a CI community where you can share in the joy we get from being around all these creative folks. And hopefully, you'll be able to share your talents as well.

Ok, thats it for promises, but to us we're over the moon that we can even consider these things. Thanks as always for helping us to pursue this crazy dream.

Yours,

Andy Canadian

6 days and counting...

2009-03-08T17:00:00.002-04:00

Three years in the making, I'm proud to say we're only 6 days away from the CD Release Party for Canadian Invasion's new disc, Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand. We've come a long way in the three years since our last record, Songs for the Atco Ghost, and we have had the pleasure of making quite a few new friends along the way.

From Derek at The Fire who hosted our last CD release party, to Brian McTear who helmed our new album and taught us how to be a real band, to Jim Moran at Transit of Venus who's taken a chance putting out our record, to Melinda the Martian who started as a friend of a friend and ended up our graphic designer/video director soul mate, to the countless others who have contributed something--time, money, a shoulder to cry on--to help us pursue this insane dream.

So in 6 days when we celebrate at the World Cafe, we hope the show is not just a celebration of our record, but a celebration of all the folks who have played some role in us being here today.

Yours,

Andy Canadian

Andy Canadian in SPIN Magazine!

2009-03-01T11:52:00.003-05:00

Friends,

Run out to your local newsstand--do those things still exist? I hope so!--and pick up the March copy of SPIN Magazine. This month's issue not only has the very cool Yeah Yeah Yeahs on the cover, but a few pages in you can be entertained by a quote from yours truly about why we're called Canadian Invasion!

Let me just say in advance that I apologize to the entire nation of Canada. You can check out the SPIN website HERE.

Yours,

Andy Canadian

How to Get the New Canadian Invasion Album

2009-02-17T08:34:00.014-05:00

In the old days, we used to sneak into record stores and leave copies of our albums in hopes that someone would mistakenly alphabetize them. Since we've moved up in the world a bit, with the release of our new disc THREE CHEERS FOR THE INVISIBLE HAND, you will be able to get your hands on the disc much more easily.

TOP 3 WAYS TO GET NEW CI ALBUM

1. MAILORDER
You can order the album direct from the band by clicking this link:

2. iTUNES
For those of you who are digitally inclined, you can download the album via iTunes by following this link:

iTunes
3. GO TO A STORE

With the help of our label, Transit of Venus, and RedEye distribution, our new album is finding its way onto stores shelves in your neighborhood. Here's an initial list of stores that will definitely have the album or be able to order it for you on release day (2.17.09):

Amoeba Music Berkeley - Berkeley CA
Amoeba Music Hollywood - Hollywood CA
Amoeba Music San Fran - San Francisco CA
B-Side CD's - Madison WI
Chester County Book Co. - West Chester PA
Dearborn Music - Dearborn MI
Dimple Records - Sacramento CA
Disc Exchange - Knoxville TN
Disk Union USA Inc. - Burlingame CA
Earshot Music - Greenville SC
Everyday Music - Portland OR
Fingerprints - Long Beach CA
Independent Records - Colorado Spring CO
J & R Music World - New York NY
Jack's Music Shoppe - Red Bank NJ
Lou's Records - Encinitas CA
Melody Record Shop Inc. - Washington DC
Music Millennium - Portland OR
Newbury Comics HQ - Brighton MA
R5 Records - Sacramento CA
Rasputin Music HQ - Berkeley CA
Record Exchange Boise - Boise ID
Salzer's - Ventura CA
Scratch Records - Vancouver BC
Silver Platters LLC - Seattle WA
SJ Distribution, LLC - Streetsboro OH
Sonic Boom Records-WA - Seattle WA
SOS Music - Manhattan KS
Super Discount CD's - Irvine CA
The Exclusive Co. - Oshkosh WI
Virgin Entertainment HQ - Los Angeles CA
Waterloo - Austin TX
Wax Trax Main Store HQ - Denver CO

***

But whatever you do, go out and get one!

More CD Release Show Goodies!

2009-02-14T11:40:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite parts of doing a CD release show going all out and getting a really cool poster designed specifically for the show. For the Three Cheers release party, our pal Jay Weyler designed an awesome poster that makes we think of a ghostly Partridge Family, which I would argue is the kind of thought good posters inspire. Check it out...

As you probably well known the gig goes down Saturday, March 14th at 9pm at Philly's World Cafe Live. Hope you can join us for this special milestone!

Yours

Andy Canadian

Pretty pictures of CI

2009-02-09T17:09:00.003-05:00

Here's a pretty portrait of CI taken by our friend Jeff Alexander:

(L to R: Eric Miller, Chris Morita, Andy Canadian, Jim Foley, George Groves)

Oh, the vanity!

Yours,
Andy Canadian

Three Cheers CD Release Party Details!

2009-02-07T14:48:00.003-05:00

Friends,

I'm happy to announce that CI has just locked down the details of our gala blast to celebrate the release of our new album, THREE CHEERS FOR THE INVISIBLE HAND! If you've never been to a Canadian Invasion CD release party, you can expect door prizes, special guests, great music, and a very special performance by CI!

The party goes down at the beautiful World Cafe Live on Saturday, March 14th. This is poised to be our biggest gig of the year, so if you only make it out to one CI show this year, make it this one!

You can purchase tickets in advance from the World Cafe site by clicking HERE. Or you can get them at the door. We've tried to keep the door cost low ($10 + a $3 service charge) because we want everyone who has supported us over the years--and you new folks too-- to be able to join us for this big event.

Thanks as always for helping us pursue this insane dream,

Andy

Magnet Interview...

2009-01-28T11:23:00.004-05:00

The folks over at Magnet, one of the nation's finest indie music magazines, were kind enough to run an interview with me and Jim about the band and out upcoming record. Matt at Magnet asked some really cool questions, and hopefully our answers are equally interested, though I can tell you they are definitely cheeky...

Check out the Magnet interview HERE.

The Big Announcement!

2009-01-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

Here it is, ladies and germs, the moment you've all been waiting for: all the details about Canadian Invasion's new album, THREE CHEERS FOR THE INVISIBLE HAND!

The album hits stores near you on Tuesday, February 17th via Transit of Venus / Empyrean Records. The album will be nationally distributed by RedEye Distribution, meaning fine CI fans across our fair land will have the opportunity to walk into their local store and buy a piece of history. As we get closer to release day, we'll post a list of stores in your area that will carry the record and a link to buy the record on iTunes.

What will you get when you plop down your money for THREE CHEERS? Well, you'll get 11 new CI songs recorded by Philly uber-producer Brian McTear, who has worked with BC Camplight, The A-Sides, and many more. In fact, here are the eleven tunes you'll hear:

01 Pop Magic Fantastical Masterpiece
02 My Swashbuckling Days are Over
03 Standing on the Shoulders of the Carcass of John Mayer
04 Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
05 How to Build a Jetpack
06 One Hand Claps the Other
07 The Last Time I Went to Church
08 But You're God (And I'm Me)
09 Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand
10 Juvenilia
11 Neighbors

You'll also be able to put the disc in your computer and enjoy the animated majesty of two CI music videos directed by CI's good pal Melinda the Martian, the lady behind the THREE CHEERS album cover as well!

If you aren't already convinced, here is some of what people are saying about THREE CHEERS FOR THE INVISIBLE HAND:

"It's going to be a power pop gem and a surefire contender for one of [2009's] best discs." -- Bag of Songs

"Canadian Invasion also play some darn good ol’ rock and or roll of the independent variety. Poppy guitars and intelligent lyricism in the same light as R.E.M. and Wilco but….younger. They have a new album...full of social commentary touching on the absurdity of life in suburban America, but also some darn good catchy hooks." -- Pasta Primavera

"Artfully combining catchy melodies with pointed and biting lyrics, this deceptively merry and frothy album offers a fiercely barbed and amusing satirical critique of the pointless shallowness of average suburbanite existence. The perky vocals and sunny arrangements project a sense of artificial happiness that seems like it’s on the cusp of breaking at any given moment: Such grim subjects as alcoholism, murder, infidelity, and lack of faith in organized religion are all tacked head-on in a hilariously nasty manner. A deliciously dark and deadpan serving of acid that’s given an extra kick by being done with a certain sneaky blend of joy and sweetness, this album makes for an often savagely funny and always enjoyable listening experience" -- Jersey Beat

"...the band has a knack for lyrics that expose the not-so-perfect side of our humanity, all done tastefully with near perfect chord progressions and blissful harmonies." -- Girl About Town

Pasta Primavera reviews THREE CHEERS!

2008-12-11T17:43:00.003-05:00

While our new record is still a few months away from release, Pasta Primavera blog has posted some kind words about the album. You can check it out HERE.

Like Canadian MTV - for your iPod!

2008-12-07T11:26:00.005-05:00

Hi friends,

To celebrate our forthcoming album, THREE CHEERS FOR THE INVISIBLE HAND, we've started our first ever iTunes video podcast called, appropriately, THE CANADIAN INVASION SHOW!

Just click HERE to subscribe for free and your iTunes will automatically download new episodes as soon as they become available! Expect live performances, music videos, bizarre rituals, and everything else you've come to love about CI.

2.17.09

2008-11-16T11:23:00.003-05:00

If you are trying to fight those post-World Series, post-election blues, here's something to look forward to--a date that will live in infamy for many years: 2.17.09...

On this fateful day, here's what you should do:

1. Throw out vintage 1970 Panasonic TV with rusted rabbit ears (because this is the day they switch to digital TV for good)...

2. Relive childhood by going to store for a copy of the new Street Fighter IV game...

3. Send belated homemade Valentine (hearts + guitars + dinosaurs = romance)...

4. Buy new Canadian Invasion CD, Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand...

Yours,
Andy Canadian

FensePost Reviews Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand video!

2008-11-15T21:20:00.000-05:00

Read about it here and watch it...

Canadian Invasion on TV! For the Phillies!

2008-11-14T21:42:00.000-05:00

If you follow this page, doubtless you know that we chose to show our Phils pride by writing a song to spur the team on to victory (we don't want to take all the credit for this World Series though: Cole Hamels pitched well too :)

To celebrate the Phils victory ourr local ABC station aired our Phillies fight song along with two others. You can check out the clip of the song soundtracking some Phils highlights here.

2 for 2

2008-11-11T21:14:00.004-05:00

"Why Obama" Essay by Jim on Largehearted Boy blog!

2008-10-22T17:07:00.004-04:00

Jim Foley, bassist extraordinaire for CI, has written an essay on why he supports Barack Obama that has been published on the Largehearted Boy blog. You can check it out HERE.

Canadian Invasion in the Philly Daily News!

2008-10-22T10:17:00.004-04:00

CI's phanaticism for the Fighting Phils is well-documented, and you can add to the record this article from the Philadelphia Daily News. In the article Jim talks about CI's Phillies fight song and his favorite Phillies memories. It's also worth checking our for a picture of me and Jim in front of a Phillies shrine we assembled in Jim's study. Look out for my 1980 World Series program (partially visible in the pic) and Jim's Rocky poster (a must have for any Philly sports fan).

And, of course, make sure to check out our fight song by watching or downloading it from the blog entry below.

Go Phils!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three Cheers for Phillies Fight Songs!

2008-10-19T22:15:00.003-04:00

CI had the pleasure of recording its own Phillies fight song this weekend, so without further ado, here it is:

DOWNLOAD THE PHILS FIGHT SONG HERE

Three Cheers for Melinda the Martian!

2008-10-18T17:55:00.004-04:00

Melinda the Martian is the world's greatest graphic designer/video artist. Not only did she create the album cover for our new record, THREE CHEERS FOR THE INVISIBLE HAND, but she's masterminded multiple music videos for the record, including this one for the title track:

If you run into Melinda on the interwebs, make sure to ask her about the Mocktopus!

Three Cheers for the Fightin' Phils!!!!!!

2008-10-16T00:31:00.003-04:00

Four more wins!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okkervil River are secret Philadelphians...

2008-09-13T11:53:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite bands of the last few years is the Austin, TX group Okkervil River. I just got their new album, The Stand Ins, on vinyl, and after I put it on the shelf in my living room, I realized something kinda interesting about the cover art.

Take a look at the picture below to see what I mean...

Soldier, You're Gonna Need a Codename...

2008-09-07T21:42:00.004-04:00

Assume your new Canadian Invasion codename here, inspired by everyone's favorite espionage videogame, Metal Gear!

Yours,
Andy Canadian

What We're Doing When We're Not "Rocking Out"...

2008-09-06T10:42:00.002-04:00

CI Covers Fugazi

2008-08-21T15:19:00.003-04:00

For a limited time you can download our cover version of Fugazi's "Public Witness Program" over at Bag of Songs. Dig it!

Until you can write the letter I'm writing, you are the postman and I am the letterwriter!

2008-07-30T13:22:00.006-04:00

If you've seen the movie Dig! you recognize the quote from above as one of those great lines from Anton from Brian Jonestown Massacre. But what I'm really getting at is that I'd like to write you once-a-month dispatches about the machinations of your favorite Americana Britpop band, Canadian Invasion.

To receive monthly news about the band, just fill out the form below. From time to time we'll have free downloads, contests, and more borderline insane schemes.

Yours,
Andy Canadian

Let the rock n roll continue...

2008-07-11T14:40:00.005-04:00

Hi friends,

Canadian Invasion is back in action after a June of vacationing and getting sunburnt. Check out this snazzy flyer for alll the gory details....

...and then click HERE to buy tickets and/or get directions!

Hope to see you there,

Andy Canadian

The Greatest TV Show On TV...

2008-07-04T02:53:00.004-04:00

For those of you who have pondered where Canadian Invasion's tuneful pop rock n roll gets its inspiration, the answer is TV, the place where most people get most of their ideas.

And the greatest show on TV right now is clearly Squidbillies, the story of a hillbilly family of squids living rural Georgia. Its a metaphor for the human condition...

When I'm not Rocking + Rolling...

2008-06-24T17:12:00.001-04:00

Put your gamertag here too.

2008-06-05T21:06:00.003-04:00

P.S. Thanks to Mark for posting this clip he recorded of us playing "The Last Time I Went To Church" at Chaplin's!

Happy Birthday, Brian!

2008-05-04T19:26:00.006-04:00

Long time CI friend Brian Klein's birthday is today, and yesterday we had the pleasure of serenading him at his birthday party! Here's our setlist:

1. The Last Time I Went To Church (Brian's favorite CI song)
2. Happy Birthday (don't tell anyone cause this song is copyrighted!)
3. Sin City (by request, though not completed because somebody left some nachos in the oven too long and smoked us all out of Brian's apartment :)

Two May Rock Outs and Some Other Odds & Ends

2008-05-04T17:04:00.007-04:00

CI will be MIA this June for some writing time and vacationing with the family, but you have two opportunities this month to check us out, if you are so inclined :)

Also, I went on a spring record buying binge and picked up a few things yo might dig. For one, I got Jason Collett's "Here's to Being Here" featuring some great Dylany, Ryan Adams-esque roots rock n roll with some nice twists thrown in here and there. Also, there's Elbow's new record, "The Seldom Seen Boy", which, like most Elbow records, is consistently filled with tasteful British rock. Finally, I got Yeasayer's "All Hour Cymbals". This record is transcendentally awesome. A lot of people have focused on the World influences on the record, but to describe it that way is really pretty limiting. A far better articulation of its merits is "It's frickin' awesome".

Oh, and as you might expect if you know me, I've been consistently spinning the Flight of the Conchords and laughing by butt off...

It's like being there...

2008-04-28T16:56:00.003-04:00

We had the pleasure of playing WMUC Radio's Third Rail program this past Sunday. We played ten songs from our unreleased new record, Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand.

If you didn't have a chance to listen live, here are a couple ways you can feel the Canadian action in the comfort of your own home, anytime you like:

1) WMUC has archived the show for you to stream or download. Follow this link and click on "Third_Rail_Radio_1800_2100.mp3".

2) Nestor from the WMUC was kind enough to photograph the band during our set. You can find some of his pics of CI here. And below is one of Nestor's pics of yours truly.

Peace,

AC

Ghosts in the Machine

2008-04-24T16:35:00.006-04:00

This Sunday at 6pm ET Canadian Invasion will be playing live on University of Maryland Radio! And what's better is that no matter where you live, you can stop in and listen to a webstream of our songs and an interview with us by visiting the WMUC website!

Andy Canadian Invasion Remixes Radiohead...

2008-04-20T14:57:00.004-04:00

Hello friends,

Just wanted to let you know that I've made a remix version of Radiohead's song "Nude" from their IN RAINBOWS album. The remix is part of a special contest Radiohead is sponsoring that lets anyone remix "Nude" and upload it the web to be voted on and awarded fantastic accolades. All that aside, check it out when you get a chance, and let me know what you think.

Yours,
Andy Canadian

Free Canadian Invasion CD! Yeah!

2008-04-20T14:37:00.002-04:00

Tom over at Bag of Songs blog is giving away some top secret Canadian Invasion three song samplers! Featured on the disc are three tunes from our next record, due sometime in the future (I say that with such certainty :) All you have to to do is email Tom and he'll send one right out to you. Stop by his site by clicking here.

Indigenous Canadian Arts & Crafts Night!

2008-04-09T18:39:00.005-04:00

Canadians,

As has become the ritual whenever CI completes a new album, the other night I hosted an arts and crafts evening, drafting members of the extended CI family to help make packages to send out to record labels and reclusive shut-ins.

With the assistance of Emily Canadian and Paula Canadian, we crafted some Etsy-worthy packages. If you're interested, I've posted a slideshow of the proceedings:

Yours,
Andy Canadian

P.S. Hopefully, this powwow will be the first step in getting our new record out to you soon. In the meantime, we've posted three--count 'em, three--new songs on our Myspace page for you to preview.

Kind, kind words...

2008-03-31T22:23:00.004-04:00

Tom at Bag of Songs blog is one of the few souls on Earth outside of Canadian Invasion to hear our entire new album, Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand, because we're still in the midst of sorting out its release, and he's written some kind words about the record on the Break Thru Radio site. Check out Tom's full article on what he called "one of 2008's best albums" by clicking here.

Also, you can hear and download a few tracks from the elusive new album at our Myspace page.

Cheers,
AC

Posterized!

2008-03-30T10:29:00.010-04:00

There are numerous compelling reasons to pick up a guitar or hurdy gurdy and rock out at your local wateringhole, but none is more convincing than the majesty of the show poster.

I mean, how many opportunities does one get in life to see oneself or one's name emblazoned on a poster? Unless you are a dog that is prone to running away, I imagine the answer is "Not very often."

And ego aside, there are some pleasing aesthetics at play in the world of rock n roll posters. For instance, there's the silkscreen poster, created with good old hand printing techniques a la this poster by our silkscreen fav and friend Anthony Dihle:

Then there's the "slap your band info on a pre-existing image" aesthetic that I've been using since someone long ago introduced me to it:

But this hardly scratches the surface. Here are some links to the pros. Hope you like what you see!

Anthony Dihle
Sasha Barr
Heads of State
Kevin Mercer

In the near future, I will try to add a section on the once ubiquitous psychedelic poster!

Yours,
Andy Canadian

We Are the Champions!

2008-03-10T22:02:00.006-04:00

Cue the Queen music, my friends, because Canadian Invasion is officially the 2nd smartest group of music trivia players according to our new pals at Bag of Songs blog and Girl About Town blog, both of whom hosted a music quizzo at the Khyber the other night.

And, to make things even better, I met Jamie, who has a pair of the exact same, only made in England, pair of trainers I cherish, my suede Golas. If you are not familiar with the glory of Gola, get hip and click on the link: http://www.golaclassics.com/

Yours,
Andy Canadian

Download "My Swashbuckling Days are Over" on Bag of Songs!

2008-02-18T21:33:00.004-05:00

Tom from Philly music blog Bag of Songs has been kind enough to put up a nice blurb about CI on his site, and he's hosting another of our newbies, "My Swashbuckling Days Are Over", for free download. Stop over, check out the site, and download our tune!

Bag of Songs

CI Returns!

2008-02-18T11:20:00.006-05:00

We played our first live show of 2008 a week ago at Johnny Brenda's, supporting the Photon Band. The week was twice as special since Helen Leicht over at XPN's Local Show has been spinning a track from our forthcoming record! Tune in sometime and look out for "My Swashbuckling Days are Over"!

We're up to our noses in band work, so in the meantime, here's some pics and a video from the show:

Hola, 2008!

2008-01-06T14:29:00.000-05:00

Canadians,

I'm really excited about the CI agenda for 2008! Very soon we'll be announcing the release date for our next full length record, recorded with Philly's best producer/nicest person Brian McTear (with the help of engineer extraordinaire Amy Morrissey). We've got not one, but two music videos in the works courtesy of the uber-talented and also supernice Melinda the Martian (more on Melinda a bit later). And we'll be playing a flurry of gigs this year to promote what we feel like is our best record ever (hell, we wanted to call it Led Zepplin III at some point, so we must think it's good).

Our first event of '08 will be a killer one, since we're going to be opening for Philly indie legends The Photon Band at Philly's coolest venue, Johnny Brenda's, on Friday, February 8th. Get your tickets here! Then mark your calendars, hide your daughters, and doublelock the pantry!!!!!!!!

Adieu, 2007! Adieu!

2007-12-02T11:02:00.000-05:00

Friends,

2007 has been a great year for Canadian Invasion. We've played some fantastic gigs, meet great new people, spent good times with old pals, and recorded what we believe is the greatest rock album since the first Wham record (hopefully you will feel the same when it comes out early next year).

To close out the year, we played a special gig with pals Slo-Mo at Chaplin's Music Cafe in Spring City. Chaplin's is a wonderful old vaudeville theatre that the current owner has converted into a fabulous music hall. As a treat for all your love and support, here's a clip of four songs from the show, recorded by audience member and CI pal Jason Saltzman:

CI @ Chaplins 12.8.07

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Yours,

Andy Canadian

Milton & The Devils Party CD Release Party!

2007-09-09T17:32:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday we had the pleasure of playing a CD release party for our friends Milton & The Devils Party at World Cafe Live in Philly. MDP have just released a great record called "How Wicked We've Become" which they recorded with Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey, the same folks at the helm of the next CI record. Check them out on the internets by clicking here!

Below are some great pics of us from the show taken by photo master Yaron. Enjoy!

Inside My Brain Right This Very Instant

2007-08-31T10:16:00.000-04:00

As wiser (and perhaps less wise) people have already said, blogging is the zenith (or the nadir) of our culture's obsession with the "individual." Be that as it may, I want in. So, in shortorder, here are the things floating around my transom as this very moment:

Bitter Bitter Weeks

Looking to change up CI's sound, we approached Philadelphia producer Brian McTear about helming the next CI record. We'd heard his work with The A-Sides and Matt Pond PA and been big fans. What we didn't realize at the time was that Brian's own band, Bitter Bitter Weeks, is completely awesome. Their latest record, Peace is Burning Like a River (High Two), came out in between the sessions for our next record, and when we came into the studio for the last bits of tracking I really considered just covering Brian's songs instead of doing my own. It's been a long time since I was so enamored with every track on a record. Peace... is some really intelligent guitar rock, and if you get a chance, at the very least check out the tracks "Terrified" and "Sincerely, Last Century", and while you're at it just get the whole record cause it's incredible.

The Walkmen - "Another One Goes By"
Speaking of covering other bands, Brian actually told me an interesting story about how his pals in Mazarin received the cover tribute from their pals and tourmates the Walkmen. The tune in question is "Another One Goes By", a brilliantly simple, powerful song that would leave Bob Dylan jealous of the way it makes the everyday poignant and transcendent. Below is a live clip of the Walkmen's cover version, which turned up on their A Hundred Miles Off record.

Nightmares and Dreamscapes featuring John Mayer

2007-08-12T03:22:00.000-04:00

the object of my unconscious malice

If you've been to a Canadian Invasion show lately, you may be aware of one of our new songs, entitled "Standing on the Shoulders of the Carcass of John Mayer." This song title, and the concept of the song itself, has taken a few people aback. "What has John Mayer ever done to you, Andy?" "What's not to like about those boyish good looks and those catchy radio songs?"

In order to set the record straight about this song, I must first tell you of a terrifyingly vivid dream I had that I was one of the guys from the documentary "American Movie":

The guys from "American Movie"

Then, in that surreally logical way that dreams work, I felt compelled to kill John Mayer out of frustration with his entire world view. After I did this, I panicked, so I buried him in the yard (like you do) and then I paved over the yard with a basketball court.

But in an ironic twist, just as the first pickup game played atop John's body concludes, my girlfriend turns on the radio and--guess what--it's John Mayer.

So that is the mystery behind my perceived Mayer misanthropy. Needless to say, I never again ate at the Mexican place I ate at the night I had that dream...

Pictures of Lily-livered Canadians

2007-08-12T03:11:00.000-04:00

We had the pleasure of playing The Swivel Chairs' CD release party just the other night at Johnny Brenda's in Philly, so I thought I'd share with you some of the beautiful photos Emily Canadian took of me and my handsome CI compatriots.

We're busy finishing up the new album so I don't have any particularly vitriolic rants to share at the moment. In the next installment I will develop a proof to disprove the existense of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. 'Til then!

Oktomatic Seattle!

2007-07-20T17:11:00.000-04:00

Friends, my love affair with the Oktomat camera is in full bloom. It's little more than a tiny plastic camera, but it takes 8 small photos on one 35mm negative over the course of 2.5 seconds. I've been sleeping with it under my pillow since I bought it a month ago, but I finally got to put it to good use on my recent trip to Seattle. Shortly I will regale you all with my recent exploits out West, but 'til then, please enjoy my Oktomatic expose entitled "Oktomatic Seattle!"

P.S. Yes, you may have noticed that my trip to Seattle involved some hardcore Twin Peaks-related tourism. I am unashamed. In fact, there's more to come! (evil laugh...)

Beans!

2007-07-07T00:06:00.000-04:00

I love America, but one area we've totally blown it in is beans. This is how it's done. Rock over London. Beans, the breakfast of champions...

Why Atco?

2007-07-04T02:14:00.000-04:00

When I occasionally step off my Learjet for an iced coffee and whatnot, people outside of New Jersey often ask, "Whaz up with Atco?"

After my "handlers" rough these people up, I usually spit on the pathetic loser as he or she begs to their God, curled up in the fetal position. But I've come to realize I've been too hard on these ignorants whose knowledge of New Jersey stretches no further than having seen a few episodes of The Sopranos. So here, at long last, is a primer on Atco, New Jersey and the special place it holds in the heart of Canadian Invasion.

Atco, New Jersey is a town of roughly 15,000 people located about 15 miles outside of Philadelphia. with beautiful pine trees, a motorsports drag strip, and an abandoned record factory among its charms. While I never lived within the borders of Atco, I've smelled the fresh pine, seen a man blow up his car (with him in it) for the amusement of young children (see clip below), and marveled at the erie factory where old vinyl rots in waterlogged boxes.

But by far the most intriguing part of Atco is the legend of the Atco Ghost. The many quests out into the pines to see this ghost appear on a lonesome highway embody something about South Jersey, something I still can't quite articulate. When we were putting together our Songs for the Atco Ghost record in rural Viriginia, the backroads that led to the studio reminded us of Atco, and the ghost, and all the other artifacts, good, bad, and indifferent, that connected to our youth in South Jersey.

So even though we're now filthy rich rockstars living in 31st floor goldplated hotel suites, there are some neat signposts of where we came from. Despite all the occult rituals that come with being a successful rock 'n' roller, I'll always cherish those nights in search of the Atco Ghost.

P.S. Atco is also featured in the greatest movie ever: Eddie & The Cruisers. I have a great Atco-related Eddie story to tell you, but you'll have to ask me about it in-person--it's not school appropriate :)

Hi!

2007-07-03T23:46:00.000-04:00

Since I firmly believe that blogging is a unheard of endeavor sure to catch on some day and offer a brand new kind of cultural discourse, I, Andy Canadian, give you this, the new internet home for my whining about the death of American culture (as if the whining in my music wasn't bad enough).

Much in the same way Harold Bloom argues that all great writers consciously situate themselves on a continuum with the great writers of the past, I too have looked for blog inspiration:

Inspiration

Coincidently, I should note that "Continuum" is the name of John Mayer's latest record. There will be copious John Mayer slagging off in this blog. I titled one of my songs "Standing on the Shoulders of the Carcass of John Mayer" after all.

So hopefully, my incendiary prose has left you you titillated beyond all reason. Do yourself a favor: take a deep breath, fix yourself a white Russian (or another appropriate alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink), and prepare for a guided tour of the cultural end of days...

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