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I am also struck by the concreteness of the songs on this album. There seem to be so many opportunities where the lyrics and the imagery could spill over like a typical Gord butterscotch river, but he doesn't and you can almost hear and feel him reining himself in to serve the song. The tightest example for me is Secret Path and the freezing rain and windbreaker imagery. As much as I love songs like As Makeshift as We Are, The Kids Don't Get It, and The Bastard which are like goops of expressionistic lyrics flung at the music, it is really something to hear and feel the focus that he is deliberately bringing to these songs.
I have been thinking a lot about Gord Downie vs. John K. Samson and their approach to songwriting since reading the John K. piece from Macleans over the summer and maybe I'm stealing this from something I read there or read about it, but I have this picture of them both trying to cross a river from one side to the next with each song. John K. Samson is on top of the river, jumping from lily pad to rock to floating bits of debris like Frogger picking his way across, concentrating on the details in everything. Gord typically dives in an swims underwater most of the way, swirling around, coming up for air occasionally, and then torpedoing back underwater and touching the opposite bank with his fingertips. But on Secret Path, he is more minute and focussed and precise, using a practised front crawl to get across efficiently and effectively.
Maybe too much swimming imagery.
ct
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For those interested in the reach of the book and album, Secret Path debuted at number four on the Canadian album sales chart this past week, while the book is number one on the Canadian Fiction Book Bestseller list.
Canadian Album Sales:
1. Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker
2. Lady Gaga - Joanne
3. Michael Buble - Nobody but Me
4. Gord Downie - Secret Path
5. Korn - Serenity Of Suffering
6. Pentatonix - A Pentatonix Christmas
7. The Pretty Reckless - Who You Selling For
8. Monster Mash - Monster Mash
9. Kings of Leon - WALLS
10. Sia - This Is Acting
The Globe and Mail Canadian Fiction Book Bestseller list for November 5th:
Secret Path Gord Downie, illustrator Jeff Lemire
Wenjack Joseph Boyden
The Couple Next Door Shari Lapena
The Best Kind Of People Zoe Whittall
Do Not Say We Have Nothing Madeleine Thien
The Witches Of New York Ami McKay
The Wonder Emma Donoghue
Milk And Honey Rupi Kaur
Hag-Seed: The Tempest Retold Margaret Atwood
Far From True Linwood Barclay
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Perhaps a dumb question....
But did you guys n gals just pop the top off the box set? I sat there looking at it for about fifteen minutes trying to see where the best place to open it was. After nothing was obvious to me, I delicately decided to pop the top.
2004-12-03 - Saint John/2005-09-03 - Moncton/2006-06-30 - Charlottetown/2006-11-09/10 - Montreal/2007-09-11 - Fredericton/2007-09-13 - Halifax/2007-09-14 - Sydney/2007-09-15 - Charlottetown/2008-06-30 - Charlottetown/2009-05-01/02 - Montreal/2011-06-28 - Moncton/2011-06-30 - Charlottetown/2012-06-30 - Niagara-on-the-Lake/2013-02-01 - Moncton/2013-02-02 - Halifax/2015-01-10 - Toronto/2015-02-20 - Montreal/2015-07-17 - Ottawa/2016-08-18 - Ottawa/2016-08-20 - Kingston
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Also, I have a feeling that this Deluxe Box Set will not be replenished once it sells out. I procrastinated and didn't get one right away. A&C Store is sold out, Indigo.ca is sold out as well. The only place I had luck was HMV (due to their in-store search feature. According to the site, I got the last available copy in all of Gatineau/Ottawa).
2004-12-03 - Saint John/2005-09-03 - Moncton/2006-06-30 - Charlottetown/2006-11-09/10 - Montreal/2007-09-11 - Fredericton/2007-09-13 - Halifax/2007-09-14 - Sydney/2007-09-15 - Charlottetown/2008-06-30 - Charlottetown/2009-05-01/02 - Montreal/2011-06-28 - Moncton/2011-06-30 - Charlottetown/2012-06-30 - Niagara-on-the-Lake/2013-02-01 - Moncton/2013-02-02 - Halifax/2015-01-10 - Toronto/2015-02-20 - Montreal/2015-07-17 - Ottawa/2016-08-18 - Ottawa/2016-08-20 - Kingston
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My sister is in Halifax and she wants to see the show alot and I think I want her to see it even more lol
I'm tossing in a Hip concert Poster if anyone can provide extra ticket for her !!! Thanks
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I only managed one ticket so my wife and I will be arm wrestling over it. The sales website crashed due to high traffic volume and was down for 20 minutes. It's not credit card entry for this show so tickets are already up on Kijiji and the secondary market. I've seen them for $377 and $522 each. I could stomach the scalping for the MMP shows but seeing someone make a huge profit on a ticket for a show that not even Gord is profiting from is revolting.
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i messaged him my thoughts on him looking to take highest bidder, on of the Kijiji people
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Can't believe the amount of people on Kijiji scalping tickets to a show for charity? Wtf is wrong with people...
If you have a extra ticket I will take it off your hands and make a nice donation to the winjack foundation in your name.
I need 2 Kingston Tickets, please help.
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Some of the sellers are even eve lisitng SEATS -
4 tickets for Gord Downie's "Secret Path" show at Rebecca Cohn on Nov 29th.
Front Row Lower Balcony- Center/Left, Section DD, Seat 12, 11, 10, 9
Best Seats - see image + seating chart
Highest bidder via chat only takes all 4.
