Blue Rodeo - 1987-1993. Boxed. Beautiful. Befitting.

Blue Rodeo are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut Outskirts with the simply-titled box set 1987-1993. Not content to just reissue the first album, the band instead has remastered the first five, remixed Outskirts, and thrown in the demos for Casino as well as a disc called Odds and Ends (clearly there was no desire to be clever with these titles). Maybe an 8-disc set is a little ostentatious, but if any Canadian band deserves it, it would this one. Let's see, length of career, international acclaim, a unique sound even though the band has influenced many others, never made a bunch of embarassing moves or tried to get trendy, quite likely winding down the group's life but not-quite-done - yeah, it's about time. And somehow Blue Rodeo seems to have been able to do things right, mostly their own way, even though they have been on the same major label since Outskirts. Hmm. Is it possible that all major labels are not always pure evil-doers? Maybe the Canadian branches of labels are more polite, like the general Great White North populace?

At any rate, you can get a review of the previously unreleased material and an excellent, illuminating interview with Greg Keelor from Michael Barclay at Radio Free Canuckistan, as well an accompanying article from Maclean's.

Also too many tour dates coming up to mention, go here if you don't believe me.




Blue Rodeo: 1987 – 1993
Disc 1 - Outskirts
Disc 2 – Outskirts Remixed
Disc 3 - Diamond Mine
Disc 4 - Casino
Disc 5 – Casino Demos
Disc 6 – Lost Together
Disc 7 – Five Days In July
Disc 8 – Odds Ends

Lost Together with Friends
Rose-Coloured Glasses
Diamond Mine
Til I Am Myself Again
Trust Yourself
Lost Together
5 Days in May
Hasn't Hit Me Yet


These versions are not included in the box, but worth a listen anyhow:
Already Gone (Live)


Rain Down on Me (Live)

Blue Rodeo & The Unintended: Don't Take 'Em for Granted

photo by Dustin Rabin

Rediscovery of an artist that seems to have left your conciousness is sometimes as good as finding a new gem. Blue Rodeo is one of those for me. I've never been a huge fan, but I've always enjoyed the band's music. I own a number of their albums, even one of Jim Cuddy's solo records and one of Greg Keelor's. But I never became an uberfan for some reason.

However, on Record Store Day, I picked up The Unintended, the album Keelor did with The Sadies and Rick White. The Unintended took its name from my favourite Gordon Lightfoot song, Go Go Round, so although it took me years, I finally scored it from the Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store. While that album sounds nothing like Blue Rodeo, it still reminded me of BR's longevity and how many great songs the band's given us. Maybe I'll do a full post soon on The Unintended, but for now I just want to remind you, like I needed reminding, that Blue Rodeo is still out there making great music.







Blue Rodeo - Gossip

Blue Rodeo - Gossip by PAIMUSIC

The Unintended live 2006



Blue Rodeo Official Online Community

Buy Blue Rodeo here.

Buy The Unintended here.