Around these parts we've been playing the waiting game. Waiting for one of my favourite rock n roller's to release his second album. That wait is about to end. Andre Ethier, c0-frontman for The Deadly Snakes drops his second solo album, secondathallam, August 8. The record was recorded at the Hallam Music studio in Toronto sometime last September and will be released by Paper Bag Records.

The record picks up where his first, With Christopher Sandes Featuring Pickles and Price, left off. Once again he calls on childhood friend Chris Sandes and the Deadly Snakes' Andrew Gunn and Matthew Carlson under the P & P pseudonyms to help him fill out the album. I really enjoyed the dichotomy between his solo record and the Snakes' records. The first was a pretty sombre affair and it will be interesting to see what he does this time around

Andre played a show down at Call The Office some time around April this year. Opening for the Unintended, he played a short set of beautiful songs predominantly on what my lack of instrument knowledge assumes was a mandolin. He even threw in a cover of Paul Simon's 'Paranoia Blues'. That song has been stuck in the head since. The venue, barely a quarter full, seemed the perfect place. His words and melodies drifting carelessly throughout the bar; soaking up in the walls and casting a quiet dream-like setting.

Over at Ethier's Myspace he's streaming In With The Prim and Honey Bee off the new album. Come Tuesday he'll he playing an in-store at Soundscapes in Toronto. He'll follow that up with a show on the 17th at The Silver Dollar, also in Toronto. I'm hoping to be there, whether or not this noodle of a job permits it.

I'll admit I've been putting off this writeup for awhile. His art has been very close to my heart since I first came across it. It is hard to articulate this without relying on fawning. This article the other day by the CBC lit the fire under me. The most startling piece of information was the news that after their August 25 show at the Horseshoe Tavern the Snakes will essentially cease to exist. Although I'm incredibly disheartened by the news, I am looking forward to the show which I assume is gonna be a barn burner. We'll put up a proper post as the date gets closer.

Andre seems to be a busy man. He sings on the the latest Silver Hearts record, released a few months back. You can pick it up online at Festival Distribution. It is well worth your money. As the CBC also points out, Mr. Ethier is also an accomplished painter. We're going link crazy today. Check out some of his work here. I'm no expert on art by any means. However, I really dig the colours in the portraits. Very innarestin' as Neil Young might say. The landscape/action? pictures are beautiful. Once again the colours as well as the fantasy-like aspect of the works. Check out the untitled of the girl on the bicycle with the rainbow. Very cool.

So that is about it. We're Ethier-ed out. I've heard he'll be doing some dates outside T.O. in support of the new record. Lets hope London figures in.