The Remainder

The timing with which my attention wandered from Death Cab For Cutie was rather unfortunate. In the early '00s, We Have The Facts And Are Voting Yes and The Photo Album were absolute staples of my musical diet, fulfilling my daily recommended amounts of jangle, melody and melancholy. For someone in stumbling into their mid-20s with nary a clue as to what that meant, Ben Gibbard's earnest, clear-eyed and freshly-scrubbed ponderings from that same grey area between youth and adulthood were particularly resonant.

But around the time of 2003's Transatlanticism, our frequencies began to diverge. Thanks to a certain television program which has thankfully vanished from the lexicon of pop culture, Death Cab had become the spokesband for a generation that I wasn't part of, and becoming less so every day. Which is not to say that I had gotten a handle on the confusion of my early 20s, far from it - I just needed more intensely depressive music to soundtrack it. And this is where the unfortunate timing comes into play - I opted to not pick up 2005's Plans because I found I wasn't inclined to listen to the Death Cab I did have, so there wasn't much point in picking up another one that wasn't likely to get much rotation. Of course, Plans also happened to be their first album for Atlantic and so for someone inclined to read stuff into stuff, this could be construed as a boycott of the band now that they'd signed to a major label. It wasn't, it was just coincidence.

Of course, in hindsight - and by hindsight, I mean rereading what I just wrote - that's seems kind of silly. Mostly because no one really cares if I've stopped listening to a particular band or why, and since I believe Plans did indeed outsell all their previous records and elevated the band to the sort of stature that signing to a major label is supposed to achieve, so everybody wins. And even to this day, I still haven't heard Plans. But I have heard their newest album Narrow Stairs, just released yesterday, and as such am comfortable speculating that I didn't miss any grand evolution (or devolution) in the Death Cab sound because Stairs is still so very familiar.

I've been reading some of the press around the release of the new record and the primary talking points seem to be that much of the record was recorded live off the floor (or close to it) and that the first single, "I Will Possess Your Heart", is really long. And both of these things are true - there is a pleasant dryness to the production that I don't even recall hearing on their early works and the instrumental intro to "Heart" is indeed really long and creates a groove that has Chris Walla's shoegaze/britpop-loving fingerprints all over it - a shame that the video edit omits pretty much all of it because the rest of the song doesn't really measure up. Beyond that, though, much of Stairs - which is backloaded with the best material - sounds like it could date back to Transatlanticism, comprised of jaunty pop numbers alternated with contemplative ballads and capable of rocking out when the need arises (but not too much). Thematically, Gibbard still seems to be broadcasting from the ambivalence of his mid-20s. A bit odd for a guy who's my age, but he still sells the sentiments as sincere so more power to him. It does mean that I'll likely never relate to a Death Cab record the way I once did, but that's okay - I can still appreciate the songcraft and anyways I've no great desire to feel like I'm back in my 20's. No sir.

Spin is all over the release of the new record, with a feature story in the latest issue and a cute set of videos of people around the world listening to clips from the new album. Current also has a documentary short that goes behind the scenes of the making of the new record. The AV Club gets Gibbard to interview Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek.

Death Cab are headlining this year's Olympic Island mini-festival on June 7 alongside Stars, Rogue Wave and Young Galaxy, and courtesy of Against The Grain and Warner Music Canada, I've got giveaways. One grand prize winner will get a pair of passes to the show on the Toronto Islands and three runners-up will get copies of the new album on CD. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with "I want to take a Death Cab to the Stars" in the subject line and your full mailing address in the body. I'll let this contest run until midnight, May 26 when I'm back from my trans-Atlantic adventures and (hopefully) not overly jet-lagged.

Stream: Death Cab For Cutie / Narrow Stairs
Video: Death Cab For Cutie - "I Will Possess Your Heart"
MySpace: Death Cab For Cutie

Grab a sample of the new Mates Of State record Re-Arrange Us, out next week.

MP3: Mates Of State - "My Only Offer"

Daytrotter welcomes The Ting Tings to their studios for a session. Their debut We Started Nothing is out June 3 and they play the Mod Club on June 16.

Back in March leading up to The Hot Freaks at SxSW, we got AmpLive, the artist responsible for the Raindydayz Remixes rethink of Radiohead's In Rainbows and between-set DJ for the second day of our event, to take a swing at remixing some of the performing artists. The net result is are a mash-up of MGMT (who didn't play our show) and Of Montreal (whose Kevin Barnes did a solo set) and a remix of The Jealous Girlfriends (who also played and will be at the El Mocambo on June 3).

MP3: Amplive vs MGMT vs Of Montreal - "Future Faberge"
MP3: Amplive vs The Jealous Girlfriends - "Heiroglyphics"

Okkervil River's Will Sheff talks to Tiny Mix Tapes about the band's tough early days, reaping the rewards of The Stage Names, the can't-be-beat value of their tour with The New Pornographers and the forthcoming Stage Names Appendix.

The whole of Dirty On Purpose's Dead Volcanoes EP, which had been parceled out one track at a time, is now available to download in its entirety at RCRDLBL for free.

Hey look, Iggy Pop is coming to town, and presumably he's bringing the Stooges with him. That show will be August 6 at Massey Hall.

Posted at 08:34 AM by Frank in Contests - 4 comments - Back to top
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Rockferry

I had thought that after seeing Duffy twice in three days in March that I had a good handle on the Welsh soul singer. With good pipes and solid material but rather low charisma at the moment, I saw a talent that had a lot of upside that I didn't think was fully realized yet, but considering the'se sold a shit-tonne of records, what the hell did I know?

But after getting a copy of said shit-tonne-sold album Rockferry, available everywhere for some time now but officially released in the US today, I was a little amazed at how much it kept finding its way into my CD player. Going down so easy and without any overly-contrived aftertaste, it's an eminently listenable record that deftly balances pop and soul, retro and modern, and comes out as one of those rare collections that can cross over enough audiences to sell, well, hundreds of thousands of copies.

As much as I'd like to credit Bernard Butler with this - given my druthers, I'd give Bernard Butler credit for everything, ever - a read through the liner notes reveal that his influence on this record might be less than I'd presumed, with co-writing and production credits only going to him on four songs out of the ten, and not even the best ones. The rest of the record was handled by two other producers which makes the cohesiveness of Rockferry as a whole all the more impressive.

What I find most remarkable is that though Duffy's vocals are right up front throughout, she's not the overt centre of attention. Her voice is in complete service to the song and every piece of the production, be it the strings, a guitar vamp or a bass line, is as crucial to the end product as the singing. The songs are just so well-crafted as recordings that it might explain why I found the live show somewhat lacking - on stage, Duffy IS the centre of attention and that's not necessarily a role she's ready to take on. But on record, everything is exactly where it should be and it's that big picture that makes it a triumph. Time will tell if Duffy the individual will catch up with Duffy the musical entity (which is to say her, her band, her producers, her songwriting) but even if it doesn't, as long as she keeps turning out records like this (or better), I'll have no word of complaint.

The Globe & Mail talks to Duffy about her music and upcoming show at the Apollo in Harlem, which You takes a more tabloid-y approach and digs for dirt on her childhood and personal life. The Philadelphia Inquirer considers the current crop of one-named British soul singers.

Video: Duffy - "Warwick Avenue"
Video: Duffy - "Rockferry"
Video: Duffy - "Mercy" (US version)
Video: Duffy - "Mercy" (UK version)
MySpace: Duffy

So Much Silence has helpfully ripped Elbow's recent session for KEXP into MP3 form. I've never managed to be quite as won over by Elbow as many others have, but I picked up their latest The Seldom Seen Kid this weekend to see if this is the record that's going to click for me. For a while it seemed like Leaders Of The Free World would do it for me but it just missed the target. I will report back with my findings.

The Tripwire is offering one of the new tracks to be found on the reissue of Rob Dickinson's solo record Fresh Wine For The Horses. The new edition will feature redone versions of the original album tracks, this one new song and a second disc of acoustic renditions of Catherine Wheel classics. It's out June 10.

MP3: Rob Dickinson - "The End Of The World"

Also out on June 10 and accompanied by bonus material intended to entice those who've already got the record, The Charlatans' latest You Cross My Path. They're hoping those who downloaded it for free with the band's blessing will think highly enough of it to shell out for the physical goods which will be accompanied by a bonus disk of non-album and live tracks as well as some videos. Details at NME.

The release of The Futureheads' new record This Is Not The World has been pushed back a couple weeks until June 3.

Some new videos of note, starting with a clip from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' new one Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, a record which has finally gotten me to investigate Cave's back catalog beyond just his best-of. Cave and Seeds are at the Kool Haus on October 1. Yes, it's a ways off but if you're planning on going and don't get a ticket soon, you will be sorry. Yes you will.

Video: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - "Night Of The Lotus Eaters"

Next there's a new vid from R.E.M.'s Accelerate, a record which isn't quite living up to the "return to form" hype that preceded it but which is eminently more listenable than their last ten years' output so I'll happily take it. They're at the Molson Amphitheatre on June 8.

Video: R.E.M. - "Hollow Man"

The Kills have made a vid for the best song off of Midnight Boom while MPR has an in-studio session with the duo. And if you missed their scorching show at the Opera House last week, take note that they'll be back on August 3 at the Phoenix as support for The Black Keys. Two bands, four musicians, no basses. Rock.

Video: The Kills - "Last Day Of Magic"

There's a new video from Portishead's Third. I just got a copy of this but haven't spent much time with it as of yet.

Video: Portishead - "The Rip"

And finally, I find the fact that a Canadian band like Tokyo Police Club should choose to debut their new video for "In A Cave" at MTVu, a site not accessible to Canada, more than a little ludicrous. Americans, you can watch it via the above link. Canadians, you can stuff it. Or just read this inspection of David Monks' iPod at The AV Club and this interview at The Globe & Mail.

Sad news, but totally expected and understandable - Jonathan Meiburg has formally left Okkervil River to focus on Shearwater. This move follows Will Sheff's departure from Shearwater before the recording of Palo Santo and thus dissolves what had been an amazing pairing of bands and creative talents, though inevitable given the successes and demands on both bands over the last few years. Meiburg's final contributions to Okkervil will appear on the Stage Names companion disc due out later this year and Shearwater's next opus Rook is out June 3. They will be in town on June 23 for a show at the Horseshoe.

PopMatters contemplates the musical world of Neko Case.

The Faint will release Fascination on August 5 and will follow it up with a tour that stops at the Opera House on August 21.

And one from the rumour mill - I have word that one more band will be car pooling with Animal Collective and Dizzee Rascal from the Pitchfork Festival in Chicago to the Rogers Picnic in Toronto on July 20. Who? Let's just say that it'll be a Vampire Weekend road trip... Well that wasn't very cryptic, was it. I will confirm when I can.

Posted at 08:35 AM by Frank in General - 3 comments - Back to top
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Thirty One Today

Actually, the title of this post isn't quite accurate. I turned 33 yesterday. But it was still nice of Aimee Mann to stop by on Friday evening to say hello. Okay, it wasn't specifically a birthday greeting, but her in-store in the basement of Sonic Boom was still something of an occasion if for no other reason than it's not often you get a show as intimate as that with an artist of her stature.

I was a big fan in the days of her early solo records - the Roger McGuinn-aided classic pop of Whatever and Bernard Butler-gilded alt.rock of I'm With Stupid were staples of my musical diet through the late '90s but after her turn of the century triumphs with Magnolia and Bachelor No 2. The follow-up Lost In Space felt tepid and a bit creatively stagnant however, and with a three-year gap between that and The Forgotten Arm my attention had wandered though I was pleased to see that the latter recaptured a bit of the energy that Space was sorely lacking.

Which brings us to her newest effort, @#%&! Smilers, to be released June 3. It was from this record that Mann drew exclusively for this short (half-hour) promo gig with herself on acoustic guitar and accompanied by a bassist and keyboardist. Assuming that the presentation of the recorded versions will differ significantly from this configuration, it was tough to judge the quality of the material based on this performance. Mann has always had an innate pop sense but her recent works have been less immediate and requiring more listens to fully appreciate. But that said, based on first impressions the new stuff sounds quite good and I look forward to hearing the album in whole.

Mann will be back in town for a proper date later this Summer at the Kool Haus on August 28. She also gives Newsweek some background behind the creation of the new record.

Photos: Aimee Mann @ Sonic Boom - May 9, 2008
MP3: Aimee Mann - "Thirty One Today"
Video: Aimee Mann - "Thirty One Today"
MySpace: Aimee Mann

Orgeon Live and The Age interview Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla while American Songwriter talks creative process with both Walla and Ben Gibbard. Narrow Stairs is out tomorrow and they play Olympic Island on June 7.

WOXY has posted the fruits of their Lounge Act labours with Okkervil River, including a new song that will likely make an appearance on their Stage Names companion disc which should be out later this year.

Exclaim! discusses Couples with Long Blonde Kate Jackson. They're at Lee's Palace on May 22.

The Nicole Atkins feature in this month's Spin is now available to read online via their digital issue reader thingie.

Have you been wondering what happened to Ambulance LTD? So has the The Harvard Crimson so they catch up with sole remaining original member Marcus Congleton at a gig and find out how their label going bankrupt has essentially screwed them for the foreseeable future. Brooklyn Rail also checks in with Congleton, gets the same story. Demos of new material are available on their MySpace, and that's probably the most we'll be getting out of them anytime soon.

Drowned In Sound talks to Mission Of Burma's Roger Miller.

A bunch of show announcements to help you plan your Summer. Thanks to Graham for pointing out that Ted Leo will be in town for a show at the Mod Club for the "Converse 100th Anniversary Party" on June 12, an early show with tickets $15 at the door. And then the next day, he's at Dundas Square for a free 6PM show, this one surely a NXNE event.

Today's darlings of the internet - No Age - will be at the Horseshoe on July 16 in support of their new album Nouns. MTV and Exclaim have features on the Los Angeles duo.

MP3: No Age - "Neck Escaper"
MP3: No Age - "Eraser"

All done with opening for others, Bon Iver will be headlining at Lee's Palace on July 22 with the very worthy Bowerbirds, who were recently featured in a Take Away Show, as support.

If that bill's not to your taste, perhaps the Atlas Sound/El Guincho at the Mod Club the same evening would be more up your alley.

Tilly & The Wall has given up on keeping their new album, due June 17, nameless and will now consent to call it O. They will be in town to promote with a show at the Mod Club on August 2.

MP3: Tilly & The Wall - "Cacaphony"

Stereolab will take their latest Chemical Chords, out August 19, on the road this Fall and be in Toronto at the Phoenix on October 8. Monade, Laetitia Sadier's side project, will open.

Okay, so as I mentioned many moons ago I'm heading out vacation this week first for a few days in Dublin and then hopping over to London for another while - ten days total. I've tried to do some research as to things to do but have been fairly busy and besides a laundry list of the more obvious touristy things, any recommendations in addition to what was rattled off in January? I'm told that getting a copy of Time Out is the place to start? I've got no particular agenda - just want to look around, hang out, start a band, become NME flavour of the week and fall out of favour. I figure I can accomplish all that in a week.

Posted at 08:25 AM by Frank in Concert Reviews - 10 comments - Back to top
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Söndag Städning - Volym 90

This week, a look at the three Swedish ladies who will be taking the stage at the Mod Club tonight. Tickets $15 in advance, a bit more at the door. The tour continues down the west coast through next week.

El Perro Del Mar / From The Valley To The Stars (The Control Group) When we last saw Sarah Assbring, she had crafted an exquisitely sad record in El Perro Del Mar's self-titled debut that sounded like she couldn't quite decide whether to go to doo-wop group practice or throw herself off a bridge. But surely time heals all? Judging from her just-released follow-up, such is not entirely the case though things might be looking up. Her vocals are still utterly mournful but lyrically, there's a sense of - if not hopefulness, then the desire for hopefulness. The sadness is there, as always, but is not to be wallowed in. There's a greater growth in the musical end of things. Though still spare, the production is broader and brighter - even jaunty at times - and incorporates sounds and arrangements that are generally associated with spiritual matters, organs and chorals and the like. The ensuing blend makes for a juxtaposition of downcast and uplift that ties in nicely with the album's title, though rather than implying progress from point A to point B, Assbring may well just be suspended halfway. It'd be so much sadder like that. Sarah Assbring offers interviews to The Westender, The Georgia Straight and The Village Voice. MP3: El Perro Del Mar - "Glory To The World" MySpace: El Perro Del Mar

Lykke Li / Little Bit (The Control Group) Lykke Li Timotej Zachrisson (the shorter stage name is probably a wise move) is already a full album ahead in Sweden than the rest of the world, but based on the buzz already around her, the four-song Little Bit EP has obviously proven to be all she needs to impress. The title track kicks things off in sultry and seductive fashion, Li's vocals slinking coquettishly around a simple but effective arrangement built on mandolin and percussion. The remainder of the EP strike a more innocent, playful tone but after that decidedly tingly first impression, you know it's just a front and just what's hiding behind that shy smile. For some reason, these days "sexy" music seems to immediately imply hard, synthetic beats - the resolutely organic sounds make up Little Bit prove that sometimes, simple and naked is sexier. Her debut full-length Youth Novels is due out later this Summer. eye, The Georgia Straight and PopMatters have got interviews with the singer. MP3: Lykke Li - "Dance Dance Dance" Video: Lykke Li - "Little Bit" MySpace: Lykke Li

Anna Ternheim / Halfway To Fivepoints (Decca) Of the three acts on the tour, Anna Ternheim comes across the most conventional, but also the most grandiose. She takes her decidedly melancholic singer-songwriter material, built on skeletons of guitar and piano, and mates them to arrangements that sweep and swell from rock band to orchestra as needed. It's not anything new, but it's done exceptionally well and Ternheim has a voice perfectly suited to delivering her downbeat sentiments. It's interesting, I remember receiving a copy of her self-titled EP from last year which shares a couple tracks with the album and it didn't make nearly the impression that the full-length has. I guess her Fleetwood Mac cover struck more of a chord with me than her Iggy/Bowie one (I'm never sure who "China Girl" should be credited to/blamed on). PhillyBurbs has a feature on Ternheim. MP3: Anna Ternheim - "To Be Gone" Video: Anna Ternheim - "Today Is A Good Day" MySpace: Anna Ternheim

Posted at 08:36 AM by Frank in Sunday Cleaning - 4 comments - Back to top
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You In Color

It's very true that you can't judge a book by it's cover, except that sometimes you can. Consider the artwork that accompanies Directions To See A Ghost, the new album due next Tuesday from Austin, Texas' Black Angels. Rare is it that a record's visuals so accurately describe that which is contained within.

First there's the colours. Reds and greens that aren't quite fluorescent but are definitely intense. Combine that with the design, radial lines arranged in concentric circles that could be exploding outwards or sucking inwards, or perhaps both at the same time. It's more than enough to jump off a shelf or make you dizzy like the opening credits to Doctor Who and then when you pick it up, there's the kicker. It's EMBOSSED. Congratulations, your mind has just been blown and you haven't even left the store.

Moving from sight and touch to sound, Ghost proves that the band is worthy of their name, taken from the Velvet Underground song, as well as offering an argument that they could have just as easily named themselves after your choice of Spacemen 3 recordings. Ghost grafts squalls of abrasive guitar, swirling organ and ominous vocals onto a monolithic and droning bass and drum groove that's as heavy as it is unrelenting - I'm talking serial killer in a horror film unrelenting - all of it sounding like it was recorded in a wind tunnel decked out as a Hallowe'en funhouse.

This style of music is never intended to sound contemporary, but those who prefer to view their retro sounds through rose-coloured glasses are advised to look elsewhere. The Black Angels do their musical scavenging in the shadows on the seedy side of town, driven by paranoia and shrouded in a narcotic haze. Easy listening or pop music, this is not. It's designed to be played loud, but my personal recommendation is that you do so via a stereo or some sort of speakers - over headphones, injected directly into your brain, it's kind of freaky trip.

The Black Angels are on tour this Summer alongside their west coast drone-merchant brethren in The Warlocks and will be at Lee's Palace on June 26.

And oh, contesting. Courtesy of Light In The Attic, I've got five copies of Directions To See A Ghost along with the limited-edition four-song EP that accompanied pre-orders to give away. To enter, leave me a comment below with your choice for album art that best matches the music it accompanies. Include a link to a decent-size image if at all possible and your correct email address - spamproofed as you see fit - in the appropriate field when posting. The contest is open to everyone, everywhere and will close at midnight, May 17.

MP3: The Black Angels - "Doves"
MySpace: The Black Angels

Drowned In Sound talks to Clinic and The Daily Collegian to Shearwater, both of whom will be in town at Lee's Palace this Sunday, May 11. Shearwater will be back for a show at the Horseshoe on June 23 and release Rook on June 3.

Chart and The Calgary Herald talk to Tokyo Police Club.

Bassist Shonna Tucker of the Drive-By Truckers fields questions from Prefix.

The Lawrence Journal rings up John Stirratt of Wilco; chats.

PopMatters discusses April, the new album from Sun Kil Moon, with Mark Kozelek.

The Colorado Springs Independent talks to violinist Rebecca Zeller of Ra Ra Riot.

The Portland Mercury profiles Kate Nash.

There's a trailer/preview of sorts for Neil Young's Archives up on YouTube.

AOL Music Canada contemplates the return of Portishead and what it means for the recently moribund genre that was once called "trip-hop". Oh yeah, Tricky is back.

A couple new albums are available to stream - the just-released Momofuku from Elvis Costello & The Imposters and Sloan's Parallel Play, due June 10.

Stream: Elvis Costello & The Imposters / Momofuku
Stream: Sloan / Parallel Play

New additions to V Fest, going down September 6 and 7 on the Toronto Islands. The lineup now features The Fratellis on day one, Ladyhawk and Cadence Weapon on day two. There was supposed to be an announcement of some consequence this week about the lineup, and all respect the the above but I can't believe that it was them.

Speaking of V Fest performers, Bradley's Almanac is sharing the audio from a Bloc Party show in Boston last Spring. They're playing the first day of V Fest.

Coldplay have two dates scheduled for the Air Canada Centre on October 29 and 30.

PopMatters reports that a new online magazine will be rising from the ashes of Harp, which ceased publication this past March. The site - to be located at Blurt-online.com - will be run by the founder of Harp along with their managing and senior editors. While this won't replace the Harp-shaped hole in my real-world reading habits, I'm glad that there'll still be fresh content in the spirit of the print publication coming our way.

And along the same lines, Reveille engages veteran music journalists from the print world in a discussion about the rise of digital publications versus the traditional medium.

Entertainment Weekly has cast shots from the G.I. Joe film, out next Summer, and all I can say is Destro - you seem to have forgotten something. YOUR BIG METAL HEAD. No, I don't care how the special effects people do it, that's not my problem. But Scarlett, Baroness and Snake Eyes, you can stay. Oh, and not pictured but do you know who's playing Cobra Commander? This guy. No idea how they're going to sell THAT.

Posted at 08:27 AM by Frank in Contests - 15 comments - Back to top
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