Some things in life you can count on. Like The Sadies. Like the fact that they’ll be at the Horseshoe on New Year’s Eve. And that they’ll put out a new record every couple years with the help of someone named Steve Albini or Greg Keelor. And that try as it might, as good as it might be, it won’t capture the electrifying majesty of the live Sadies experience. Even the live record. And that everyone is fine with that because it gives them an excuse to go see the Sadies live.

The above is true even when The Sadies try something different, like recording their latest New Seasons with Jayhawk Gary Louris at the helm in the south of Spain. It follows quite naturally in the arc their catalog has made from blistering cowpunk guitar fiends to more thoughtful songwriters who just happen to have insane instrumental chops. You could argue that New Seasons has a hazier, more psychedelic vibe about it – a little extra petroleum jelly smeared on the lens, so to speak – and maybe a stronger pop sensibility but the difference between it and its proper studio predecessor Favourite Colours is like drawing a distinction between the last day of Autumn and the first day of Winter. If you own other Sadies records, you may not need this one but you also won’t regret having it. And if nothing else, every new record is a reminder that they’ll be touring through your town soon enough and you won’t want to miss it.

And this weekend, as I’ve been mentioning, they’re carpet bombing their hometown with gigs so if you’re in Toronto there’s no excuse not to catch them, whatever your budget. Starting tonight at 6PM with an in-store at Rotate This on Queen West (though remember to account for the fact that the Bathurst streetcar isn’t running), then a show at Lee’s Palace later in the evening and they’ll do it all again tomorrow with a 4:30PM in-store at Sonic Boom at Bloor and Bathurst and finally closing things out at their spiritual home base, The Horseshoe. Sadies-tacular. The Toronto Star caught up with Dallas Good on a rare off-day to talk about the new record and lessons learned from friends made along the way. And a shout-out to Beth at Rock Paper Pixels, who took the promo photo that graces this post. Nice work.

MP3: The Sadies – “Anna Leigh”
MySpace: The Sadies

And The Sadies rank at number 31 on I Heart Music’s annual “33 Hottest Bands In Canada” poll, the results of which were announced (read: blogged) this morning. All ten of my picks ranked and he’s included my commentary for each in the post so I won’t bother repeating. But I will give my overall list (final poll positions in brackets), for the curious. Note that my decisions were based both on objective and subjective criteria and doesn’t necessarily reflect my top 10 favourite current Canadian artists.

1. Arcade Fire (2)
2. Feist (1)
3. Miracle Fortress (3)
4. Basia Bulat (5)
5. The Acorn (7)
6. Neil Young (23)
7. Ohbijou (17)
8. The Besnard Lakes (9)
9. Great Lake Swimmers (20)
10. Land Of Talk (32)

The Gateway chats with Acorn frontman Rolf Klausener. The ‘Corn (now there’s a nickname that will never catch on) are at the Horseshoe on November 24.

Harp follows Band Of Horses’ Ben Bridwell from South Carolina to Seattle and back to South Carolina, through the creation of Cease To Begin. The Falls Church New Press covers similar ground in an interview with Bridwell. They’re at the Phoenix on November 9.

Sam Beam of Iron & Wine talks to Incendiary.

Wilco offer a sneak preview of their Austin City Limits performance (
which I was at!), which will air this coming week on PBS. Torontonians (and anyone who get Buffalo’s WNED) take note – it airs in our area tomorrow (November 3) next Saturday (November 10) at 9PM. Watch Nels Cline’s fingers. They’re crazy. CRAZY.

Video: Wilco – “Impossible Germany” (live on ACL)

The Stranger asks Craig Finn of The Hold Steady (whom NME report are planning a live album for next year) who his favourite current lyricist is – his answer? John K Samson of The Weakerthans. Samson and band are at the Phoenix next week on November 7 and 8 and talk to The Toronto Star, McGill Daily, Hour, The Montreal Gazette, The Western Gazette and eye about their Reunion Tour with nary a shout out to Finn.

Bon Iver, newly signed to Jagjaguwar, will be accompanying Elvis Perkins to the Horseshoe on November 28. Some folks are pretty high on this guy, not sure I’m feeling it yet.

MP3: Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”

Also incoming – Vampire Weekend, stopping in at the El Mocambo December 13. Their debut self-titled full-length is out January 29.

Josh Ritter talks to Chart about teaching Joan Baez to play Grand Theft Auto.

Decemberist Jon Moen tells Go Triad he was pleased their Fall UK tour was canceled on account of an illness in the band (presumably not his) so he’s probably ecstatic that their “Long And Short Of It” US dates have also been canned.