Review of Savoir Adore’s In The Wooded Forest

Shervin LainezThough I’ve no corroborative quantitative evidence, I will posit that this past June 19, 2010 was one of the busiest nights, as far as music entertainment options go, in recent history. You had Iggy & The Stooges inciting mayhem at Yonge-Dundas Square, Pavement and Broken Social Scene holding court out on the Toronto Islands, Queen West was being transformed into Bieber Central for the MMVA’s at MuchMusic the next night and American Idol‘s Adam Lambert was doing whatever the hell he does at the Molson Amphitheatre. Not to mention that NXNE was still raging at most clubs throughout the city. And while I’ve no regrets about bearing witness to the Iggy-powered punk uprising at YDS, I remain sad that it meant missing seeing Brooklyn duo Savoir Adore at Sneaky Dee’s that same evening as part of NXNE, even moreso now that I’ve been spending quality time with their debut album In The Wooded Forest.

Unlike some other he-and-she duos currently on the indie rock circuit, Deirdre Muro and Paul Hammer don’t allow their band configuration define their sound – Forest is as full-sounding a record as anything a more conventionally structured band might make; it definitely boasts a certain home studio fidelity but isn’t lacking in musical depth in any way and the simpler aesthetic suits their earnest brand of pop to a tee. You can hear them experimenting with different musical styles – ’80s New Wave, Americana and disco all get thrown into the mix in varying quantities – but it’s the duo’s songwriting and intuitive hookiness that carries the record. Muro and Hammer’s voices are strong individually and divine in unison, their melodies carrying just the right amount of verve and sugariness, like aural cotton candy that somehow manages to deliver the full nutritional value of a balanced meal. A wholly addictive record.

I don’t know if there’s much chance of Savoir Adore coming back to town anytime soon – Forest is already well over a year old (I never said I discovered them in anything resembling a timely manner) and they’re more likely headed back into the studio than back on the road, but if and when they do return, I can only hope that they’ve got a little less competition on the live music front than last time.

They’ve just made a new non-album single available for download in “Loveliest Creature” and reaching back a bit, there’s also this Daytrotter session which was posted back in the Spring.

MP3: Savoir Adore – “Loveliest Creature”
MP3: Savoir Adore – “Bodies”
MP3: Savoir Adore – “We Talk Like Machines”
MP3: Savoir Adore – “The Garden”
Video: Savoir Adore – “The Scientific Findings of Dr. Rousseau”
Video: Savoir Adore – “Bodies”
Myspace: Savoir Adore

R.E.M. has given a March 8 release date to their new record Collapse Into Now and are giving the first track “Discoverer” away from their website. And while the whole “return to form” thing gets tossed around with every new record, “Discoverer” does have a certain old-school-ness about it… I approve.

Drowned In Sound gets some time with Robert Been of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

The Quietus talks to Brett Anderson and Neil Codling of Suede, who if they’re going to not break up again may as well just hop on a plane and come over here to play Lee’s. Yes, they can bring Fat Richard.

Interview, BBC, Sydney Morning Herald and Scotland On Sunday chat with Duffy.

PitchforkTV has a Tunnel Vision session with Isobel Campbell.

QRO has an interview with Stornoway.

Win Butler of Arcade Fire tells The Scotsman he is now and ever shall be a fan of the album.

It’s a music video! It’s a PSA! It’s both! The New Pornographers have teamed with Oxfam to create a clip for “Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk” from Together that draws attention to the plight of those affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill earlier this year. There’s more info on the collaboration at Oxfam.

Video: The New Pornographers – “Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk”

aux.tv solicits some holiday memories from The Rural Alberta Advantage. They’re at Lee’s Palace tonight and their new record Departing arrives on March 1. Departing? Arrives? See what I did there?