One of the top contenders for “next big thing” out of Hogtown, Magneta Lane, close out a cross-Canada tour on February 25 with a hometown show at the Drake and then again March 4 at the Horseshoe as part of CMW.

Now while the simple fact of three teenage girls playing rough-hewn rock’n’roll is bound to garner some attention, to dismiss them as a novelty for that is a great injustice. Behind their gritty, Runaways/Strokes-y sound (I apologize for the stock, unimaginitive descriptions but I don’t have a real broad frame of reference for their sound) lie some impressive pop songwriting smarts. Check out some of the melodies on “The Constant Lover”, that’s some good stuff for any age.

They released their debut EP last September and have been making some pretty serious waves hereabouts since then. The curious should turn an ear to the songs streaming off the band’s own website, their New Music Candada site or check out TTIKTDA’s post from last month about the band.

MP3: Magneta Lane – “The Constant Lover”

Brooklynvegan has an update on all things Arcade Fire, including a disavowal by the band of the Christmas EP that has the subject of much derision over the last little while (and justifiably so). On a related note, Morecowbell.net continues working on his Arcade Fire fansite here (is it open for business yet Kyle?).

This one’s for Mike from For The Records – Keren Ann and A Girl Called Eddy are at the Horseshoe for an evening of smoky, sophisticated pop on March 6, tickets $12. Check out Mike’s review of Keren Ann’s show here last month and some pics of her show in New York last night along with some general praise, courtesy of Brooklynvegan.

XFM gets James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers to give a song-by-song annotation of their latest, Lifeblood. It took a few listens, but now I’m quite enjoying the album – far more focused than Know Your Enemy, by a country mile. And a half.

Billboard reports that New Order’s new album will actually be called Waiting For The Siren’s Call, and not Sugarcane as previously reported, though that is the name of one of the tracks. It’s out March 28 in the UK and a North American release date is still to be determined.

The latest issue of Magnet has a couple bits about bands in the studio right now – Sparklehorse are holed up in Dave Fridmann’s house of fun and hope to have a new disc out for late Spring and Nada Surf will release the follow up to Let Go in June. They will be trying their damndest to not name the new album Under My Skin.

Vin Diesel wants to teach you how to break dance.

np – Neil Halstead / Sleeping On Roads

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