It’s a Metric kinda day. Their new album Live It Out is in stores today and tomorrow night they play the first of two sold out shows in Toronto at the Phoenix. Cliptip has a link to the video for the first single, “Monster Hospital”, which you can also hear on their Myspace page along with another Live It Out track, “The Police And The Private”. They’re the only bits of the new album I’ve heard, but the production seems to be rawer than the synth-slick sound of Old World Underground – I approve.

Metric are also getting the full-court media press here in Toronto – both weeklies, NOW and eye, ran pieces on the band in this week’s issues and the dailies are getting into it as well – The Globe & Mail, Toronto Star and The Toronto Sun all have interviews. Only The National Post refuses to give Metric any love.

Somewhat surprisngly, not too many interesting shows were announced in my absence. I mean there’s been stuff, but nothing that I particularly want to see… here’s the rundown:

The Organ @ Revival, October 15 ($12)

Super Furry Animals, Caribou @ The Phoenix, November 2

Ben Lee @ The El Mocambo, November 6 ($13.50)

The Shout Out Louds, The Essex Green @ The Mod Club, November 7 ($13.50)

Kathleen Edwards, Joel Plaskett @ The Phoenix, November 10 ($18.50)

Belle Orchestre @ The Music Gallery, November 11 (two shows) ($12)

LCD Soundsystem, The Juan Maclean @ The Carlu, November 18

The Magic Numbers @ Lee’s Palace, December 1 ($13.50)

The Dandy Warhols @ The Opera House, December 3 ($25)

Also, the Jens Lekman/Nedelle show at the Music Gallery on November 5 appears to be back on? And some ticket prices announced – My Morning Jacket at the Guvernment on October 19 is $26.75, more than I expected, and Echo & The Bunnymen at the Carlu on November 23 is $27.50, less than I expected. Maybe I’ll flip the two shows…?

Paste talks to Sam Beam of Iron & Wine about In The Reins, his collaboration with Calexico. I’m still waiting on those November east coast tour dates…

Because everyone loves a list – CMJ tallies up their 25 most influential bands of the last 25 years, while Banana Nutrament is running an indie rock beauty pageant. I voted for Feist, but between you and me and the other 1500 people who visit daily, none of the contestants really does it for me…

Newsarama transcribes a round table interview with Neil Gaiman about Mirrormask, which opens in limited release on Friday.

Salon awards their annual “Buffy” award for most underappreciated television show to… Veronica Mars! Take a bow, Veronica.

Photos! I’ve got pics from the first half of my trip – through St Petersburg – up at Flickr. I have’t gone in and added tags yet because I not-so-intelligently tossed out all my tourist maps of the cities and thus can’t so easily refer back to where I’ve been. I know I can gather all that info up on the web, it’s just that much more trouble. But I’ll get to it. And I added one of those neat Flickr banner things, which I like but am not sure if that’s the best place for it. I may move it around.

np – Sigur Ros / Takk