Man, you think that after yesterday’s epic post, I’d be due some time off, wouldn’t you? Nope.

So in one of the poorest kept secrets in indie rock, it has finally been confirmed that The Decemberists have jumped on the major label merry-go-round and signed to Capitol. At first I thought this seemed logical – The Decemberists are currently one of the higher profile indie bands and certainly one of the more unique, yet accessible-sounding. But the more I thought about it, the more I had to wonder – is there really a larger market waiting for them? I can’t imagine there’s THAT much bigger a potential audience for Colin Meloy bleating out songs about chimney sweeps and nautical vengeance over accordian solos. This isn’t the pure pop of Death Cab or The Shins we’re talking about here. I can’t imagine who Capitol thinks they can reach that Kill Rock Stars couldn’t – maybe this is just a bit of overzealousness on the part of a major who wants the good PR of signing some indie darlings. I sorta can’t wait to see their faces when the Decemberists hand in their next album and the suits are all, “um, what? Gay matadors on an Antarctic expedition?” But I suppose that’s not The Decemberists’ problem – they’ve got their big bags with dollar signs on them to keep them occupied. The Pitchfork piece also covers a slew of other Decemberists-related news items, including the reissue of the complete works of Tarkio, Meloy’s pre-Decemberists band, as Omnibus on January 24, as well as Meloy’s solo Winter tour dates and plans for an EP of Shirley Collins songs.

Magnet and The AV Club’s blog division offer up interviews with Alan Sparhawk of Low, while WOXY has a radio session from January available to download. Support acts for Low’s Winter ’06 tour have been announced – His Name Is Alive, who were also supposed to open their cancelled Summer ’05 tour are still going on the road with them, as are Rhode Island’s Death Vessel. Once again, that tour comes to Toronto on January 31 at Lee’s Palace.

And because of a conflict with the MYLO show at the Phoenix that night, the February 14 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club date has been pulled and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be made up. Alas, it will be a glum Valentine’s Day for the city’s anglophiles.

A Northern Chorus, SIANspheric and Alive & Living will be at the Lula Lounge for a show on January 12, admission $10 at the door. That would be worth going to if for no other reason than to see SIANspheric obliterate the supper club crowd with LOUD.

Of Montreal will be back, once again, in Toronto on March 8 for a show at the Mod Club. I would make a, “they should call themselves Of Toronto for the amount they play here” joke, but I think I already used that one…

Spin is hosting Quicktime videos of The National’s performance in their offices back in September.

Zoilus has posted the piece he wrote for The Globe & Mail last week previewing the Iron & Wine and Calexico show last Friday. Carl also wrote up a profile of Final Fantasy’s Owen Pallett for none other than The New York Times. There’s some interesting commentary on the piece and Final Fantasy in general on Carl’s site – note that the comments read from bottom to top, if you’re trying to follow along. Either way, congrats to both Carl and Owen on the exposure.

Are You Familiar has conducted his own blogger poll of the best acts in Canada right now, featuring a panel of himself, Goldkicks and eye‘s Stuart Berman. With just three lists to tally up, their results are considerably more eclectic than I Heart Music’s considerably more populist poll from last month. Pop (All Love) has also posted the results of his second annual Pop (All Love) Canadian Music Bloggers Year-End Poll Thingy. We were asked to submit something about something, and then Aaron did something with and and voila – another list. Sorry, I’m starting to get list burnout. I am so ready for 2006.

And speaking of things Canuck… I came in a distant third in voting for Best Culture Blog at the Canadian Blog Awards, though some cursory digging indicates I have many times more visitors than either the first or second place winners. Conclusion? YOU’RE ALL A BUNCH OF MP3-DOWNLOADING FREELOADERS. I mean, really, I ask for one simple favour… I don’t think I even count as a bridesmaid anymore. More like the guy who’s always inexplicably stuck at the kid’s table. Sigh. Someday… I’d like to win something. Anything. I won a dirt bike in a colouring contest once, when I was six. It had a fake plastic gas tank and the fenders were installed backwards so they pretty much got trashed by my brother, who got to ride it since I wasn’t big enough to. Jerk.

np – The Wedding Present / Take Fountain