Brooklynvegan reports that Longwave have been given the heave-ho by RCA. It’s been a rough year for the band, their solid new album There’s A Fire kind of slipped under everyone’s radar and they had tour after tour pulled out from under them as the bands they were supporting cancelled for whatever reason. That, combined with the fact that they never quite turned into the second coming of The Strokes that I’m sure RCA was hoping for pretty much spelled the end of that relationship.

Happily, the band appears to be soldiering on – a note on their MySpace page wryly states that they’ll be maintaining the page themselves from now on (as opposed, I imagine, to a lowly RCA lackey), and there’s even a newly recorded, untitled song for your listening pleasure. However, I don’t know what’s up with the copious use of the “blink” tag. Jeff – if you’re reading this – c’mon. You know better than that.

There is Stereolab news, but I can’t quite decipher it. There’s a new album out on March 7 and I don’t think it has a title yet, though there is a tracklist. What I have determined definitively is that they are touring North America and there’s a date at the Phoenix in Toronto for March 14. Almost for sure.

Joey Burns of Calexico gives Billboard and Pitchfork a sneak preview of their new full-length Garden Ruin, out April 11. He promises “moodiness and ambience”, but also “some more electric, rockin’ numbers”. Assuming that they played some of this material when I saw them live last week, I will indeed testify that Mr Burns is not lying.

James Mercer of The Shins tells Chart that their third album, tenatively entitled Sleeping Lessons, could be out in July or August of next year.

The Mountain Goats wish everyone a merry Christmas with a gift of two unreleased tracks, circa We Shall All Be Healed.

Spoon’s Britt Daniel will be rocking the mic on an upcoming episode of Veronica Mars with a karaoke version of Elvis Costello’s “Veronica”.

Cat Power has a new website to promote her upcoming album, The Greatest, out January 24. And if you want more Cat Power things to click on, try the ad over there on the right. Give my sponsors a thrill.

Prefix presents the initial list of acts confirmed to play SxSW. God, has no one ever heard of line breaks? Donewaiting also has the 2006 edition of their SxSW blog up and running.

Pitchfork stirs the pot with their list of the worst releases of 2005. I have no comment except to say I’m with them 200% on the slagging of M83’s “Car Chase Terror!” – that track alone keeps Before The Dawn Heals Us from getting more than a cursory listen every now and again. Sure I could just skip the track, but the knowledge that it’s even in my CD player makes me uncomfortable. So so so bad. They’ve also gotten a variety of artists to submit their own year-end lists, just like Filter, who continue to update their lists.

np – Longwave / There’s A Fire

I swear, I’d totally intended to go see The Mendoza Line at the Rivoli last night along with Picastro and Great Lake Swimmers, but some personal stuff came up and I was unable to make it out after all. Alas. Sometimes real life seeps into blog life and things get all higgeldy piggeldy. And it’s a shame, because I’ve really been enjoying their latest highly regarded album, Full Of Fire And Full Of Light. Shannon McArdle’s voice is stronger than ever while Tim Bracy’s vocals are less Dylan-nasal and have more character of their own, and the songwriting is super-sharp and the music a terrific blend of country twang and pop hooks. I really am sorry to not be reporting back on the show but as consolation, I offer up this interview with the band courtesy of Aversion and these MP3s… which I’ve posted before, yes.

MP3: The Mendoza Line – “Catch A Collapsing Star”
MP3: The Mendoza Line – “Mysterious In Black”

They have a few Canadian dates left so if you get a chance, go see them. Hopefully (for me), they’ll be back sooner rather than later. Also check out Shannon and Timothy’s side project, Slow Dazzle.

Archive.org has My Morning Jacket’s Toronto show from this past October available for your downloading and listening pleasure. Last week, MMJ had to cancel their upcoming European tour while Jim James recovers from pneumonia. Best wishes to James for a quick recovery.

Torq Campbell of Stars gives eye a very quick preview of what to expect from their six sold-out shows at Lee’s Palace this weekend. That’s right, SIX.

Magnet catches up with Mark Gardener, who gives his seal of approval to their shoegazing feature story a few years ago.

Rolling Stone finds out why Rhett Miller is The Believer, his second solo album due February 28.

So here is some news – I leave it to you to decide if it’s good or bad. For The Records reports that The New Pornographers will be back on the road in early ’06 in support of Belle & Sebastian. This is indubitably good news. However, this info synchs up with some hush-hush info that I recently received that, if true, will leave the indie kids howling for the booking police. Me, I’ll be looking for comfortable shoes and calling a cab. Do with that info what you will.

Check it out – another award nomination for yours truly. This one is for LiveDaily’s “Best Music Weblog” category, with some other very worthy nominees. I don’t know what to say about their other categories, though… Update: Well it looks like the contest/voting is only open to Americans. That’s my chances fucked right up, then. Update 2: Okay, it looks like anyone can enter, but only Americans can win…

More lists – The AV Club’s music writers take a swing at the best of 2005 and Stylus picks their best movies of 2005. And for a good one-stop year-end list resource, check out Fimoculous.

np – David Bowie / Low

More lists – Filter has been asking a variety of artists to compile a list of their favourite albums of 2005. So far they’ve got lists from the likes of Feist, Death Cab’s Nick Harmer and Rilo Kiley’s Blake Sennett, with many more to come. Greg Kot of The Chicago Tribune has his list up and Glide has also compiled their top 20 of 2005. The Arizona Daily Wildcat has a couple of neat lists up – the top 10 moments in indie rock, a device I wanted to use a couple years ago but found it difficult and thus gave up, and their top albums of 2005. Okay, that second list isn’t all that clever.

Meanwhile, Things I’d Rather Be Doing and Gorilla Vs Bear have lists and the folks in Trespassers William have their individual top 5 albums of the year blogged at MySpace. I’m hoping their forthcoming album, Having, makes my list for next year. Videos are also being listed – Marathonpacks has his top 20 vids of ’05 (I’ve only ever seen one of these, and that was two nights ago) and Pitchfork also has a roundup. And Antville is currently polling readers to vote on their best and worst videos of the year.

And speaking of videos, Sigur Ros has a new one for “Hoppipolla”, courtesy of Cliptip.

Some shows – England’s Hard-Fi will be at the Horseshoe January 20, tickets $11.70 on sale Saturday and Danielson, of Family fame, has not one but two Toronto shows scheduled for the moderately distant future. His booking agency has him in town on May 6 and again on August 2. The first date coincides with the ’06 edition of the Over The Top Fest, so I’m guessing there’s a connection there. The second date… well, maybe he just assumes he’s going to have such a good time in Toronto that he’s going to want to come back?

To make up for my Mogwai tease a few days ago, some real content – the official Mr Beast-era bio, featuring commentary from Stuart Brathwaite, and Blown By The Wind has the album art and a track from the new album, which has leaked and is apparently very good. Someone said “pedal steel”. I love pedal steel.

Wired stages a music format steel cage match, pitting vinyl against iPods. The piece, part of their larger piece on audiophiles, notes that vinyl sales doubled in percentage in 2004, contrary to the general trend of declining sales in music retailing. Related – Sacramento Ticket (BugMeNot) compares the vinyl, CD and iPod experience with some blind testing… the results of which may shock you.

Okay, because of various stars coming into alignment and whatnot, the SxSW 06 fence sitting has tilted again, and I’m now leaning towards going – but here’s a question. Any other blogger types ever gotten a press pass for the event? And if so, how? I made some vague inquiries to that effect last year and was shot down, but may try to be more persistant this time. Who do I talk to, how do I make my case? I want to go as a greasy industry type (or part thereof). And failing that, can any media types out there hook me up with a photo pass? Thanks.

np – The Mendoza Line / Full Of Light And Full Of Fire

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

So here we are, another year-end list in the cacaphony of December retrospectives. Still, if there’s one thing lists do, it allows writers to be lazy and rehash what they’ve already no doubt covered in the past although this has turned out to be one of the most time-consuming posts of the year for me, maybe ever. You’d think that writing short blurbs on the records that one enjoyed the most in the past year would be easy, but really, not so much. I can’t say that 2005 was a watershed year for music, but there was certainly enough great stuff to keep me happy as a pig in a blanket for the past twelve months.

I made a decision at the start of the year to actively seek out more new music outside of my usual comfort zone, and while I must confess I wasn’t as dilligent about that as I’d intended, the fact that four of my top ten albums came from acts I’d never heard (or in many cases even heard of) before this year ain’t too bad. I’ll be endeavouring to carry this trend forward into ’06, mainly by actually listening to more of the CDs, compilations and mp3s that I’m sent. While this will no doubt increase my exposure to bad music, no pain no gain, n’est pas? Though I have to say that looking at the release schedule for 2006, stacked as it is with many new albums from long-time favourites, I wonder if any dark horses will manage to eke their way onto next year’s edition? To do so, some very reliable veteran acts would have to drop the ball… Oh well, time will tell.

Curiously, the Top 5 of The First Half Of 2005 list I posted back in July just preceded my exposure to most of the albums that made the final cut, but a few managed to carry over and the others just barely got bumped down to honourable mention status. The final ten are listed alphabetically – I had considered actually ranking them this year, but after the clear-cut top three positions, things kind of just fell into a constantly-shifting mass that changed from moment to moment. I found it interesting that eight of the ten albums came from American acts, and two from Canadians. No British or European artists at all, though if I expanded the list out to twenty or so, the Old World would be quite well represented. What can I say? The colonies rocked the mic in ’05, yo.

And many thanks to Toronto illustrator Renée Nault for the beautiful frontispiece in this year-end retrospective. For a full-size version of the art (500K), click here – it looks even better biggie-sized. Do check her portfolio out.

So without further ado, my top 10 albums of 2005 (and ancillary lists and commentary)… after the jump.
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