Vincent Moon has directed some gorgeous videos for singles from The National’s Alligator, namely “Lit Up” and “Daughters Of The Soho Riots”, which you can view here. And now he’s added to his impressive videography with some live videos taken from the band’s performances in Paris at La Guinguette this past December, which you can view or download here. They’re so artfully done, they’re practically proper promo clips unto themselves. He’s currently got “Abel” and “Baby, We’ll Be Fine” up, and hopefully “About Today” will be following. Note – these files ain’t small. Which is good news when you’re watching but not so good when you’re downloading.

And speaking of vids, check out the video for “Funny Little Frog”, the first single from Belle & Sebastian’s The Life Pursuit, out February 7. I ordered the CD/7″/DVD package from merry olde Englande yesterday, but since I don’t expect the DVD to play properly in my DVD/TV setup, I will settle for the mildly crappy version from the NME.

KVRX has made available audio from Explosions In The Sky’s very first ever live performance, and I’m sure the band is thrilled about that… Naked post-rock instrumental baby photos! Awww. Via Largehearted Boy.

Some show to note – KT Tunstall is at the Mod Club on March 1, tickets $15. There’ll probably be some dancing at Lee’s Palace on February 10th with OK Go! and controller.controller and on March 22, Lee’s will host Richard Butler, sans Psychedelic Furs.

Thanks to Eugene for sending me the link to this podcast at Public Radio International’s The World, exposing Toronto’s “underground” music scene. Points off for misspelling Jason Collett’s name, but it’s a decent general interest piece otherwise with interview bits with eye‘s Stuart Berman and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew and Feist.

And speaking of Ms Leslie, JAM! takes a few minutes of her time and gets a peek at the upcoming year in Feist. No mention of the live album but look for the new studio record this Fall.

I got my first cease-and-desist yesterday! Someone objected to the mp3s I’d posted for my year-end list and, via DMCA, contacted my webhosting to lay the smackdown on me. Thankfully, they just removed the offending directory and didn’t shut me down, but I guess I’ve found the limits of what I can get away with in terms of posting files. All this means, really, is that my list for 2006 will only have links to legally available tracks already online. The year-end is really the only time I ever rip tracks myself, but I guess that’s not kosher. I don’t know which track in particular raised the ire in question, but I have my suspicions. Y’know, a quick email is all it would have taken. No need to involve the authorities.

Also fun – I spent the night re-upping about 25GB of music to my iPod. It has been crashing with increasing frequency, doing the “won’t play” thing now once a day… A reset and it’s fine, but it’s annoying. So I wiped the drive and reinstalled the software and hopefully that will set it straight. If not… guh. I don’t want to think about that.

But on the plus side, I did get a copy of The Radio Dept’s Lesser Matters on LP for a mere $10 and to tie today’s post alllll back up in a tidy bow, I also got a copy of Alligator on vinyl the day before yesterday. So you DMCA punks can keep your digital music. I got records.

np – Crooked Fingers / Crooked Fingers

So full points to Loose Fur for best smart-ass album title of the year so far – their sophomore record will be entitled Born Again In The USA. Nice.

The free-form rock combo, featuring Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche of Wilco and producer and ex-Sonic Youth-er Jim O’Rourke released their eponymous debut back in 2003 and even now, as I listen to it while writing this, I still don’t know what I think of it. I like some of it and I dislike some of it, but as an album, it didn’t gel for me. That said, opener “Laminated Cat” is still one of my very favourite Tweedy compositions, both in its more conventionally pop incarnation on the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot demos as “Not For The Season” and the sprawling, drugged up feline version on Loose Fur. Finale “Chinese Apple” is also a gem – it’s just the stuff in between that doesn’t really do it for me.

Still, I’ll be picking up Born Again when it comes out on March 21. Tweedy’s comments to Billboard that the new album is “maybe a little bit heavier… a little bit more prog-rock or something” are intriguing – I’m curious to see what he decided to NOT save for the new Wilco record. And in the same way that Loose Fur foreshadowed the sonic experimentation that would influence Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, I expect Born Again to hint at what to expect from Wilco’s sixth album, deliberate or not. Update: As has been pointed out, Loose Fur came after YHF so please disregard both the above paragraph and anything I have to say about anything, ever.

And if Loose Fur isn’t your thing, and I know there’s a lot of Wilco fans for whom it’s not, I direct you to this Prefix review of a recent Jeff Tweedy solo show in New York City and the accompanying video of Jeff performing “Sugar Baby”. The visuals aren’t great, but the sound is surprisingly clear.

Drowned In Sound conducts a quick interview with Howling Bells’ Juanita Stein. I was a little disappointed to not see them on this list of acts coming from Australia and New Zealand to SxSW, but if, as the piece implies, they’re seeking to relocate to London, maybe they’ll make it over by way of the UK? And if you don’t know who the Howling Bells are, I guess you missed this post from last month.

The Times-Leader discusses Nellie McKay’s unceremonious booting from Columbia records.

A news update from Merge gives a sneak peak at their upcoming release calendar, which includes a new Essex Green album, Cannibal Sea, on March 21, Lambchop’s The Decline of Country & Western Civilization: The Woodwind Years and a new one from Camera Obscura in April and new stuff from M Ward, Arcade Fire and American Music Club before the year is out. Merge has been on fire putting out great music for the last few years, and 2006 looks like it will be no different. Futhermore, various Merge artists and employees have compiled their year-end lists.

Also fresh to release calendar – Grandaddy’s Just Like The Fambly Cat will be out April 4.

Pop (All Love) has some career advice for Michael Jackson. Because we need Jacko now, more than ever.

Sites like this and this make me feel like this.

np – The Chameleons / What Does Anything Mean? Basically

The Toronto Star talks to jingle-machine Jim Guthrie and Zoilus offers his thoughts on Guthrie – and musicians in general – writing 30-second soundtracks. Alas, the link to the downloadable MP3 on Jim’s site seem to be broken, hopefully just temporarily. Probably indundated with people downloading his infectious little ditty. I personally have no problem with bands writing songs for, or using existing songs, in commercials. The payday can be pretty damn significant and if it gives them the financial freedom to make more proper music, more power to them. I remember getting pretty excited when I heard Galaxie 500’s “Instrumental” in an Acura commercial a few years back. And if you’re one of those who moan that hearing “How Soon Is Now?” soundtracking Julian Sands extolling the virtues of ice-filtered beer cheapens the memory of that song for you… well, tough noogies. Your emotional connections to songs should be a little less fragile.

And jingle talk is always a good excuse to pull Ween’s inexplicably rejected Pizza Hut jingles out of the cupboard for airing. And Yo La Tengo also has some interesting stories about being commissioned to do write (or rewrite) music for commerical purposes. Always fascinating reading.

MP3: Ween – “Where’d The Cheese Go?”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Coke jingle”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Don’t Smoke PSA jingle”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Orange cellphones jingle”

And speaking of YLT, go channel surfing James McNew. Hey James, instead of keeping tabs on Buffy and Freaks & Geeks alumnus, how about rounding up Ira and Georgia and recording a new album? And make this one a pop record, would ya? Thanks.

Jason Isbell of Drive-By Truckers tells The Macon Telegraph about his solo album, Sirens of the Ditch, and frogs. Via LHB.

The February 23 Animal Collective show has been moved from Lee’s Palace to the Opera House. Cue outrage… now. And note that I’ve got a Walkmen contest up – a pair of passes for their January 28 show at Lee’s Palace could be yours… if you dare.

Though 2005 is now but a distant memory, I can forgive Jack Rabid of The Big Takeover for only getting around to running down his best albums of 2005 now… and for dragging it out for who knows how long. I mean, they only publish the magazine twice a year. Time moves differently in Big Takeover land.

Thanks to Largehearted Boy for giving me a shout-out in this interview with the Miwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

The AV Club blog debates the relative merits of both The Simpsons and Family Guy. No matter which side of the fence you fall on, I think everyone can agree on one thing – American Dad sucks ass. Meanwhile, the AV Club mothership rattles off the best of the worst of everything… a list which doesn’t include American Dad because it, you see, is the WORST of the worst.

Well this was my most ellipsis-abusing post in some time…

np – Superchunk / Cup Of Sand

The Meligrove Band / Planets Conspire (V2) Mississauga’s Meligrove Band made their name with 60s-friendly punchy power-pop but on Planets Conspire, their debut for V2, they take draw on the 70s for inspiration, offering up an album with a distinctly psychedelic, prog-rock-ish vibe. With Jason Nunes’ anguished vocals, a surprising amount of piano pounding and general needle-in-red production, the finished product sound like late-period Supergrass produced by the Flaming Lips and fronted by a Ben Folds having a really bad week. They’re still making sugar pop confections, but there’s the distinctly salty aftertaste of tears. It may not be as immediately catchy as their past works, but in the long-term, it’s a far more interesting and rewarding listen. Planets Conspire comes out January 17 and the band is holding a CD release party at the Mod Club January 13. You can stream many tracks from the album on their website. WMA: The Meligrove Band – “Everyone’s A Winner” WMA: The Meligrove Band – “Isle Of Yew” The Meligrove Band @ MySpace

Imogen Heap / Speak For Yourself (RCA Victor) England’s Imogen Heap must love the cinema, if not for the films themselves then for the royalty cheques that they bring in. Her band Frou Frou has had songs in Shrek and Garden State and her solo work has appeared in The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe and The O.C. It’s not surprising her music would be so popular as soundtrack fodder – it sounds tailor-made to be background music. With Heap’s smooth, elastic voice, tasteful electronic flourishes and and super-slick production, it’s all terribly pleasant sounding and has no burrs or edges whatsoever that might catch the listener/viewer’s ear and distract them from the drama/comedy/credits unfolding onscreen. Heap is in town on January 12 for a completely sold-out show at the El Mocambo and you can stream a couple songs off her website. Imogen Heap @ MySpace

The Spectacular Fantastic / Goes Underground (Ionik Recordings) The Spectacular Fantastic may hail from the rock’n’roll hotbed Cincinatti, Ohio, but judging from the sweet pop of their new album Goes Underground, their hearts and minds are on the west coast. Goes Undergound is a sweet, laid back slice of retro-pop that combines California sunshine with good old fashioned midwestern folky jangle and a healthy dose of fuzz for good measuer. Good pop music, no fuss, no muss. You can stream the album off their website and they’re offering a complete EP for download – free of charge – here. MP3: The Spectacular Fantastic – “Darkest Hour” MP3: The Spectacular Fantastic – “Runaway” (Del Shannon cover)

np – Catherine Wheel / Chrome

Sometimes my posts take weird twisty turns whilst being written. I had intended to devote this one to acts that have seemingly gone missing in action in terms of releasing new music or even doing anything, yet haven’t actually split up or anything (at least to my knowledge), but it’s ended up a distinctly Swedish-themed post instead.

Mainly, I wanted to inquire if anyone had any information on The Radio Dept, who have been very quiet since releasing the This Past Week EP last January. Well a little digging of my own turned up an unofficial MySpace page run by a fan with no concept of aesthetics or not abusing CSS. It’s quite painful. The same person who maintains that page also runs a message board for the band, and the information there indicates a follow-up to Lesser Matters is indeed en route this Winter, confirmed by Labrador and reported by Hits In The Car as coming out March 29. Credible? I don’t know, but I like the sound of it. The recording is done, and it’s just sorting out international distribution and titles. If that all gets worked out favourably, perhaps we could see some North American touring later this year? Maybe? Oh, and while there’s not much traffic on the aforementioned message board, it may be worth registering because people are posting yousendit links to live stuff and rarities, like this song from some ultra-rare Swedish compilation. It’s called “The Hide Away” and it’s freaking gorgeous.

MP3: The Radio Dept – “The Hide Away”

So while that bit of news doth slake my thirst for Radio Dept info, I can’t find a damn thing about their labelmates Douglas Heart. Their cover of Slowdive’s “Alison” for the Never Lose That Feeling shoegaze tribute last year was the last I heard from them. This habit of Swedish bands not having proper websites is really rather annoying.

NPR chats with Jens Lekman, who appears to have backtracked on his promise last Fall to give up music and get a proper job, which is good news for everyone. I picked up his Oh You’re So Silent Jens compilation over the holidays, and though I usually have to be in the right mood for it, the reviewers are right. It’s great.

And finally, this JAM! piece on the dearth of new music releases in the next few months mentions that the Cardigans’ Super Extra Gravity will get a domestic release on February 14. The rest of the piece is fairly amusing when you compare what they (seem) to be looking forward to and what I am. The News Tribune is a little more optimistic about the upcoming year in music, though I have to say that the She Wants Revenge album is beyond awful. Ugh. Can we please, please PLEASE stop with the Joy Division necrophilia? Goddamn. And on topic, John Sakamoto’s Anti-Hit List also looks ahead to this year’s releases aurally.

Anyway, back to The Cardigans, the band has completed a video for the second single, “Don’t Blame Your Daughter (Diamonds)”. It’s not one of the best tracks on the album – “Good Morning Joan” or as Angels Twenty suggests, “In The Round”, would have been better singles. They’re certainly better songs. But I’m going to use this as a segue – it seems that that Yahoo’s video search index has decided that their video for “I Need Some Fine Wine…”, which I linked in my year-end post, is a suitable search engine match for seemingly EVERY query imaginable. Seriously, you’ve no idea how many hits I’m getting from them for people searches for all manner of random videos. And sometimes, those searches are for some very disturbing things which I won’t repeat here. But if you’re one of the people who got here via one of those searchees – and you know who you are – SHAME SHAME SHAME.

To learn more about Swedish pop music, visit your local library – or just go to Hello Surprise. And I guess I’ll save my “missing in action” post for another day.

2006’s first next big thing, coming courtesy of the UK, natch, is the horribly named Arctic Monkeys. They’re releasing their horribly titled debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, in North America on February 21. They’ll be in Toronto touring said record one month later, on March 21, at the Phoenix. Remember the good old days when every band was “the” something? I miss those days.

np – The Meligrove Band / Planets Conspire