Double-digit-member Toronto-based musical collective/supergroups are old hat, but double-digit-member Toronto-based musical collective/supergroups fronted by vibraphonists? Hold the phone! Fronted by transplanted Haligonian Paul Aucoin The Hylozoists lineups, past and present read like a who’s who of Canadian indie rock (the family tree would include Broken Social Scene, The Sadies, The Weakerthans, Fembots, Cuff The Duke and Final Fantasy amongst many others) but anyone trying to use any of those acts as reference points for The Hylozoists will be left scratching their heads.

Their new album, La Fin Du Monde, is a primarily instrumental affair that’s pretty, joyous sweeping and rolicking and completely un-indie rock. It sounds like the orchestral score to a circus movie, laden with strings, horns, keys and yes – vibraphones, and is in stores June 20. The Hylozoists were tapped to play the official launch of the Polaris Music Prize yesterday afternoon at the Drake, and goodness knows I’ve never turned down an opportunity to cut work early to catch some hot vibraphone action. Playing as a six-piece, they were quite hypnotic and great fun to watch – It’s such lively music and an unusual (compared to what I’m used to) combination of sounds. The vibraphone itself was fascinating to watch with it’s rotating valves and fun mechanical mute and whatnot. Okay, maybe that’s the engineer geek in me talking. And the beer. Some photos here.

While their official website is under construction, hit up their MySpace or their page at Boompa Records for more info. For the instrumentally curious, Exclaim! talked to Aucoin about the tools of his trade back in November. The ‘Zoists will be touring all over southern Ontario this Summer – check out their MySpace for dates – but locally, they play the Horseshoe June 17, have an instore at Soundscapes on the 20th and will be at Harbourfront on August 13 soundtracking the Hot & Spicy Food Festival. Really.

Here’s some audio – one from the new album, one from their old one. And you can watch some video footage of their performance at CMW earlier this year courtesy of ZED-TV.

MP3: The Hylozoists – “Strait Is The Gate”
MP3: The Hylozoists – “DetailsAt5”

Final Fantasy’s Owen Pallet graces the cover of this month’s Exclaim!.

From Are You Familiar – the new Broken Social Scene video. Funnier and less seizure-inducing than their past clips, guest starring Geddy Lee and that guy from Rotate This who gave you that look when you asked about Snow Patrol tickets. But he’d probably happily sell you tickets to BSS’ Olympic Island show on the 24th or the Broken Mascis Scene show on the 23rd. And note that Arts & Crafts has a new, far more usable website.

Video: Broken Social Scene – “Fire Eye’d Boy” (MOV)

And more new videos – the first one from Centro-Matic’s Fort Recovery and another from Spoon’s Gimme Fiction:

Video: Centro-Matic – “Triggers & Trash Heaps” (YouTube)
Video: Spoon – “The Two Side Of Monsieur Valentine” (MOV)

Rhino is streaming the whole of the new Replacements best-of Don’t You Know Who I Think I Was?, out June 13. And yes, you can skip right to the end to check out the new songs “Message To The Boys” and “Pool & Dive” if you really want. Harp has a profile of ‘Mats bassist Tommy Stinson’s new gig in Soul Asylum with more of a focus on the early Minneapolis days. I overheard a record store clerk saying the other day that he doesn’t get why people like The Replacements. I had a word with the manager and he was fired immediately. Update: Newsday profiles The Mats. Via LHB.

After releasing Another Fine Day on July 18, Golden Smog will follow it up lickety-split with another EP in November. There’s some new preview clips on their MySpace and Billboard has a little more info.

Pitchfork interviews Glenn Kotche of Wilco and Glenn Kotche.

Ben Birdwell of Band Of Horses talks to Pulse Of The Twin Cities and Metromix. Their show at Lee’s Palace next Tuesday is damn near sold out, if not already. Just so you know.

Head Concrete Victoria Bergsman talks to The Chicago Tribune about selling out to Target and getting drunk in Omaha.

JAM! syndicates an AP piece about Neko Case learning how to sing.

Paste goes jogging through time with Josh Ritter. The Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle and Boise Weekly opt to just, you know, talk and stuff.

Village Indian learns the mystical story of Tilly & The Wall. Congrats to who won my contest and will be in attendance at their show at the Mod Club on Sunday night. Link via Genki Zenki.

np – Trespassers William / Having