For a period back around 2001 or so, it seemed I couldn’t get away from The Dears. Okay, that’s probably overstating it but seeing them three times in seven months, and never deliberately (they were either on a larger bill or opening for someone or whatever), it certainly seemed like they were following me and they didn’t manage to particularly impress me at any of the shows. I think at that point they were were still promoting their 2000 debut End Of A Hollywood Bedtime Story and while I appreciated that they were doing something different and ambitious, their songs and melodramatic delivery simply didn’t connect and so I basically ignored them for the next five years or so.

Fast-forward to this past September at the V-Fest gig they either loved or hated and whatever their take was, I was certainly impressed. The new material from Gang Of Losers was tight, focused and considerably more pop and accessible. While I can appreciate this probably turned off some of their old fanbase who liked them to sprawl, it got me more interested enough to pick up the record as well as come out for this, the first of a three-night stand at Lee’s Palace.

Also helping to sell the show was the fact that fellow Montrealers Land Of Talk were support for the first two nights. For a myriad of reasons, I hadn’t seen them live since that first time at The Boat back in June though my love for Applause Cheer Boo Hiss has only grown in the interim. So I was more than pleased to see them again and also to find that they were even better this time around. Fierce and tense yet oh-so-tuneful, they interspersed the material from the EP with some new, slower numbers which offered a nice dynamic balance in their set. These guys seriously have to make a full-length album and soon. So good.

The Dears may have been off my musical radar the past few years, but judging from the size and enthusiasm of the crowd on Thursday night, I was in the minority. Dears fans are rabid. The set list began and ended with Gang Of Losers material, but the heart of it was devoted to the more epic No Cities Left material it was at this point that it began to feel less like being in an audience and more like being in a congregation with Murray Lightburn as the impassioned, charismatic minister. Some criticize The Dears for being overly (melo)dramatic and while I can see that point of view, particularly on record, but when you’re in the middle of the live experience and surrounded by believers, it all feels very real and powerful. Anthemic, emotional and intense from start to finish.

Adding to the experience was the fact that band had clearly taken advantage of their multi-night engagement to make themselves at home, bringing an assortment of smoke machines and special lighting effects for the occasion and making Lee’s Palace a far more visually dramatic venue than it normally is and however long they had to soundcheck paid off as the sound was excellent. I definitely enjoyed the show and while I don’t know that I’m ready to be called a fan nearly on par with some of the others in attendance that night, I definitely have a greater appreciation for the band and the new record, which I was only moderately impressed with before. I may even investigate No Cities Left if the mood strikes.

Taxi! talked to Natalia Yanchak about making the new album and B(oot)log has the whole of The Dears’ set from the night before this in Kingston available to download.

Photos: The Dears, Land Of Talk @ Lee’s Palace – November 16, 2006
MP3: Land Of Talk – “Speak To Me Bones”
MP3: Land Of Talk – “Breaxxbaxx”
Video: The Dears – “Ticket To Immortality” (MOV)
Video: The Dears – “Whites Only Party” (MOV)
eCard: The Dears / Gang Of Losers
MySpace: The Dears
MySpace: Land Of Talk

Kevin Drew tells Chart what 2007 means for Broken Social Scene – solo records. For everyone.

AOL continues to try and prove they’re the indie-friendly multinational media conglomerate – TV On The Radio is the latest band to record a session for The Interface while The Mountain Goats stopped in at The DL, their newish web tv show thing, like Montel. The Cardigans were on a recent episode as well.

Drowned In Sound asks Shins frontman James Mercer how he feels about their new album, Wincing The Night Away, having already leaked to the internet well in advance of its January 23 release date. What’s that? You didn’t know it leaked? Well you didn’t hear it here. But hey – you can hear one of the new songs with conscience clear at their MySpace.

Christmas has come early for Mercury Rev fans as they’ve got not one but two new releases in stores now. There’s the Stillness Breathes: 1991 – 2006 retrospective as well as Hello Blackbird, the soundtrack for the 2005 film Bye Bye Blackbird.

Do you like to plan ahead? Then jot down that Clinic are at Lee’s Palace March 12 and Of Montreal will be at the Opera House on March 13, barring something unexpected happening between now and then. Like a meteor strike.

np – Howe Gelb / Sno Angel Like You

While the last couple Portastatic records could easily have passed as Superchunk albums – certainly not a bad thing, not at all – but you can’t really say that about Be Still Please, Mac McCaughan’s newest solo jag and second this year (after the instrumental/orchestral Who Loves The Sun soundtrack released this past Summer).

While far more of a band affair than the early Portastatic records, it’s also relatively subdued and incorporates much of the lush orchestration that defined the Portastatic soundtrack work while retaining the ‘Chunk’s sublime pop-smithery. While it was initially a bit of a slow grower – where were my fuzzy guitar anthems? – I now think this may be the best and most definitive record in their discography (and critics agree). I also got a copy of a bonus disc of acoustic demos for the new record – Some Small Things You Can’t Defend – which certainly serves to reinforce the strength of the songs, even sans clarinet. If you’re a fan, you should make an effort to track this one down.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Live talk to Mac about his bands and label while New York Press caught a word with him at a one-off Superchunk gig for the 10th anniversary of The Daily Show. Portastatic is currently on the road and Mac is diligently blogging the tour.

MP3: Portastatic – “Sour Shores”
Video: Portastatic – “Song For A Clock” (MOV)
Stream: Portastatic / Be Still Please
MySpace: Portastatic

What’s wrong with this picture? Or actually, what’s right?

Thanks to everyone who entered the Fuzzy Warbles contest and believe me, if I could give all of you a copy of the box set I surely would – your responses were beyond fantastic. But like the Highlander, there can only be one so the set goes to Nathan, selected randomly from the lot, and the rest of you… well, you’ll just have to be beheaded. I’m sorry but that’s how it has to be. But first, you can read this interview with Andy Partridge at Bullz-Eye.

In keeping with tradition, The Sadies will be ringing in the new year at the Horseshoe this December 31, tickets $17.50 and on sale now. The like the ‘Shoe so much, they wrote a song for it and made a video as well (from their Tales Of The Rat Fink soundtrack). Check it out:

Video: The Sadies – “The Horseshoe” (YouTube)

Pitchfork reveals that former Velocity Girl (and way up the list of my all-time rock star crushes) Sarah Shannon will finally be releasing her second solo record on February 20. City Morning Song continues in the jazzy, adult pop vein of her self-titled debut – a style her voice is well suited for but probably still a bit of a disappointment for those of us who refuse to let go of the past and crave more fuzz-pop. You may recall the sort-of official word on the status of V-Girl came on this very site, so that track they recorded for Excellent Online some three years ago will probably be it for the foreseeable future. So enjoy that and a cut from Sarah’s new record, courtesy of the ‘Fork.

MP3: Sarah Shannon – “City Morning Girl”
MP3: Velocity Girl – “That’s Alright With Me”

The Guardian talks to Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce about his life and recent near death(s). Look for a new album early next year. Via The Rock Snob.

Thought I was done with giveaways? Not so much. Toronto’s Small Sins used to be called The Ladies & Gentlemen and I reviewed their debut album Small Sins last year. Of course, now that they’re named after the album, I guess it’s technically eponymous now. Confused yet?

Anyway, whatever it and they are called, the record is still a charming and hooky piece of electro(lite) pop and they’re bringing it, as well as California’s similarly diminutively-monikered Little Ones to the Horseshoe next Friday night, and courtesy of Boompa, I have goods to give away. First prize is a pair of passes to said show and a copy of the CD and there will also be two runner-up prizes of a copy of the CD. Sound nice? Yes it does.

To enter, shoot me an email at contests@chromewaves.net with “I want to see Small Sins” in the subject line and your full name in the body, that’s it, that’s all. This contest will close at midnight, November 20.

MP3: Small Sins – “Small Sins/Big Within”
MySpace: Small Sins

Mr Blower Of Leaves has compiled the results of his third annual “Top 40 Bands in America”, in which I, despite my Canadian-ness, was invited to participate. The criteria for submissions were as follows: “Send me a list 1-10 with 1 being the highest, of the bands you wrote about the most this year. Who did you spend your time covering? Who got the most mentions on your site? Who did your readers respond to? Who did you go see multiple times in concert, things like that.”

Naturally, I didn’t pay these instructions much heed, mainly because I was not going to go back over ten and a half months of posts and count up the number of times I talked about whomever when that didn’t necessarily reflect who I thought was most deserving based on whatever they were pushing this year, just my diligence in digging up interviews and links about said artist.

Instead, I balanced what I felt were the quantitative leaders in my coverage this year with the bands I was most excited about… and to be honest, even writing this seems to imply I spent more time and consideration on my list than I really did. But anyway, here’s who I went with and the why:

1. The Hold Steady – Five unlikely and unassuming guys from the midwest capture the spirit of the youth of America on record and goose it up with classic rock riffage. Awesomeness.
2. Cat Power – Even if she hadn’t released an amazing album like The Greatest, her battle (and triumph) over alcohol and her personal demons would have been worth talking about. But she did and that makes her year even more remarkable.
3. The Decemberists – Everyone wondered what signing to a major label would do Portland’s greatest geek-rockers. As it turns out, it would encourage them to make their best and most challenging album yet.
4. Shearwater – Jonathan Meiburg takes over the creative reins and shakes the “Okkervil River side-project” tag once and for all with an epic and emotional folk-rock masterpiece.
5. The Mountain Goats – John Darnielle crafts a sad and beautiful break-up record that those who aren’t able to connect with should count themselves as lucky.
6. Sparklehorse – After five years of hiding in the mists of Appalachia, Mark Linkous finally returns with a new record that sounds an awful lot like his old ones. And that’s a good thing.
7. TV On The Radio – Possibly and probably the most innovative band in America right now. But definitely the one with the biggest ‘fro.
8. Okkervil River – Yes, their only releases this year were an Australia-only EP and a 12″ single, but if the lead song on both – “The President’s Dead” – is any sign of where Will Sheff’s mind and pen are at, then they deserve mention if only as a warning that 2007 will be the year of Okkervil.
9. Eric Bachmann – Putting Crooked Fingers on the shelf and striking out under his own name, Bachmann found inspiration through minimalism and living in a van. His set at SxSW was one of the absolute highlights of the festival.
10. Wilco – No new album but constant touring kept them on the radar. The current lineup sounds better and tighter with every passing day but for pity’s sake, give us a new album already.

Completely unsurprisingly, the comments on the post are filled with confusion, support and vitriol. After all, what good is a hearty list-burger without a tall glass of haterade to wash it down? Mmm mmm good.

The Guardian talks to Craig Finn, Philadelphia City Paper explains why The Hold Steady’s Boys And Girls In America deserves all the praise it’s getting and That’s F-ing Dynamite (we’re a family site here, folks) gets Tad Kubler to list off his top five albums of the moment.

The not-dead-yet RBally has a live Cat Power set from this past August, fully Memphis Rhythm Band-powered, available to download and next Monday night, NPR will be webcasting her show at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC. She’s in Toronto at the Phoenix two nights later.

Washington Square News chats with Chris Funk while LA Weekly, The Westender and Seattle Weekly talk to Colin Meloy about The Crane Wife. JAM!, on the other hand, prefers to get his take on the new 007. For the record, I also grew up with Roger Moore but am more than happy to forget about him trying to look remotely dashing in A View To A Kill. But it sounds like Daniel Craig does a bang-up job in Casino Royale. Oh, and you can stream a track from their exclusive session for Sony Connect – an old festive bluegrass tune, natch. More details at Pitchfork.

Stream: The Decemberists – “Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)” (ASX)

The Independent Weekly profiles the #14 hottest artist in America, Joanna Newsom, who in turn discusses Ys with Go Triad.

Metromix catches up with Explosions In The Sky, who will surely be all over next year’s poll when they release All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone next February 20. Spin has details and a tracklisting.

Also bound for a big 2007 – Spoon, whose Britt Daniel talked to Tiny Mix Tapes about scoring Stranger Than Fiction and the state of their next album.

The AV Club talks to Chuck Klosterman about being Chuck Klosterman.

np – Cat Power / You Are Free