Had it really been two and a half years since Ted Leo & The Pharmacists were last in our fair city? I can’t recall his playing a show here since the December 2004 show at the Mod Club though that would coincide with the release of his last album, Shake The Sheets. It’s hard to fathom someone with Leo’s work ethic – both in the studio and on the road – taking that long a break, and yet there it is. But hey, you know what they say about absence, hearts and fungus – so when Ted finally did come back to town last Wednesday, a packed Mod Club was there to greet him.

I’d seen the name of local openers Tusks around town a fair bit but had never heard them, or at least I thought not. It turns out they have a song on the Friends In Bellwoods comp… what can I say? I’m not good with names. But either way, I was really impressed with their brief set. The four-piece did a great job of blending jazzy-math rock sounds and figures with direct, melodic pop sensibilities. The track they’ve got on their MySpace is a bit rough sounding – they’re really much smoother – but gives a good sense of what these guys are about. I dig, and look forward to hearing more.

Australian trio Love Of Diagrams had been touring with Leo for a while and reminded me of a less-angry Mission Of Burma if they had been signed to Flying Nun in the ’80s. Their take on post-punk was taut, jagged and skittery yet friendly and danceable and came across a lot better live than on record, as their latest Mosaic failed to really engage me the few times I listened. That’s less a reflection on the quality of the record, however, than the fact that it’s a sound/style that I’m just not especially interested in these days.

I say this every time I see him play live, but Ted Leo is the hardest-working man in indie rock. Besides the fact that he keeps up an insane touring regimen, year in and year out, you know that for every one of those shows he’s giving everything he’s got. Fronting his now-four piece gang of Pharmacists (Ted needs a second guitarist? Blasphemy!), Leo tore through a set of mainly the uptempo numbers in his vast catalog of songs, which admittedly describes almost all of them, but these were the FAST fast ones. The pace of the show was electric and unrelenting, leaving pretty much everyone both on stage and in front of it worn out after 90 minutes – even the young’ns (all ages show, natch).

And though he hadn’t been in town in a while, Leo’s engaging demeanor made it feel like an old friend stopping over to hang out, chat and rock the house. A shout-out to the New Jersey Nets garnered a little booing, but it was all in jest as he confessed that he didn’t really give a damn about basketball one way or another though as karmic payback, he whacked his head on the microphone on the next song (his brother Chris, however, successfully jinxed the Raptors a couple nights later by doing the same thing probably at exactly the moment Richard Jefferson intercepted that pass… but I digress). It was also a nice touch dedicating “Dirty Old Town” to Hamilton, whether or not he meant it in a complimentary sense.

One of the complaints leveled against Leo’s latest Living With The Living (alliteration!) is that it’s more of the same from him – the same could be said for his live show, though I see it more as praise than criticism. What some bands wouldn’t give to be able to maintain a level of quality as consistent as he has over the course of this decade. Alls I know is that if you were to tell me that the next time Ted comes through town, he’ll put on a show equal to this one – no better and no worse – all I’d want to know is where to get in line.

Update: Thanks to Dave for pointing out that Ted was in town just last Fall opening up the two nights at Massey Hall for Death Cab and for also completely undermining the foundation of my post. Awesome.

Leo talks to Glide about politics, art and taking a little time off before making the last record and about preaching to the converted to The Boston Herald.

Photos: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Love Of Diagrams, Tusks @ The Mod Club – May 2, 2007
MP3: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – “Bomb Repeat Bomb (1954)”
MP3: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – “The Sons Of Cain”
MP3: Love Of Diagrams – “Pace Or The Patience”
MP3: Love Of Diagrams – “No Way Out”
Video: Love Of Diagrams – “No Way Out” (MOV)
MySpace: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
MySpace: Love Of Diagrams

Some new media making the rounds: The first video from The National’s Boxer, out May 22, went up Friday at the US-only MTV but is supposed to be available today on YouTube – I will update the link below when it is. And note that all the live preview clips from the A Skin, A Night film are now up at the Boxer minisite. They’re at the Opera House on June 5.

Video: The National – “Mistaken For Strangers” (YouTube)

The second video from Low’s Drums & Guns. Alan Sparhawk talks to Gigwise about the inspiration a trip to Africa had on the new record. They’re at Massey Hall on June 30 opening for Wilco.

Video: Low – “Belarus” (YouTube)

And there’s also more MP3s available from the new Midnight Movies album Lion The Girl – the first is maybe the hardest rocking moment on the album, the other a remix by James Iha of the first single. Both worth hearing.

MP3: Midnight Movies – “Coral Den”
MP3: Midnight Movies – “Patient Eye” (James Iha remix)

There first four parts of Reaching For The Lasers, the mini-documentary on the recording of the new Voxtrot album are up at YouTube. All eight should be there by the time the record comes out May 22.

Pitchfork interviews Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Next Tuesday is Sky Blue Sky day! Bet it rains.

Son Volt’s Jay Farrar talks to The Houston Chronicle.

Head over to AOL.ca Sessions to check out a studio session with Feist. The San Francisco Chronicle and Canada.com have interviews with Ms Leslie.

Former Edson frontman Pelle Carlberg brings his Swede-pop to the Supermarket in Kensington on May 29.

NME announces that New Order has split up. Poor Phil Cunningham, who joined with their now-final album Waiting For The Siren’s Call – unemployed again.

Drowned In Sound asks Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon why they’ve decided to do the Daydream Nation concerts. Answer? “The money!”

The Seattle Times talks to Decemberist Chris Funk.

The Silversun Pickups/Sea Wolf show at the Phoenix this coming Thursday may already be sold out but if you still want to go… well, there’s scalpers. I don’t have passes to give away this time around but I do have the third-best thing – a pair of prize packs consisting of the SSPU’s new album Carnavas, Sea Wolf’s debut EP Get To The River Before It Runs Too Low and a lovely silkscreened poster by local artists Alice Phieu and Adam Swinbourne (all courtesy of Against The Grain).

To enter, send me an email at contests AT chromewaves.net (I think the email is working now) with “I want the SSPU stuff” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Note that winners will have to pick up their prizes at the front bar of The Horseshoe by May 16, so make sure that works for you. As for the contest, it will run until midnight May 9.

I’m going to assume you’ve at least heard some SSPU before since, well, they’ve just sold out a 1000-capacity club – but if you’ve not heard Sea Wolf, check out the MP3s below and their Daytrotter session and interview from last week. It’s good stuff.

MP3: Silversun Pickups – “Well Thought Out Twinkles”
MP3: Sea Wolf – “You’re A Wolf”
MP3: Sea Wolf – “The Garden That You Planted”
Video: Silversun Pickups – “Lazy Eye” (YouTube)
Video: Silversun Pickups – “Well Thought Out Twinkles” (YouTube)
Video: Sea Wolf – “You’re A Wolf” (YouTube)
MySpace: Silversun Pickups
MySpace: Sea Wolf

My new desktop wallpaper. Courtesy of my brother.

Time is at a premium this weekend, full of Over The Top-ing and whatnot, so I’m just clearing out a pile of random links and will likely be mostly absent from posting (though I do have a couple contests to get out there). I hope to have my Ted Leo review for Wednesday night’s show up for Monday but in the meantime, check out eye‘s review of the show – pretty spot on.

The Riverfront Times talks to the whole of Son Volt – not just Jay! – about the dynamic of being in Son Volt. They also offer outtakes from the interview and have dug up some old old video from an Uncle Tupelo appearance on some anonymous cable access TV show. I’m sure this made the rounds a little while back, it looks way familiar, but it’s worth revisiting if just to see Jeff and Jay still with the baby fat on them. Also check out this video at Amazon.com of Wilco playing “Seeds” in their loft in Chicago. I assume that’s taken from the DVD portion of the Sky Blue Sky deluxe edition, out May 15. Nels Cline talks to NME about the vibe of the album while Stereogum excerpts an interview with Jeff Tweedy from Spin about festivals and the odds of an Uncle Tupelo reunion. Oh, and those freaky vinyl Wilco figures are now available to pre-order.

The Paramus Post talks to The Shins’ James Mercer.

NME reports that the Blur reunion may actually be happening, though Pitchfork has one of Graham Coxon’s people being non-commital to the topic (though not denying it either). Of course, it’s also worth noting that the news comes from the only member of Blur who’s not busy with solo projects or running (and losing) for public office so he would be keen on a reunion.

PopMatters talks to the boys of Field Music, who have announced they’re going on hiatus. Sometime.

Inside Bay Area has words with the otherwise wordless Explosions In The Sky.

NOW and eye talk to the boys of Peter Bjorn & John, playing a sold-out show at the Phoenix this Sunday night.

MTV and Dose converse with Feist.

Metric gives NME a progress report on their new record. Their old record, Grow Up And Blow Away, is still supposed to be coming out this Summer and they’re playing both V Fests – Vancouver later this month and Toronto in September. Emily Haines is also playing a solo show at Harbourfront Centre on July 25, as part of the release of a new book and EP, What Is Free To A Good Home?. Details on that here.

Paper has an interview with Cat Power and a terrific quote from Chinese film director Wong Kar-Wai – “If Charles Bukowski and Jane Birkin had a child, it would be Cat Power”. I like that. Cat Power is at the Phoenix on July 10.

The Arizona Daily Star interviews Drive-By Trucker Patterson Hood.

Express speaks (very) briefly to The National’s Matt Berninger about the tone of their new album Boxer, out May 22. They’re at the Opera House on June 5.

Also out that day is the debut full-length from Voxtrot. They’re featured in this week’s Spinner 3×3 and are at Sneaky Dee’s on June 8. If that show’s not completely sold out yet, it will be very very soon so if you were planning on going, get a ticket. No dawdling.

Some show announcements – London’s The Horrors, who were supposed to be opening for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on their Summer tour but now aren’t, have their own show at the Mod Club on June 11 (tickets $16.50), K Records’ Mirah is at Lee’s Palace July 13 (tickets $13.50), Jenn Grant, presumably hanging around town after NxNE, has a show at the Horseshoe on June 15 and In-Flight Safety and The Besnard Lakes are at the Horseshoe on June 22. I know some people who will hurt me if I don’t (finally) get around to seeing the Besnard Lakes live, so I’m a-gonna be there. Tickets for that are $10. The Lakes put together a guest list for Pitchfork.

Update: Site back up! Well THAT was excruciating. Fingers crossed it’s resolved now.

While this year’s edition of the Over The Top Fest, kicking off tonight with shows around the city, isn’t likely to be as dramatic or – let’s face it – as all out awesome as the best Sylvester Stallone truck-driving, arm-wrestling flick of the 80s, it will still probably be pretty good.

While in past years, there were at least one or two shows featuring familiar and favoured bands, this year’s lineup didn’t have any “must-sees” for me. Which actually made picking shows harder, since arguments could be made for hitting up any number of shows scheduled against one another. It’s almost like… an ARM WRESTLE. However, this is where the sheer eclecticism of the acts playing over the next four days and nights comes in handy – I’ll surely be seeing stuff that’s new and foreign to me and my tastes, and while it’s improbable that I’ll like it all, it’ll definitely be interesting. Like arm wrestling.

But I think I’ve made my choices and expect the weekend to shake out as follows: start things off tonight with the vibraphone ecstasy of The Hylozoists, Athens, GA psych-poppers Casper & The Cookies and the retro girl-groupness of Grand Rapids’ The Icicles at the Tranzac. Tomorrow it’s back to the Tranzac for Casiotone For The Painfully Alone’s one-man synthery, Vague Angels (fronted by Chris Leo, brother of Ted) and Nick Krgovich of Vancouver’s P:ano. Then the weekend’s made for matinees with manic synth-pop duo Matt & Kim, twee-er than twee Page France, Philadelphia Television-samplers Yah Mos Def and locals The Fancy Claps and The Weathermaking Challenge at, get ready for it, The Tranzac. And Sunday, finally, is another matinee at Sneaky Dee’s (not the Tranzac!) featuring Phil Elverum’s Mt Eerie, Montreal singer-songwriter Darling Arms and Pilotram, who might play songs with such compelling titles as “Drone In D” and “Drone In E”.

Naturally, I reserve the right to change my mind at the drop of a hat or sleep in and miss an act or two. And there are other bands playing that I’m curious to see – Meligrove Band (who I’ve seen before but are always fun), Japanther, Peter & The Wolf – but one I’m not interested in seeing is de facto festival headliner Daniel Johnston. I respect the man’s songwriting (though I rather prefer them when someone’s covering them) but I saw him open for Yo La Tengo a few years ago and… well, he’s an interesting performer. I’ll certainly give him that much. But that show’s sold out anyways, so it’s a moot point.

Naturally the local media is happily covering the launch of the festival – eye chats up The Phonemes, looks at the Daniel Johnston doc playing as part of the film component and generally previews the fest (there’s also a handy-dandy cut-out guide in the print version of the paper), NOW and The Toronto Star talk to festival founder Eric Warner as well as Daniel Johnston while Chart interviews featured acts The Hylozoists and Japanther.

And for the first year, Over The Top expands its format to include film, theatre and dance components. While hitting the matinees on the weekend does allow me to catch, say, one of the performances of Giant Killer Shark: The Musical (which Chart reports on), it’s far more likely I’ll be geeking out at, say, Spider-Man 3. But for those who prefer their cinema little more rock’n’roll, check out FilmCAN – they’re selling films online including the legendary Bruce McDonald Rock’N’Road trilogy of Roadkill, Highway 61 and Hard Core Logo as well as some of the short films from New Pornographer Blaine Thurier, though they’re not pornography. I think. Also note that the McDonald films are all playing at the Royal tonight, back to back to back, with introductions from McDonald. More info at Stille Post.

And while I’m rounding up reasons to go outside this weekend, note that Friday Saturday is Free Comic Book Day – while most funny book shops around the city will be taking part in the event to some degree, your best bet will certainly be The Beguiling in Mirvish Village, who in addition to giving out free books, will have loads of local comic creators on-hand to sign stuff and just otherwise geek out (there’s that phrase again). And also note that in conjunction with the happenings, Scott McCloud, author of the excellent Understanding Comics and the decidedly less excellent Reinventing Comics will be in town Sunday evening for a lecture at the OISE Theatre at Bloor and St George station. Ticket info on the Beguiling’s website.

And to backtrack a bit to Spider-Man 3, PopMatters has a bluffers guide to all the principals in the new film while looking ahead to NEXT Summer’s comic book blockbuster, Entertainment Weekly has the first look at the final Iron Man armour… and it looks awesome. Even moreso knowing that it’s not Tom Cruise inside it. Via Newsarama.

Looking ahead to next month’s big Toronto music festival, NxNE has released the first official list of bands playing around town the weekend of June 7, 8 and 9. And in keeping with traditions laid out by big brother fest SxSW, the list is nigh unreadable. But a quick scan reveals some interesting names and a distinct international flavour to the lineup – just to name a few, we’ve got pop maven Jason Falkner, DC Leafblower faves Middle Distance Runner, North Carolinans Schooner (who I saw and enjoyed at Pop Montreal last year), Los Angeles’ Sea Wolf (who I saw and enjoyed at SxSW in March), ex-Swervedriver Adam Franklin and, rather out of left field, 90s Irish rockers Therapy?, whose song “Nowhere” I’ve had in my head since I saw their name. More names will probably be added when at a press conference thing next Tuesday evening.

Ooookay, what else we got? Under Byen return to Toronto for the third time in nine months for a show at Lee’s Palace on July 12. You’d think Denmark was right next door or something.

Said The Gramophone interviewed Okkervil River’s Will Sheff for The Believer. Things learned? Don’t mess with Sheff or he’ll knife you.

Uptown talks to Weakerthans guitarist Stephen Carroll about their new album, tentatively titled Reunion Tour and due out in October.

English glam/pop/folk singer-songwriter Patrick Wolf recently made a slew of headlines when he declared he was giving up live performance in November, an announcement perfectly timed to coincide with a storm of critical acclaim for his new album The Magic Position (out yesterday, also available at iTunes). His fans let out a sigh of release when he later backpedaled on that declaration via an interview with Pitchfork, though it still doesn’t sound as though he’s going to become a road warrior anytime soon.

So that’s why his local fans’ excitement became alarm when it was announced that his two upcoming Toronto shows would be as opener for the already completely sold-out Amy Winehouse shows at the Mod Club on May 12 and 13. If they didn’t already have tickets, there was simply no way they were getting them. Well that alarm can turn back into excitement because it’s been announced that Wolf will be playing a third Toronto show – a headlining gig, no less, with Bishi opening – next Friday May 11 at the El Mocambo. But there’s still a catch – besides being an early show (doors at 7, show at 8, over by 10), there are no advance tickets. Just $15 cash money at the door. If you want in, you had best camp out in front, and such a lovely part of town to do so, no less. But there is a Popeye’s Fried Chicken across the street, so there is an upside. Mmm, biscuits.

I haven’t spent much time with The Magic Position yet but the few listens I have given it are pretty intriguing. I can see where and why the “next Bowie” parallels are being drawn – though it’s unfair and absurd to compare him, however talented he is, with a legend whose career is longer than he is old, there’s parallels to be drawn between them both superficially and artistically. I’m looking forward to seeing how the album translates live and also, if Wolf keeps his word, how his creativity will express itself in the future without having to worry about reproducing it in front of an audience. But I will say that judging from the two extra tracks I have on my promo copy, live performances of songs from his first two albums – one solo on piano and one with orchestral backing – Wolf is a riveting live artist and if he does retire from the stage, it’s a damn shame.

MP3: Patrick Wolf – “The Magic Position”
Video: Patrick Wolf – “Accident And Emergency” (YouTube)
Video: Patrick Wolf – “The Magic Position” (YouTube)
Video: Patrick Wolf – “Bluebells” (YouTube)
Stream: Patrick Wolf / The Magic Position
MySpace: Patrick Wolf

The Chicago Sun-Times and Detroit Free Press talk to Ted Leo, who’s playing tonight at the Mod Club.

Dinosaur Jr officially returned yesterday – at least as recording artists – with the release of Beyond, which also garnered a coveted “Recommended” rating from Pitchfork and generally good reviews from most everyone. Stream the whole thing below – and yes, Spinner has fixed their player so the links will actually work this time.

Stream: Dinosaur Jr – Beyond

And lets not forget Dinosaur Jr Jr, aka Buffalo Tom, who are similarly back from extinction. Their first album in nine years, Three Easy Pieces, is out July 10 and Stereogum has the title track available to download. And EXCITEMENT they’re going to be in town on June 7 for a NxNE showcase at the Horseshoe, the night before Dinosaur Jr Sr play the Phoenix. I saw them at SxSW and while the boys weren’t exactly tight, they were sure as hell enthusiastic. This’ll be great.

Filter hangs out with Sonic Youth on the occasion of the band’s 25th anniversary.

One for the calendar – The Hidden Cameras are playing an all-ages show at the Phoenix on June 15 in celebration of, well who cares? It’s a Cameras show – it’s a celebration, period. Tickets will be $13.

The AV Club talks to Adam Schlesinger about his soundtrack work and Fountains Of Wayne while The Examiner talks mental health with his bandmate Chris Collingwood. FoW are at Lee’s Palace June 11 with The Broken West, for whom So Much Silence points to a free live track from eMusic, another live track courtesy of the band and a recent KCRW radio session for download. Yes, So Much Silence likes The Broken West. It’s true.

Torontonians with some time to kill this afternoon are invited to appear in a music video shoot – and it’d help if you were a Joel Plaskett fan because it’s his video. It’s happening this evening from 5 to 8PM at St. Joseph’s Catholic School near Queen E and Leslie, full details on his website. Plaskett is playing two shows at the Opera House – coincidentally not far from Queen E and Leslie – on May 25 and 26.

Oh yeah – check out this week’s edition of Blog Fresh Radio. I’m on there around the nine-minute mark talking about The Airfields and I realize now I totally mixed up which track they were going to run, as “Nowhere Left To Go” is not a demo but a proper recording from the Laneways EP. I got it mixed up with “Prisoners Of Our Love”, which was the other song they were maybe going to play. Whoops.

The Yellow Bird Project is a new organization who’re selling t-shirts designed by indie rock luminaries (Rilo Kiley, Devandra Banhart and Stars, among others) with proceeds going to charities of the artist’s choosing. Most of the designs do reflect the artists who submitted them, except that Wolfmother one. I’m not sure what that’s about.