The title of this post, just to be clear, is in no way descriptive of the show in question. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First, they put out what is arguably the best album of the year so far in Boxer – then they came to town Tuesday night and put on what was arguably the best show I’d seen all year at the Opera House. If The National can pick up a few more RBIs, they could well make a run for the indie rock triple crown this year.

Openers for this tour were Montreal’s Shapes & Sizes and as a pairing, it’s a head-scratcher. I’ve listened to both their records including the newest, Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner, and now seen them live and the best thing I can say about their deliberately awkward, fractured, deconstructed songcraft is that I just don’t get it. At a few points in their set I heard a semblance of a pop hook creep out but those were quickly buried under frantic key changes, tempo shifts, random bursts of hand-clapping and a steadfast determination to avoid anything resembling a chorus. I dunno.

The National’s last Toronto show last March was somewhat marred by Matt Berninger’s ill-advised decision to wear a Cincinnati Bengals t-shirt, prompting one drunken mook in the audience to attempt to loudly discuss football with the singer the entire night. Thankfully, this time Berninger elected to keep it simple with white pants, shirt and tie but I digress – this isn’t about The National’s sartorial choices, it’s about the music.

Playing to a sold-out house, the six-piece band (violinist/keyboardist/unofficial sixth man Padme Newsome was along for the tour) stepped up and made a compelling argument for themselves as best goddamn band in the world right now. Okay, that’s a bit of hyperbole, but only a bit. Tight, taut and intense, The National powered through an impressive 19 songs in an hour and a half with a set list drawing heavily from Boxer and Alligator, with a couple nods to earlier works Cherry Tree and Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers. Live, the Boxer material lost a bit of the album’s texture and orchestration but that was more than compensated for in more inventive guitarwork from the brothers Dessner and energy from the band overall. Similarly, the more overt rockers – “Mr November”, “Abel” and “Murder Me Rachael” – were amped up further and were quite simply explosive.

One of the things that surprised me the most on the evening was the audience – for whatever reason I still had the impression of The National as a somewhat underground band, effusive critical acclaim for their last two albums notwithstanding, yet here they were selling out a venue two and a half times the size of the one they played just over a year ago. And from the audience sample in my immediate vicinity, these weren’t just the curious or cool kids out to be seen – these were fans. Screaming, know-all-the-words-and-singing-along genuine fans. And by god did we scream and sing along. So good. So so so so good.

The Globe & Mail and Torontoist also have reviews of the show. The band made the rounds with the Canadian press, talking to eye, Exclaim! and Chart. There’s also articles on the band from The New York Post, Paste, The Detroit Free Press and The Riverfront Times while Pitchfork solicits a list of this and that from Matt Berninger.

Spinner also has an Interface session with the band and I was happy to learn that they’re recording a Daytrotter session next week – more free, live sessions = good. Like check out the live version of “Squalor Victoria” below, taken from a White Session recorded for French Radio last week. The Rawking Refuses To Stop has the whole session available to download, which you should do posthaste.

Photos: The National, Shapes & Sizes @ The Opera House – June 5, 2007
MP3: The National – “Fake Empire”
MP3: The National – “Squalor Victoria” (White Session)
MP3: Shapes & Sizes – “Alone/Alive”
MP3: Shapes & Sizes – “Head Movin'”
Video: The National – “Mistaken For Strangers” (YouTube)
Video: A Skin, A Night preview
MySpace: The National
MySpace: Shapes & Sizes

Billboard reports on some of the controversy surrounding Wilco’s decision to license their music to Volkswagen to use in ads. I personally see no problem with this whatsoever but that’s just me. No word on whether the band will be touring across America in those old-school VW vans. River City Reader talks to John Stirratt about the current lineup of the band and also talks to Alan Sparhawk of their tourmates on this jaunt, Low. Said bill arrives in Toronto for a show at Massey Hall on June 30.

So NxNE kicks off in earnest tonight and as a sponsor, NOW is naturally dedicated a goodly portion of this week’s issue to previewing it. If you’re still looking for things to see or more info about the performers, that’s where you want to go. Also check out eye and The Toronto Star and blogTO’s recommendations and Torontoist’s picks for Friday night. Chart has a chat with tonight’s date at the Horseshoe, Buffalo Tom, while NOW profiles Voxtrot, doing a double-header at Sneaky Dee’s on Friday night. eye talks to Fountains Of Wayne, at Lee’s on Sunday night.

More shows announced! Hardcore legend Ian MacKaye’s latest project, The Evens, will be at the Whipper Snapper Gallery on June 13 while instru-metal outfit Pelican are at Lee’s Palace on July 21. If you miss Handsome Furs’ NxNE show at the Comfort Zone tomorrow night or just want to see them at a venue a little less, well, disgusting, they’re back on July 31 for a show at Lee’s. Also coming to Lee’s – UK brother act The Cribs on August 7 and on August 15, Brooklyn synth-pop trio Au Revoir Simone (who are also opening up both Voxtrot shows tomorrow), tickets $10. Still with the Lee’s Palace announcements, August 28 sees Stereo Total and The Octopus Project in town ($13.50) and the next evening, The Magic Numbers ($16.50). Finally, looking way off and not at Lee’s at all, Iceland’s Mum are at the Opera House on November 2 – their new record Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy is out September 24

And now halfway through my vacation photos, pics from Zagreb, Croatia and several scenic locales in Slovenia are now up.

So the 2007 edition of NxNE kicks off tomorrow evening (if you don’t count the satellite “NxNExtra” shows) and I must say I’m more excited about this year’s lineup than I’ve been before. Of course, I’ll be missing many of the bands who’ve piqued my interest because I haven’t yet mastered the art of being in three places at once, but as a matter of principle, it’s a good sign for the fest.

One act that’s coming to town who might be flying under the radar but are worthy of note are North Carolina’s Schooner. I caught them at Pop Montreal last October and just got a copy of their new record Hold On Too Tight, due out on August 21. Live, they demonstrated a good blend of classic 50s and 60s pop traits combined with some of the college rock skronk that put their home state on the music map in the 90s.

The album, on the other hand, still combines those same ingredients but in markedly different proportions. Though still pop to the core, there’s a much stronger Motown and Stax vibe throughout with some orchestral flourishes and the occasional foray into gently twangy country, all anchored by Reid Johnson’s weary croon. But what I found to stand out the most was just how beautifully downbeat the record is, an impression bolstered in no small part to the deliberate haziness of the production. Even when things get uptempo, there’s a glumness that I personally find quite appealing. The best parallel I can offer is that at their best moments, they sound like a bummed-out Saturday Looks Good To Me. This is definitely meant as a compliment.

They’re playing on Saturday night at C’est What, 10PM. Check them out.

MP3: Schooner – “There’s Enough To Do”
MP3: Schooner – “They Always Do”
MySpace: Schooner

As for the rest of the fest, I’ll repost the rough list of names I put up a few weeks ago, with some additions and edits (Nicole Atkins & The Sea are no longer at the Reverb on Friday night, so that’s one I won’t feel bad about missing but they will still be at Lee’s Palace on Monday night with The Long Blondes). My Thursday will pretty much find me fixed at the Horseshoe and Friday is overbooked as is (see below) but Saturday is still a bit up in the air, mainly due to logistics. I’ll figure that out later, I guess. But also refer to NOW‘s festival preview and note that Torontoist has begun offering day-by-day recommendations.

Thursday, June 7

Future Clouds & Radar @ The Horseshoe – 9PM
Les Breastfeeders @ The Boat – 10PM
Sea Wolf @ The Horseshoe – 10PM
Kathleen Edwards @ Lee’s Palace – 10PM
Woodpigeon @ The Drake Underground – 11PM
Buffalo Tom @ The Horseshoe – 12AM
Jason Falkner @ The Reverb – 12AM
The Parkas @ The Dakota Tavern – 12AM
A Northern Chorus @ Sneaky Dee’s – 12AM
Justin Rutledge @ Lee’s Palace – 12AM
Royal Wood @ The Gladstone – 12AM
Adam Franklin @ The Reverb – 1AM
Blue Rodeo @ Lee’s Palace – 3AM

Friday, June 8

The Pantones @ The Savannah – 9PM
Sunparlour Players @ Lee’s Palace – 9PM
The Vulcan Dub Squad @ Holy Joe’s – 11PM
Carmen Elle @ The Free Times Cafe – 11PM
Handsome Furs @ The Comfort Zone – 12AM
Jesse Malin @ The Reverb – 12AM
The Sadies @ Lee’s Palace – 12AM
Therapy? @ The El Mocambo – 12AM
Love Kills @ Clinton’s – 1AM
Jenn Grant @ C’est What – 1AM
John Doe @ Lee’s Palace – 1AM

Saturday, June 9

Ohbijou @ The Horseshoe – 10PM
Schooner @ C’est What – 10PM
She Keeps Bees @ Holy Joe’s – 10PM
Fjord Rowboat @ The Reverb – 11PM
Fox Jaws @ The Dakota Tavern – 11PM
The Coast @ The Boat – 11PM
Man In Gray @ The Kathedral – 11PM
Great Northern @ Lee’s Palace – 12AM
Urge Overkill @ Lee’s Palace – 1AM

And looking to some of the NxNExt showcases (the festival-affiliated shows featuring international/touring bands that allow a limited number of wristbands and passes admission), Harp and NOW have features on Dinosaur Jr, playing at the Phoenix on Friday night. It’s an early show, but probably not early enough to realistically allow me to pull off the double-header with the Voxtrot show at Sneaky Dee’s that I’d hoped to accomplish (to say nothing of the toll it’d take on my limited energy). I’m not taking it off my calendar just yet but I’m thinking that I may end up having to bail on J and gang. Alas.

And speaking of Voxtrot (who’re also doing an early show at Sneaks on Friday), Austin360 has an interview with the band while Daytrotter one-ups them with an interview AND a downloadable session.

Also on the Daytrotter trip, The Broken West were also in their studios recently and have an interview and session for your seeing and hearing pleasure. The Broken West are at Lee’s Palace on Sunday night opening for Fountains Of Wayne – also a NxNExt show if you want to squeeze a little more out of your wristband.

And if you like your Britrock a little more on the goth side, try The Horrors. For whatever reason they had to cancel their tour with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club but are still coming to America on their own to promote their new album Strange House including a stop at the Mod Club on Monday, June 11.

Courtesy of Against The Grain, I’ve got two pairs of passes to this show to give away. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see The Horrors” in the subject line and your full name in the email body. Feel free to enter this contest and the Long Blondes one but if you do, indicate which of the two shows you’d rather go to in case you win both. Thanks, and the contest closes at midnight, June 8.

Stream: The Horrors – “Count In Five”
Video: The Horrors – “Count In Fives”
MySpace: The Horrors

Congrats to winners Mark and Kavin!

Too much going on, must be quick about things.

The Long Blondes’ album Someone To Drive You Home finally got a North American release this week and their first North American tour has been timed to coincide perfectly and rolls into Lee’s Palace on Monday, June 11.

Now you know as well as I do that Toronto goes batsh!t for anything remotely Anglo so you can expect that this show is going to be a bit of a zoo, and while not sold out yet almost certainly will. So if you haven’t gotten tickets yet, I’m here to help out. Courtesy of Against The Grain, I’ve got two pairs of passes to said show to give away – if you want, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see The Long Blondes” in the subject line and your full name in the email body. Under other circumstances I might have some fun and make you jump through some hoops to enter, but as I said above – no time. Contest closes at midnight, June 8.

MP3: The Long Blondes – “Once And Never Again”
Stream: The Long Blondes / Someone To Drive You Home
Video: The Long Blondes – “Weekend Without Makeup” (YouTube)
Video: The Long Blondes – “Giddy Stratospheres” (YouTube)
Video: The Long Blondes – “Separated By Motorways” (YouTube)
Video: The Long Blondes – “Once And Never Again” (YouTube)
MySpace: The Long Blondes

Congrats to winners Thierry and Andrew.

I’m going to preface this review by saying that exhaustion and jet lag probably doesn’t make for the best mental state for trying to review a show, for good or ill, so let me just put that caveat out there.

Loney, Dear’s North American debut Loney, Noir has been one of the more pleasant discoveries of 2007 and having caught them play a compact set at SxSW back in March I knew that it translated very well live so I was willing to caffeinate as necessary to make it to the band’s show at Lee’s Palace on Sunday night.

Support for the show was Toronto’s own Guest Bedroom. An odd match for Loney, Dear’s gentle orch-pop, they turned in a set of moderately aggressive post-punk from their debut EP Movement. Frontwoman Sandi Falconer’s urgent howling sounds not unlike early PJ Harvey or Forget Cassettes’ Beth Cameron while musically, the creepy carnival keyboards recalled Walkmen forebears Jonathan Fire*Eater. Maybe some other night I’d have been more receptive to their abrasive (though not without a softish underbelly) sound but not so much this one.

Radio Free Canuckistan has done a pretty bang-up job of capturing the charm of Emil Svanangen and his crew on the occasion of their Canadian debut so I’ll just add some comments on top of his. One of the things that I found most interesting was how the songs were subtly but completely rearranged from the album versions, full of orchestral flourishes and performed entirely by Svanangen, and rejigged for the five-piece band. Live, the songs were leaner and much more vocal-centric – not only with Svanangen’s lost Gibb brother falsetto but the lush three- and four-part harmonies contributed by the other band members. They also weren’t shy about indulging in a capella vocal breakdowns, all “da da das” and “la las”.

I was also rather surprised that the set list ranged well beyond just Loney, Noir and into their back catalog, much to the delight of some hardcore fans in attendance. And it’s not that Svanangen could have known that there’d be old schoolers in the audience who’d appreciate it – he seemed genuinely surprised that anyone was there at all, let alone the modest but enthusiastic crowd who came out to see them play and demand two encores (and it’s a good thing, lest “Sinister In A State Of Hope” be left unplayed). So while I would probably have been perfectly happy to just hear the new album played live, the wealth of unfamiliar material on display and reconfigurations of the stuff I did know made the show a bit more demanding than I’d expected but probably also that much more satisfying. But I think my favourite part of the show was simply watching how gratified the band were to get such a warm response from the audience. A nice cozy show and a good way to ease back into reality for me.

Hour and The Cleveland Free Times interview Emil Svanangen about Loney, Dear.

Photos: Loney, Dear, The Guest Bedroom @ Lee’s Palace – June 3, 2007
MP3: Loney, Dear – “I Am John”
MP3: Loney, Dear – “A Few Good Men”
MP3: The Guest Bedroom – “Fake Flowers”
MP3: The Guest Bedroom – “We Need Trips”
Video: Loney, Dear – “I Am John” (YouTube)
Video: Loney, Dear – “Saturday Waits” (YouTube)
MySpace: Loney, Dear
MySpace: The Guest Bedroom

If you’re looking for something to do tonight (besides see The National at the Opera House), maybe head over to the Phoenix for the White Ribbon Benefit Concert, now thankfully Tea Party-free. This year the theme is Heart of Gold: The Music Of Neil Young and as implied, it will feature a wide roster of artists including Luke Doucet, Ron Sexsmith and Justin Rutledge covering the songs of Neil Young (though I suspect “A Man Needs A Maid” might get skipped over on this evening). Tickets are $25 in advance.

Some new release news – The Yeah Yeah Yeahs will release Is Is on July 24, Eisley’s sophomore record Combinations is out August 14 and Rilo Kiley’s Under The Blacklight will be out on August 21 – Billboard has details.

Billboard also has news of another Ryan Adams release to go along with Easy Tiger, out June 26. This one’s a box set compiling some of the unreleased material from the last few years. No title, release date or track listing available yet, just the fact that it’s being planned.

Spinner has got a studio session and interview with Wilco that’s worth watching. And for more reading, check out interviews with the band in Harp, Mother Jones, The Age, Perth Now, Stuff and The Independent. Media saturation? Maybe just a little. Wilco are at Massey Hall on June 30.

The New Yorker talks to Steve Earle about his new album Washington Square Serenade. Earle will also be performing Tom Waits’ “Way Down In The Hole”, the theme song for The Wire this season. I’m almost done season two. Gotta get caught up before the fifth and final season starts!

Patrick Wolf talks to NME about how touring North America has politicized his next album, which he’s hoping to have out next Spring.

Pitchfork discusses Okkervil River’s new album The Stage Names with Will Sheff.

Hungary photos are now up.