In hindsight, its kind of laughable that I was so torn about where to spend last Thursday night because, as it turned out (and with all respect to the Vampire Weekend-ers, who I’m sure were also lovely), ye olde Rancho Relaxo and the last Two-Way Monologues showcase for the year was the absolute best place to be. The lineup, featuring Amos The Transparent, Oh No Forest Fires and The Craft Economy, wasn’t necessarily one that looks impressive or rings many bells at first glance but come back in a year and run it up the flagpole – I bet a whole lot more people will be saluting.

The Craft Economy kicked things off with their illuminated bar graph t-shirts, co-ed frontpersons and breakneck New Wave/twee-pop/post-punk hybrid, they radiated relentless fun and came across as maybe the coolest Summer camp counselors you never had. The whole of their debut EP All In C is available to download from their website and as peppy as the recordings are, they barely capture the energy of the band live. Their next show is January 9 at The Boat, it’s recommended you be there.

The name of Oh No Forest Fires may stick with you at first by virtue of it being a really terrible band name, but after you hear them, you’ll remember them because they’re a rather amazingly good band. They’re a relatively new outfit but comprised of veterans, with members drawn from local acts like Five Blank Pages, The Most Serene Republic and Fox Jaws and if that sounds like a recipe for a fractured neighbourly setting (synonyms ahem), wait till you hear them. With glorious, guitar-driven anthems that make prog-pop seem like the most natural thing in the world and an energetic live show that the stage couldn’t contain (though the tiny Rancho stage can’t contain an awful lot), ONFF were one of the most impressive new things I’ve seen in a long time. That their four-song EP is as good as it is and is still just a demo is both exciting and frightening. I’m keeping a very close eye (and ear) on these guys. They’re playing the Gladstone on January 10 and, again, it’s recommended you be there.

Which leaves headliners Amos The Transparent, whom I’d seen before and whose album Everything I’ve Forgotten To Forget I have and have been enjoying, so you’d think they’d be the most known quantity to me. As it turned out, not so much. At Pop Montreal they were legion, a many-headed beast of guitars and drums and keys, adding eloquent bombast to Everything‘s already grand arrangements but on this night, there were only four of them and they took a more conventional tactic for making an impression – volume, alcohol and rock. And it’s a testament to both the writing and the players that songs that seemed made for widescreen presentation translated so well in a smaller format. The melodic melancholy that rests at the core of Amos’ sound remained intact but was delivered with an extra visceralness that may have previously been hidden behind the layers of sound. Remarkably though, for all the rawness of the set the crucial little details of the record – the keyboard flourishes, the vocal harmonies – were still there and if there was extra angst in the air you wouldn’t have known it from frontman Jonathan Chandler’s cheery disposition. Or maybe that was just the drink. Either way, they capped off as a stellar night of music that could go down as one of this bills you look at in a couple years and think, “man – imagine seeing those bands in a tiny club”. It could happen. It certainly should.

Photos: Amos The Transparent, Oh No Forest Fires, The Craft Economy @ Rancho Relaxo – December 13, 2007
MP3: Amos The Transparent – “Title Track”
MP3: Amos The Transparent – “After All That Its Come To This”
MP3: Oh No Forest Fires – “We Fit Our Charm”
MP3: The Craft Economy – “Drag-On”
MP3: The Craft Economy – “The Crash, The Wagon, The Dying Horses”
MySpace: Amos The Transparent
MySpace: The Craft Economy

For The Records has a couple of the acts for this year’s free shows at Nathan Phillips Square as part of the WinterCity Festival – Tokyo Police Club on January 26 and The Weakerthans on February 2. Hopefully next year will be warmer than last year – I bloody well froze my ass of seeing Sloan.

Incendiary interviews Kevin Drew.

Young & Sexy talk to Chart about the joys of Christmas and set a target of mid-April for the release of their next album, working title of Sunrise On The Shazzie Bazzie.

Acoustic Guitar features Steve Earle, in town at Massey Hall on March 4.

Band Of Horse-man Ben Bridwell talks to Drowned In Sound.

Neu! speaks to an unnamed member of British Sea Power about their new album Do You Like Rock Music?, out February 12. They’ll be visiting our fair continent thereabouts as well – dates still to be announced but they will be at Noise Pop in San Francisco around the last weekend of February, so look for more dates around then. There’s also a preview track from the new album kicking around. Sounds like BSP has made up their minds how they feel about rock music… they like it.

MP3: British Sea Power – “No Lucifer”

Whilst putting up this week’s MP3 of the week featuring Charlotte Hatherley, I was pleased to see that another video from The Deep Blue has been released – and for one of my favourite tracks from the record, no less. Not crazy for the hairdo, Charlotte. Gotta say.

Video: Charlotte Hatherley – “Siberia”

Elbow tell NME their next album, due out in March, will be entitled The Seldom Seen Kid.

NME reports that their latest single, “Flux”, is not a sign of things to come for the next Bloc Party record. The vocoder is going back into the closet, thankfully.

It’s big gun time in year-end list-land. Pitchfork has their top 100 songs of the year and PopMatters their top 60 records of 2007. Neither, thankfully, is milking them by posting a portion of the list every day. And I spent a better part of the weekend tabulating Reader’s Poll results and the outcome is very interesting… and by very interesting, I mean almost exactly what I expected.

Hey, I just realized something. Post-I’m Not There, you could think of The Dark Knight as starring Bob Dylan versus Bob Dylan. Hmm. And oh yeah, the new trailer is up. Woot.

Trailer: The Dark Knight

So this’ll probably be the last giveaway of the year, and it’s a bit of a different one. Portland’s Menomena started the year with the release of their third critically-acclaimed album Friend And Foe and capped it off with one of those hallmarks of artistic achievement, a Grammy nomination.

Okay, the nomination wasn’t so much for the music as the packaging, which apparently featured “an intricate packaging layout consisting of Die-cut shapes, decoder rings, and hidden messages” (via) with artwork courtesy of Craig Thompson (ever read his Blankets? Emoest. Comic. Ever). I’ll have to take Wikipedia’s – and the Grammy committee’s – word for it as my copy of the album was artwork-less… Sounds impressive though.

And it’s this artwork that graces this giveaway. Courtesy of Outside Music, I’ve got three Menomena prize packs consisting of a copy of the album on CD – with Grammy nominated artwork – and a funky mobile (yes, mobile) featuring samples of the art. Grok here and here. What will you do with such a mobile? I have no idea. If I had one, it would drive my cat nuts. If you have a small child, perhaps you can hang it in their room or over their crib and hopefully inspire them to a life of interesting artistic endeavors. Or give them nightmares. Either way.

To enter, fire me an email to contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want Menomenamemobile” in the subject line and your full mailing address in the body. Apologies, contest only open to Canadians and it closes at midnight, December 19 so as to hopefully have these suckers in the mail before the world shuts down for the holidays.

MP3: Menomena – “Wet And Rusting”
Video: Menomena – “Wet And Rusting”
Video: Menomena – “Rotten Hell”
Video: Menomena – “Evil Bee”
MySpace: Menomena

Earlier this week I finally caught a screening of the much-discussed Todd Haynes tribute to Bob Dylan, I’m Not There and, if you’re looking for the condensed review, I really liked it. But I appreciate that it’s not nearly a film for everyone, Dylan fan or no, and that some might leave the theatre with varying degees of confusion or disappointment even though the fact that the film features six actors, of different genders and ethnicities, portraying the main character should be a tip-off that it’s not exactly a conventional film.

But that said, it’s not excessively cryptic or impenetrable. It simply follows six parallel yet interwoven storylines portraying Dylan surrogates – he’s never named – at different points of his career with varying degrees of allegory but all with relatively straightforward narratives. And that’s where Haynes sets his traps – it’s easy to start thinking that he’s intending to tell a story (or six) with a conventional arc and that there’ll be some sort of resolution, either individually or collectively, and that’s not his intention. These threads aren’t meant to be followed to a destination – if you’re looking for a proper story or to find out what happens next, you’re in the wrong place. This isn’t a biography told in a creative manner, instead it’s an impressionistic romp that celebrates the spirit of Dylan, the mythic aura that trades in fact as much as fiction, and this Haynes captures well. He concentrates on capturing Dylan’s essence – the creativity, the playfulness, the cantankerousness, the inscrutability – and the life is secondary.

While much of the attention has been focused on Cate Blanchett’s portrayal of Dylan in his post-Newport years – and don’t get me wrong, she’s great – I think the strongest performance comes from Christian Bale as the Greenwich-era Jack Rollins. His screen time is limited, relative to Blanchett or Heath Ledger, but when he’s in the scene, he’s astonishing in his ability to embody Dylan without impersonating him. AND he’s Batman.

This is a film that will probably reward multiple viewings. I’m nowhere near a Dylan scholar but it was fun playing spot the reference – visual recreations, thinly veiled representations of real-life figures – and there’s surely a dozen I missed for every one that I got. I think the key is to go in without an expectation of what you’re going to get, because whatever that is you’re probably wrong. It’s like a Dylan lyric on celluloid – no one knows for sure what it means, maybe not even the author, but that doesn’t mean it’s not brilliant. In fact, that’s probably exactly why it is.

Harp talks to Todd Haynes about making the film and also reveals how the one Dylan recording that appears on the soundtrack, the title track whose masters were long thought lost, was uncovered in an unlikely place.

Trailer: I’m Not There (trailer 1)
Trailer: I’m Not There (trailer 2)

CMJ reports that all those Calexico tour-only albums that were sold out by the time they reached your city are now available digitally in Touch And Go’s online store. Yay.

Jens Lekman talks first kisses with Harp.

BeatRoute talks to Jonsi Birgisson of Sigur Ros.

The AV Club has an interview with Polly Jean Harvey.

‘Tis the season… for interviewing Carl Newman of The New Pornographers, apparently. The Independent, Nerve and The Village Voice all have chats with the ginger popsmith (second two links via Idolator). And if that’s not enough Pornographic insight for you, he’s also on the cover of the latest Big Takeover.

Last year, the Drake Hotel made the last week of the year more than just a post-Christmas hangover with their “What’s In The Box?” series of shows running from December 26 through the 30th and this year, they’re doing it again. For five nights, they’re featuring five acts in the Underground for five bucks and are topping that off with a few choice performances upstairs in the Lounge as well. It’s a more electronic-heavy lineup than last year but still enough to get me out of the house and down Parkdale way for a couple nights at least. The full list is as follows:

December 26th – Skratch Bastid, Ghislain Poirier (live set), Vitamins For You and My Dad Vs Yours
December 27th – The Ghost Is Dancing, Jetplanes Of Abraham, Hexes And Ohs, Five Blank Pages and Krief
December 28th – Thunderheist, Jokers Of The Scene, Bonjay, Syntonics, Opopo PLUS Jenn Grant in the Lounge.
December 29th – A Place To Bury Strangers, Fjord Rowboat, The Two Koreas, Dundas and Love, Anna PLUS Peter Elkas in the Lounge
December 30th – Pheek, Adam Marshall, Coordinates, J Hunsberger and JAP_

Pitchfork solicits year-end lists from various artists.

So, I’m trying to figure out what to do tonight. There’s a number of options, all appealing, and all conveniently (or inconveniently, depending on your point of view) located essentially on the same (large) city block.

First off, and this is the one that’s been on my calendar for a while so it’s probably got the inside track, there’s Vampire Weekend at the El Mocambo. If I were to be influenced by the local entertainment weeklies then this would be the one to see since both NOW and eye are running features on the Brooklynites this week (Metro Times also has an interview but Detroit doesn’t really count as local). I can’t say I’m especially familiar with any of their stuff, nor am I an avowed fan of African soukous music or even Paul Simon’s Graceland (the most common talking points in any press on the band). But the stuff on their MySpace sounds like good pop music to me, and that’s usually a good enough sales pitch for me. They’re touring in advance of their their debut, self-titled full-length which is out January 29 and also on the bill is Toronto’s We’re Marching On.

MP3: Vampire Weekend – “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”
MP3: We’re Marching On – “1800s”
Video: Vampire Weekend – “Mansard Roof”
MySpace: Vampire Weekend

Now option B is right around the corner at Rancho Relaxo where Two-Way Monologues is hosting an evening headlined by Ottawa’s Amos The Transparent (whom you may recall from this post) as well as locals Oh No Forest Fires and The Craft Economy (whose EP of hepped-up dance-pop, All In C, you can download the entirety of from their website – Worth the effort). If nothing else, it’d be interesting to see how Amos crams all their members onto that tiny Rancho stage. And seriously, listening to material from all three bands whilst writing up this paragraph… maybe this is now option A…

MP3: Amos The Transparent – “After All That Its Come To This”
MP3: The Craft Economy – “Drag-On”
MP3: The Craft Economy – “The Crash, The Wagon, The Dying Horses”
MySpace: Amos The Transparent
MySpace: The Craft Economy

And finally, just a little further down College St at ye olde Tiger Bar, you’ve got a night of No Shame with Gentleman Reg, taking far too long to follow up 2004’s Darby & Joan, along with a couple visitors from The Big Apple – Michael Leviton and Leah Hayes, aka Scary Mansion. I’m not familiar with the Noo Yawkers at all but again, the MySpace samples are compelling and on any other night it’d probably be a no-brainer but with the competition… I dunno. Maybe I’ll flip a coin. A three-faced coin. Update: Just heard that Michael Leviton and Scary Mansion have cancelled for tonight. Show is in question. I will update when I hear. Update 2: So the Tiger Bar show is off, but Gentleman Reg has been added to the Rancho Relaxo show (option B) above, which makes my pick for this evening a total no-brainer. Sorry Vampires, some other weekend. The show now begins at 9:45 or so, be there! $7 or $5 with a canned food item. Update 3: So Reg didn’t play the Rancho show after all. Hope no one was inconvenienced.

MP3: Gentleman Reg – “It’s Not Safe”
MP3: Scary Mansion – “Sorry We Took All Your Money”
Video: Gentleman Reg – “The Boyfriend Song”
Video: Gentleman Reg – “Over My Head”
Video: Michael Leviton – “The Beach Gets Cold”
Video: Michael Leviton – “Summer’s The Worst”
MySpace: Gentleman Reg
MySpace: Michael Leviton
MySpace: Scary Mansion

If that’s not enough, there’s also The Hidden Cameras’ show for World AIDS Day at Hart House at University Of Toronto, details on tickets here. eye and Chart talk to Hidden Camera-man Joel Gibb about this and that and the state of the new record.

Stereogum talks to members of The Acorn about their day jobs.

Coming to town February 9 for a show at the El Mocambo, Yeasayer and MGMT. The former are appearing on a number of year-end lists for their album All Hour Cymbals while the latter were just in town the other night with The Fiery Furnaces. Pitchfork has full tour dates.

MP3: Yeasayer – “2080”
MP3: Yeasayer – “Sunrises”
MP3: MGMT – “Time To Pretend”

And speaking of year-end lists… rounding up everything out there is a task for one with a heart larger than mine but I will point out a few more noteworthy ones – The AV Club has tallied up their best of the year, Pitchfork picked their 50 favourite videos and 20 worst album covers Harp has their top 50 for 2007, as well as a number of artists’ lists for the year.

Christmas comes early for Okkervil River fans. In the spirit of the season, the band has made a special “mix tape”, consisting of eight cover songs and one Okkervil original recorded whilst on tour over the last couple years, available to download for free off their website.

Featuring songs by John Cale, Jimmy Webb and Serge Gainsbourg, if you don’t know the originals – which I’m not too proud to admit I don’t – Will Sheff has provided detailed liner notes explaining why these songs were worthy of reinterpretation. Yes, liner notes. And CD art. Because after you download MP3s, you burn them to CDs and listen to them on your hi-fi, right? That’s what the kids do these days, right?

Further, as Sheff says in a message board post, the only press he’s doing about the release will be responding to questions sent in via email with the composite final “interview” to be posted online on Friday. No word of lie, this is probably the best holiday surprise I’ll be getting this year.

Download: Okkervil River / Golden Opportunities (.zip)

Billboard talks to Jeff Tweedy about plans to explore every corner of Wilco’s discography during a five-night stand in Chicago next February. Even if you can’t be there – as I can’t – it’s exciting news as it hopefully means that more older material will seep into the band’s repertoire during future tours. But if you CAN be there… you have my envy, a fluorescent shade of green.

So the final show for the Horseshoe’s 60th anniversary has been announced and as implied repeatedly over the past couple weeks, it’s Blue Rodeo next Monday, December 17. Tickets are $30 with all proceeds going to the Parkdale food bank, going on sale at 1PM the day of the show at the ‘Shoe’s front bar with the band will be playing three sets over the course of the night starting at 9PM. I’m planning on queuing up to try and get one – if I succeed, would anyone want the second? There’s a limit of two per person.

Also announced – Steve Earle will be playing Massey Hall on March 4 with the presale starting this morning at 10AM. Everything I’ve read implies that this tour will be Dukes-less and in the same configuration as I saw at the Rehearsal Hall taping last month – namely Steve, Allison Moorer and a DJ. A bit undersized a crew for a venue like Massey Hall, but that’s how Steve’s rolling this time around. Full tour dates here.

Ra Ra Riot is coming to the El Mocambo on January 26 with The Coast and The Virgins. Tickets for that one are $8.50 in advance.

Kim Deal tells NME why a new Pixies album didn’t – and probably won’t ever – happen.

Harp and City Pages talk to Nellie McKay. She’s offering a free seasonal song for download but soliciting donations for the “Nellie McKay Disaster Fund” via her website and The Current has also got a radio session available to download. She’s currently on tour with Aimee Mann, who talked to the Northwest Herald about her own Christmas album from last year and her new record due out in March.

MP3: Nellie McKay – “A Christmas Dirge”

The AV Club interviews Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes.

Check out footage of St Vincent performing “Marry Me” at Hot Freaks! in Austin this past September, courtesy of Le Blogotheque

Video: St Vincent – “Marry Me” (live at Hot Freaks!)

Aaron Dessner of The National talks to Drowned In Sound about the trials and tribulations behind making Boxer.

Dirty On Purpose don’t release their new Like Bees EP until January 15, but they’ve got a new song available to download for free over at RCRDLBL that’s going to be part of a digital-only EP called Dead Volcanos. But let me just say that Like Bees is a real treat, highlighting the wide breadth of the band’s abilities, and bodes very well for the their next album whenever it hits.

The Denver Post chats with Voxtrot’s Ramesh Srivastava.

Both Salon and The Village Voice have things to say about Brit Box. And not especially nice things, either. Which reminds me – congratulations to Pedro on winning my Brit Box contest but thanks to everyone who entered – thems was some good reading.

Wired chats with Charlatans UK frontman Tim Burgess – yup, they’re still around – about their decision to give away their latest single online. A strategy, the piece points out, that was announced hours before Radiohead revealed their In Rainbows strategy.

MP3: The Charlatans UK – “You Cross My Path”

And with regards to Radiohead, NME talks to Colin Greenwood about the lengths the band went to to prevent the record from leaking in advance, The Guardian solicits interview questions from the band’s fans and The New York Times ran an extensive feature on the band this past weekend.

Any excuse to post some Lucky Soul… like the band performing “Lips Are Unhappy” live on sub.tv. Oh come to North America, please come to North America.

Video: Lucky Soul – “Lips Are Unhappy” (live on Sub.tv)

Richard Hawley gives Harp a guided tour of Sheffield which ends not in a pub, but a relish factory.

The AV Club lists off 23 songs that could stand to never be covered again.

Arrested Development: The Motion Picture?