Good news – Centro-Matic are coming back to town in support of their double album Dual Hawks, out June 3. Bad news – it’s on June 11 at the Horseshoe, the same night Lightspeed Champion is at Lee’s Palace. I think I’m fated to not see Centro-Matic in my hometown. Last time they were here, which was their first time, I was somewhere on the other side of the world. This time, I’ll only be up the street and over a bit, but still. Frustrating.

The tour, which will have Chicagoans The M’s along for the ride, is in support of their new sort-of double album Dual Hawks, which will see release on June 3 over here (it’s out next Monday in Europe). The “sort-of” is in reference to the fact that one album is coming out under the Centro-Matic name, the other is coming out under Will Johnson’s other branded South San Gabriel, which is essentially the same band but with a slightly different, more sprawling creative mandate.

You can sample a handful of tracks from each record at their respective MySpaces and also download one of the CM tracks for your very own. The Dallas Morning News talks to Johnson about the state of Centro-Matic and the impetus behind the unusual release plan for the new record.

MP3: Centro-Matic – “I, The Kite”
MySpace: Centro-Matic
MySpace: South San Gabriel

The Ting Tings were one of those buzzy bands at SxSW this year, playing something like a dozen shows, and depending on who you talked to, were either awesome or awful. Decide for yourself when they play the Mod Club on June 13 16… and let me know how it goes because I’ll be at Lee’s seeing Swervedriver. The Irish Times has an interview. Update: The show is actually on the 16th at the Mod Club. Disregard my Swervedriver comment.

Video: The Ting Tings – “Great DJ”
Video: The Ting Tings – “That’s Not My Name”

Also just announced – Lymbyc System are at the Silver Dollar on May 15 ($7 in advance), Two Hours Traffic graduate from their Horseshoe digs for a gig at Lee’s Palace on May 17 ($8.50 in advance) and Dark Meat are at Lee’s a week later on May 24 ($10.50 in advance).

MP3: Lymbyc Systym – “Truth Skull”
MP3: Lymbyc Systym – “Fall Bicycle” (Album Leaf remix)
MP3: Dark Meat – “Freedom Ritual”

And some annotations to shows already announced:

Man Man, with whom Chart has a chat, are at Lee’s on April 14 and their new one Rabbit Habits, out yesterday. A fews days later on April 18, Someone STill Loves You Boris Yeltsin are at the El Mocambo to play you songs from Pershing. Then on April 24, Peter Moren, shed of that Bjorn and John dead weight, will work his solo record The Last Tycoon at the Mod Club. Stream them all below, courtesy of Spinner.

MP3: Man Man – “Top Drawer”
MP3: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – “Think I Wanna Die”
Stream: Man Man / Rabbit Habits
Stream: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin / Pershing
Stream: Peter Moren / The Last Tycoon

There’s a track from The Kills’ new record Midnight Boom available to download. They’re at the Opera House on May 6.

MP3: The Kills – “Cheap & Cheerful”

There’s some audio available for 2/3 of the Swedish ladies bill playing the Mod Club on May 11. Both El Perro Del Mar’s From The Valley To The Stars and Anna Ternheim’s Halfway To Fivepoints are out April 22. Lykke Li’s Little Bit EP will be out in North America May 6 with a release date for the full-length, Youth Novels, still to be determined (it’s out June 2 in the UK). That same day – my birthday! Mark it down! – Clinic are at Lee’s Palace. Stream their new record Do It!. Exclamatory is mandatory.

MP3: El Perro Del Mar – “Glory To The World”
MP3: Anna Ternheim – “To Be Gone”
Stream: Clinic / Do It!

Also streamable is the sophomore effort from The Long Blondes, or maybe that should now be “The Long Blondie“, considering the slick, synth-disco sounds that Couples trades in. They’re at Lee’s Palace on May 22.

Stream: The Long Blondes / Couples

Thalia Zedek will be supporting the Retribution Gospel Choir at the Rivoli on June 21.

Basia Bulat’s Canada Day show at Harbourfront Centre will actually be on Canada Day. So will her Ottawa show. How? Through the magic of aeroplanes! Oooooh.

And via The Tripwire, a video about the making of the video for Spiritualized’s “Soul On Fire”, the first single from Songs In A & E, out June 3. They play day one of V Fest, happening September 6 at the Toronto Islands.

Video: On the set of the video for Spiritualized’s “Soul On Fire”