Photo by Zach Cordner

The resurgence in vinyl sales in the digital age is a popular talking point these days, so when an artist the stature of Elvis Costello announced that he’d be releasing his new album Momofuku on vinyl and vinyl only, tongues were a-wagging. After all, it was one thing to ensure your work was available to those who preferred the analog realm, but entirely another to cater to them exclusively. Eventually it was revealed that the LPs would come with a coupon for a digital download version and that a CD version would then follow – almost certainly the game plan from the beginning – but the analog uber alles-ness of the release would be the main story surrounding the record.

Which is rather unfortunate, because relative to his last few albums which were pushed as “returns to form”, Momofuku comes across a lot more naturally than EC has sounded in a long time. Both When I Was Cruel and The Delivery Man had much to recommend them, but both felt like they were trying a bit too hard – the former to prove that Costello could still rock and the latter with its concept album narrative. Like those two, Momofuku was recorded with The Imposters, who are essentially The Attractions less curmudgeonly bass god Bruce Thomas and plus more amiable bass slinger Davey Farraghar.

Momofuku feels much like a blend of those two records – the sonics recall The Delivery Man‘s rootsiness while the songwriting aspires to the ranginess of Cruel – and yet it’s decidedly more likable than either. There’s no sense that Costello had any agenda beyond making a rock record – nothing to prove, nothing to reclaim – and he puts that freedom to good use. There’s no immediate standouts, but Costello’s days as a singles artist are long behind him. Instead, it maintains a high standard throughout and is welcome both as an excellent record and as proof that Costello can still make excellent records.

But back to the initial debate – analog v digital. Courtesy of Filter, I’ve got three copies of Momofuku on vinyl (double LP!) and three on CD (single digipack!) to give away. If you’d like to win either, leave me a comment with your email spamproofed as necessary explaining why analog is superior to digital or vice-versa. The side you choose is the prize you’re seeking, though I fully expect there’ll be far more analog-heads than digi-freaks and after the vinyls are all given away, I may have to consolation prize out the CDs. Sorry. Anyway, the contest will run a week and close at midnight, June 9 and is open to any resident of North America. For my part, I love much about vinyl – the tangibility, the size, the interactivity, but there’re so many variables in playback – the turntable, the cartridge, the stylus, the setup, the preamp, the weight of the vinyl – that for someone as techie obsessive compulsive as I am, I’d spend more time tweaking than listening. That and the fact that any time I try to play vinyl, my cat attacks my turntable. So I, in fact, prefer a good digital setup (good player, good amp, good speakers). Your turn.

The Arizona Republic makes their choices for the best songs of Elvis Costello’s oeuvre while Zoilus offers some thoughts on top of his review of the record in today’s Globe & Mail.

Stream: Elvis Costello & The Imposters / Momofuku

PopMatters poses 20 questions to Aimee Mann, is relieved to receive 20 answers. Her @#%&! Smilers is out today, you can stream it below, and she’s at the Kool Haus on August 28.

Stream: Aimee Mann / @#%&! Smilers

One to file under “oh man” – I already mentioned that Okkervil River were coming back for a show at the Phoenix on October 12… well I’ve just learned that support for the show (and presumably the tour) will be Crooked Fingers. This is doubly exciting because it implies that there will be a new Crooked Fingers release between now and then. I had been thinking about going out of town Thanksgiving weekend, but I’ll now happily put that off a week or two in order to be around for this show. Tickets will be $15.50 in advance.

Four-part harmony monsters Bodies Of Water have a date at the El Mocambo on August 9, tickets $10.50. Their new album is A Certain Feeling, due out on July 22.

MP3: Bodies Of Water – “Under The Pines”

Fleet Foxes release their self-titled debut album today and are streaming the whole thing on their MySpace. They’re in town on July 16 and judging from the “THE PHOENIX w/ MALKMUS !!!! !!!! !!!!” note on their tour calendar, they’re a wee bit chuffed to be playing with Stephen Malkmus.

Stream: Fleet Foxes / Fleet Foxes

God forbid the boys in Wolf Parade should actually devote their full energies to, well, Wolf Parade with the release of At Mount Zoomer on June 17. Immediately after wrapping up their tour in support of the new record (which hits the Kool Haus on August 9), Dan Boeckner will climb back in the van as the Handsome Furs for another tour and be at Lee’s Palace on August 22.

PopMatters interviews Death Cab For Cutie, who will be at Olympic Island this Saturday.

My Morning Jacket’s Jim James hops in a black cab and plays a song from Evil Urges, out next week.

Reveille talks to Nick Torburn of Islands. And congrats to Jon, Rodney, Steph, Dimitri and Matt who all won copies of their new album Arm’s Way.

Photo by Nicholas Lorden

After much patient waiting, I was more than a bit overjoyed to find this MySpace blog post from Emmy The Great declaring that her debut full-length album was now in the final mixing stages and would be ready for release in September with the deceptively sweet title of First Love – deceptive because love isn’t as popular a lyrical theme for Ms Moss as the pointy bits of the wreckage that tends to follow.

Comparing the tentative track list with my own Emmy compilation that I’ve assembled from singles, compilation tracks and live recordings, I’m quite pleased to see that there’s only going to be three songs on the record that I’ve already heard. I’ve no idea how produced the record is going to be, but I kind of like the idea that some of those great older songs like “Canopies & Grapes” and “Two Steps Forward” (which I’ve attached a live version of below) will only live on in their simpler, scratchier forms as signposts of where the artist was at the time rather than held onto and buffed to a sheen.

Obviously when the non-album track Emmy has promised to post is available for download I’ll be relaying that on to you all, but in the meantime I recommend satiating your Emmy adorable-ness need with subscriptions to her mobile blog and MySpace blog. Hilariousness dost ensue.

MP3: Emmy The Great – “Two Steps Forward” (live)

Kate Nash gives XFM a notion of what to expect from her second album, namely more punk and Motown influences.

Duffy will follow up her show at the Mod Club in March at a venue more in proportion to her current successes – she’s at The Phoenix on August 2, tickets $27.50.

Pitchfork has full details on Okkervil River’s forthcoming The Stand Ins, which rather than an EP-length appendix such as Black Sheep Boy received, will be an album-length companion to The Stage Names. And, of course, the band will be hitting the road to promote the record bringing them back to town for the fourth local show in just over a year when they play the Phoenix on October 12.

The Harbourfront Centre free concert sched is a little clearer now – main points of interest are that Ohbijou will play a matinee set on June 28 at 3:30PM, the Canada Day evening bill will feature on the mainstage Basia Bulat at 8PM and Martha Wainwright at 9:30PM while Plants & Animals are in the Brigantine Room at 6PM. And the following weekend for Beats, Breaks & Culture will have Ladytron and Poni Hoax on the main stage on Friday night and Crystal Castles and Thunderheist for the Saturday night. Woodhands and Tortured Soul will be on the Saturday afternoon bill. Full details at NOW.

Spinner Interfaces with Bob Mould.

The Boston Globe looks back at the ’80s with M83’s Anthony Gonzalez.

The Wall Street Journal discusses @#%&! Smilers, out tomorrow, with Aimee Mann.

Music Snobbery interviews Jaymay, who has been added to the list of performers for Hillside in Guelph the weekend of July 25 through 27, which I hope doesn’t preclude the possibility of a Toronto show.

Amanda Palmer, frontwoman for the Dresden Dolls, will be coming to town August 9 as a solo act for a show at the teeny-tiny Rivoli. The sound you hear are her fans camping out in front of the club right now. Tickets will be $20.

Jenny Lewis collaborators The Watson Twins will release their debut full-length Fire Songs on June 14 and be at Lee’s Palace on July 15th. Tickets are $10 and support will come from Tim Fite.

MP3: Tim Fite – “No Good Here”
MP3: Tim Fite – “Big Mistake”

Wired talks to Film School about being tapped to open up for Swervederiver’s reunion tour. They’re not on the bill next Friday night in Toronto but will be here on their own for a show at Sneaky Dee’s on July 22.

Chart talks to Death Cab For Cutie, headlining the Olympic Island fest this Saturday.

Exclaim! discuses Evil Urges with My Morning Jacket-eer Jim James. It’s out June 10, they’re at the Kool Haus June 16.

And if anyone’s interested, the last of my photos from London are now up on Flickr.