Frank YangThe American Analog Set
Austin, Texas, USA

Seminal Austin slow-core band reunites for one-off performance of their 1999 album The Golden Band. Frontman Andrew Kenney now plays in The Wooden Birds, whose debut Magnolia will be out May 12
– Show review

Photos: The American Analog Set @ Club DeVille – March 20, 2009
Video: The American Analog Set – “I Must Soon Quit The Scene”
MySpace: The American Analog Set

Frank YangHandsome Furs
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Husband-and-wife duo who’ve just released their second album Face Control and are touring America and Europe in the coming months to promote
– Show review
– features at The Montreal Mirror, The Montreal Gazette and The National Post
– streaming radio session at MPR

Photos: Handsome Furs @ Club DeVille – March 20, 2009
MP3: Handsome Furs – “I’m Confused”
MP3: Handsome Furs – “Can’t Get Started”
MP3: Handsome Furs – “What We Had”
Video: Handsome Furs – “I’m Confused”
Video: Handsome Furs – “Can’t Get Started”
Video: Handsome Furs – “Dumb Animals”
MySpace: Handsome Furs

Frank YangThe Wrens
Teaneck, New Jersey, USA

Indie-rock veterans beginning the slow journey forward from 2003’s epic The Meadowlands. Recording of the follow-up is underway
– Show review
– album progress tracker at Magnet

Photos: The Wrens @ The Mohawk Patio – March 20, 2009
MP3: The Wrens – “Everyone Choose Sides”
MP3: The Wrens – “I Guess We’re Done”
MP3: The Wrens – “This Machine”
MP3: The Wrens – “Dance The Midwest”
MP3: The Wrens – “Surprise, Honeycomb”
MP3: The Wrens – “Built In Girls”
MP3: The Wrens – “Napiers”
MP3: The Wrens – “Behold Me”
MP3: The Wrens – “Grey Complexion”
Video: The Wrens – “Marked Up”
Video: The Wrens – “She Sends Kisses”
Video: The Wrens – “Per Second Second”
Video: The Wrens – “Faster Gun”
Video: The Wrens – “Boys, You Won’t”
MySpace: Wrens

Frank YangLittle Boots
Blackpool, England, United Kingdom

New queen-in-waiting of the UK electro-pop dancefloors will release her debut album Hands, produced by The Bird & The Bee’s Greg Kurstin, on June 8 in the UK. Her first release, the Arecibo 12″ EP, will be re-released on IAMSOUND on April 14
– Show review 1
– Show review 2
– profiles at Rolling Stone and The Times
– debut album info at State

Photos: Little Boots @ Emo’s Annex – March 19, 2009
Photos: Little Boots @ Brush Square Park – March 21, 2009
MP3: Little Boots – “Love Kills” (Buffetlibre vs Sidechains remix)
Video: Little Boots – “Meddle” (live at Fader Fort, SxSW 2009)
MySpace: Little Boots

Cuaderno ContableThough Pitchfork’s double-whammy today of a perfect 10.0 score and “Best New Music” laurel certainly don’t hurt, the legend of Serge Gainsbourg’s 1971 album Le histoire de Melody Nelson was well-established. Tremendously influential and infamously lecherous, the musical tale of an affair between an older French gentleman and teenage girl is a notorious one – even if you haven’t heard the record, you’ve heard OF the record.

It’s difficult to come up with words to describe the album. The proper adjectives – seedy, creepy, sleazy, debauched – all seem like negative descriptors but in this context, they imply perfection. It’s all deliberate and perfectly arranged with the orchestral strings, greasy funk guitar and most importantly Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin’s voices – the embodiment of lech and ingenue respectively – bring their story vividly to life. Even if you don’t speak French, and I don’t think that they would have taught me the necessary vocabulary in my 9th grade class, the record gets the message across musically and by the end of its sub-30 minute running time, you’re left feeling not a little bit dirty. Which I suspect is entirely the point.

Though it’s been almost 40 years since the album’s release, it’s only just been released in North America for the first time in deluxe CD form, with extensive liner notes, and heavyweight vinyl. And, courtesy of Light In The Attic, I’ve got a prize pack consisting of both the digital and analog forms of the album, along with a limited-edition poster, to give away. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “Je veux l’histoire de Melody Nelson” in the subject line and your full name and address in the body. Contest is open to residents of North America and notes that though the CD was released this week, the LP has been delayed till mid-May so if you win, that’ll come a bit later. But in the meantime, watch the video clips made for each song on the album by Jean-Christophe Averty. And then wash your hands.

Video: Serge Gainsbourg – “Melody”
Video: Serge Gainsbourg – “Ballade de Melody Nelson”
Video: Serge Gainsbourg – “Valse de Melody”
Video: Serge Gainsbourg – “Ah Melody”
Video: Serge Gainsbourg – “L’Hotel particulier”
Video: Serge Gainsbourg – “En Melody”
Video: Serge Gainsbourg – “Cargo Culte”

There’s an MP3 from the new Grizzly Bear’s forthcoming album Veckatimest. It’s out May 26 and they’re at the Phoenix on June 5.

MP3: Grizzly Bear – “Cheerleader”

Kyle from Information Leafblower interviews Bloc Party for DCist. Express Night Out and Boston Music Spotlight also have interviews.

Explosions In The Sky give Filter their guide to Austin, Texas. Well that would have been handy… a week ago.

NPR profiles Elvis Perkins In Dearland, who will be at the Horseshoe on April 29.

Prefix has an interview with Marissa Nadler, who has a date at the El Mocambo on April 21 as support for The Handsome Family.

MP3: Marissa Nadler – “River Of Dirt”

The National Post interviews Decemberist Colin Meloy.

Thanks to a commenter yesterday for pointing out that the forthcoming Wilco live doc Ashes Of American Flags, out on DVD April 18, will be getting a couple theatrical screenings in Toronto in May as part of Hot Docs. The band have also posted a bit of a news update with regards to the new album, narrowing down the release date to “late June” (which I’m guessing means June 23) and a track listing, though not in sequence.

Bry Webb of Constantines discusses getting older with The Toronto Sun. Here’s hoping his old bones hold up over their three-night stand at the Phoenix on March 31, April 1 and April 2.

Sky Larkin’s The Golden Spike will be getting a North American release on April 14. They’re at the Opera House on April 1 as support for Los Campesinos!.

St Vincent’s Annie Clark discusses her forthcoming album Actor with Spinner. The record is out May 5.

The AV Club gets a Drive-By Truckers update from Patterson Hood, including a progress report on their new album(s).

The Toronto Star and Chart chat with Cut Off Your Hands, in town for a show at the Horseshoe this Monday night.

hour.ca interviews White Lies. They’re at Lee’s Palace on Tuesday night for a sold-out show.

Filter gets to know Love Is All.

Santigold is at the Phoenix with a full band on June 3.