Georgia JaggerThis week’s selection is a little more anti-climactic than I’d have liked, but what can you do. Patrick Wolf’s latest album The Bachelor came out in the UK back at the start of June and while the North American release date of this coming Tuesday was also announced at that point, I certainly wasn’t going to wait to grab a copy of what’s almost certain to be one of my favourite releases of the year. Add in to that the fact that Wolf already toured North America at that time, and there’s not a lot of fanfare to surround the domestic physical release of the record.

I had also hoped that by this time I’d be able to report on the details of the new Lightspeed Champion record, Dev Hynes’ 2008 release Falling Off the Lavender Bridge being one of my favourites of last year and the follow-up being previously mentioned as coming out sometime in October 2009 but now set to see the light of day sometime in 2010.

So perhaps I should have saved this track for then, in case its release lined up with the second part of Wolf’s Battle opus The Conqueror, also originally set for a 2009 release and pushed back to next year. It’s a version of a Wolf b-side, circa The Wind In The Wires, which the notoriously cover-happy Hynes recorded at some point… I don’t know when or for what, but I like it. And apparently there’s more Wolf covers – ones of “Tristan” and “Bluebells” – so if you have them, please do share, and maybe I’ll be able to share those when each artist’s next albums do come out next year.

MP3: Lightspeed Champion – “Souvenirs”
Video: Patrick Wolf – “Souvenirs” (live)

MergeAlright, everyone who expected Dan Bejar to follow up Destroyer’s last record, 2008’s excellent but still underappreciated (hey, it took me months to “get”) Trouble In Dreams, with a 14-minute, absent-mindedly poetic, gently meandering yet almost-danceable synth-pop single ostensibly about the almost-US invasion of Cuba but probably about anything but, hands up? Yeah, uh huh. Liar.

Trying to predict where Bejar’s muse will take him is an exercise in folly that probably even he wouldn’t want to partake in, so it’s probably best to just try to keep up and enjoy the trip. The new tune, which is currently streaming at Stereogum, is the a-side of a limited edition 12″ single due out August 18. I find it quite pleasant and soothing, but I’ve learned to not try and comprehend Destroyer – just accept. eye doesn’t seem quite as zen about it, attempting to liveblog their first listen to it. Pitchfork, of course, loves it a lot.

Destroyer is doing a smattering of touring this Fall and my question is, considering his October 3 show at the Horseshoe in Toronto is billed as a solo performance, will he perform his latest opus? Conventional wisdom would imply that it’s impossible to recreate in that context which means, of course, that he’ll open with it and extend it out to nearly 30 minutes in length. And it will be glorious.

Stream: Destroyer – “Bay Of Pigs”

Your – and I mean my – other primary musical option that same evening of October 3 is Yo La Tengo, who will be down the street (though some distance) at the Opera House. They’re ramping up to the September 8 release of Popular Songs with a series of videos, so far one for each of the promo MP3s already let loose on the world.

MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Here To Fall”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Periodically Double Or Triple”
Video: Yo La Tengo – “Here To Fall”
Video: Yo La Tengo – “Periodically Double Or Triple”

Spin has excerpted a portion of their interview in this month’s issue with Jarvis Cocker.

Rolling Stone has, a mere eight months into the year, boldly named their artists to watch for 2009. Included amongst them are two British ladies with anatomically-oriented debut albums – first is Little Boots, whose Hands still awaits a North American release and whom you can watch in person on September 14 at Wrongbar, and also Florence The Machine, whose debut Lungs will be out here on October 13. They’re also offering up an MP3 from the album and The Yorkshire Evening Post has an interview with Florence Welch.

MP3: Florence & The Machine – “I’m Not Calling You A Liar”

Also deservedly getting a North American release is Fanfarlo, whose Reservoir will be out here on October 6. They’re doing a smattering of touring in September, but nothing up this way.

MP3: Fanfarlo – “Luna”

But a bunch of bands have just announced visits. Swedes The Sounds will be at the Phoenix on September 13 in support of their new record Crossing The Rubicon.

MP3: The Sounds – “Beatbox”
MP3: The Sounds – “Dorchester Hotel”

Born Ruffians and The Acorn are teaming up to fill the Opera House on September 19, tickets $15.

MP3: The Acorn – “The Flood, Pt 1”
MP3: The Acorn – “Crooked Legs”
Video: Born Ruffians – “Hummingbird”

Two Hours Traffic will mark the release of their new album Territory on September 8 with relentless touring – look for them on October 16 at Lee’s Palace.

MP3: Two Hours Traffic – “Territory”

Having retired the Pedro The Lion pseudonym, David Bazan will set out on tour in support of his debut album under his own name Curse Your Branches, due out September 1. He and Say Hi will be at Lee’s Palace on October 22. There’s a feature piece on Bazan at The Chicago Reader and his struggles with spirituality.

MP3: David Bazan – “Bless This Mess”
MP3: Say Hi – “Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh”

Dan Deacon is at Sneaky Dee’s on November 3. His latest album is Bromst, tickets to the party are $12. I suspect this will be bedlam.

MP3: Dan Deacon – “Crystal Cat”

Fuck Buttons and Growing seek to make a racket at the El Mocambo on November 23. Witness said racket for $10.

MP3: Fuck Buttons – “Bright Tomorrow”
MP3: Growing – “Swell”

Their show at Lee’s Palace on Monday night long sold out, Friendly Fires have made yet another date to visit Toronto, this one on December 2 at the Mod Club, tickets $16.50, and accompanying them on this trek are The XX.

MP3: Friendly Fires – “Jump In The Pool”
MP3: The XX – “Basic Space”

An immovable medical appointment has forced Dinosaur Jr to postpone their September 30 show at the Phoenix all the way into the new year, with the new date set for January 21, 2010. Seriously.

MP3: Dinosaur Jr – “I Want You To Know”

The Toronto Star looks at how the soon-to-wrap production of Scott Pilgrim has stayed faithful to the image of Toronto both in the comics and in real life.

Tom BeardIf I had more time or inclination, I might try to dig up some biographical info on Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell, the duo who make up the London-based outfit that goes by The Big Pink. But seeing as how they pretty much came out of nowhere from where I stand, I won’t try to pretend I know any more about them than you could glean from reading this piece on them from The Guardian from last November. And instead of talking about who they are, I’ll focus on what they do – which is make a fuzzy, clattering racket that sounds like various shoegazey portions of my CD collection got to copulating when I wasn’t looking.

Their debut A Brief History Of Love is due out on 4AD on September 22 and is currently streaming on the band’s website through the start of next week. It’s louder, funkier and more anthemically inclined than your typical dreampop-inspired sounds, decidedly fond of the square wave, unafraid of digital textures and respectful of the drone. It doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table but it does take some familiar sounds and moves from the last 20 years or so of British space-rock, dusts them off and gives them a good shine before pushing them out onto the dance floor. I approve.

The duo, hopefully bolstered with a live band rather than a laptop, will be touring relentlessly through Europe, the UK and then North America this Fall and that will include a November 29 date at Lee’s Palace. Check them out, but leave the fruit baskets at home.

MP3: The Big Pink – “Dominos”
MP3: The Big Pink – “Velvet”
Video: The Big Pink – “Velvet”
Video: The Big Pink – “Too Young To Love”
MySpace: The Big Pink

Consequence Of Sound has details on the forthcoming reissue of Spiritualized’s seminal Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, which will include new artwork (blasphemy!) to go with two bonus discs of outtakes and general bonus material.

Video: Spiritualized – “Electricity”
Video: Spiritualized – “Come Together”

Interview talks to Guy Garvey of Elbow. Locals may have noticed that the Letterman appearance they canceled last week’s Toronto show for never actually aired – according to this Facebook note, the show ran long and the performance had to be cut from the broadcast. Figures. But they’ve been invited back for another go in September so hopefully they’ll take advantage of being back on this continent and also reschedule that Phoenix show. Fingers crossed.

What We See Is What You Get is a site that has taken the Takeaway Show aesthetic of impromptu live performances to the streets of Toronto, and are slowly building a nice collection of videos including this one with Frightened Rabbit.

Maximo Park checks in from Japan with a tour diary dispatch for Spinner. They’ll be at Lee’s Palace on September 18.

The Quietus trades emails with The Twilight Sad’s. Their new album Forget The Night Ahead is out out September 22 and they’ll be at the El Mocambo on October 10.

They’re accompanied on that tour with We Were Promised Jetpacks – The Wickerman Festival have an interview with the band.

Exclaim reveals that Echo & The Bunnymen have finally set a release date for their new album The Fountain – look for it October 12, but don’t look for them to play it when they’re at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on October 20 – that evening is dedicated to Ocean Rain.

Billboard reports that Jarvis Cocker is writing songs for the Russell Brand-powered “sequel” to Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek.

Stereogum gets a progress report on album four from The Futureheads.

Kate Nash reveals to NME that Bernard Butler will be producing her second album. I like the sounds of that, yes I do.

NME also has an update from Glasvegas on their plans for recording album number two.

Bloc Party tells NME they have no definite plans for a new album or really anything at all once the current round of touring is over.

Already out in the UK, Noah & The Whale’s sophomore effort The First Days Of Spring will get a North American release on October 6 with touring on this side of the Atlantic to follow later that month.

NPR is streaming a session with Robyn Hitchcock.

Chart talks to Anthony Gonzalez of M83.

Both NOW, eye and The Montreal Mirror welcome St Vincent to Canada. St Vincent plays the Horseshoe on Saturday night.

Interview chats briefly with Lykke Li, in town at the Sound Academy on Sunday evening.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs review and photos coming Monday. There’s a lot to go through!

Frank YangWould Robin Pecknold have a guitar strap?

That was really the only burning question in my mind going into Tuesday night’s Fleet Foxes show at Massey Hall in Toronto. The initial one when this show was first announced back in April – could this band who didn’t even play to a full house at the El Mocambo last April in support of Blitzen Trapper now fill a venue as large and storied (to say nothing of expensive) as Massey Hall – was answered by the fact that the 2750-seat hall was completely and utterly sold out, their appeal apparently transcending demographic and generation and drawing young and old, hippies and hipsters, businessmen and alt.bros.

So really, whether or not the 23-year old frontman still preferred to perform seated or if he would deign to stand up and give his fans a good look at him was the only unknown. That, and would they be as good as everyone obviously expected they would be. Certainly, based on the adulation their 2008 self-titled debut received, topping numerous year-end lists, expectations were high. For myself, I didn’t love the record as much as many though it was impossible to not be impressed by the talent and craft that went into it – I just found it was a record I respected more than I adored. Still, the opportunity to see them return to town not as buzzy up-and-comers but bona fide stars was not one I wanted to pass up.

Support on this tour seemed a bit unusual to me, coming in the form of Swedish psychedelic merchants Dungen. My only previous encounter with them was their 2005 album Ta Det Lugnt and re-reading my review, I didn’t appear to be too taken with them. I suspect I’d have had a different opinion if I’d seen them live, however, as their set was a pretty impressive musical slap upside the head. It did start out as the sort of pastoral, folkish-psychedelia I’d remembered but as their set went on, it got more intense and jammed-out like a delayed-effect acid trip. By the end of their 40 minutes, I could fully understand why Fleet Foxes would later declare them to be their favourite band in the world. That was some heady stuff.

Playing a venue like Massey Hall is enough to unnerve any artist, but there was no sense of nervousness amongst Fleet Foxes when they finally ambled out to roaring applause that you’d normally expect for local heroes or the like. And it wasn’t due to a lack of appreciation for the history of the stage on which they stood – the Neil Young between-set mix and historical facts about the building rattled off by Pecknold (courtesy Wikipedia) were proof of that. It was simply confidence that not only did they belong on that stage, but that they’d own it.

And from the opening a capella of “Sun Giant”, they did just that. Their performance was nothing short of amazing, with their pristine four-part harmonies filling every nook and cranny of Massey’s beautiful acoustics. Hearing them sing, it wasn’t a question of whether they could play the room but whether they should ever be allowed to play anywhere else. Their set covered almost their entire recorded output as well as three new songs, one of which featured some unexpected but effective synth textures. Between songs, Pecknold – who was indeed performing upright – made casual and entertaining banter with the audience though it was drummer J Tillman who provided the most comic relief. Again, if these guys were at all nervous about the show, they were hiding it well.

Highlights were difficult to pick out – they pretty much dazzled for the full hour forty-five – but when Pecknold started the encore at the edge of the stage, unplugged and unmiked, to sing traditional folk song “Katie Cruel”, that was easily a moment for the ages. He doesn’t have the biggest voice, necessarily, but given the space and the dead silent audience, it sounded stunning. And while they surely intended to finish with “Blue Ridge Mountains”, as good a note as any to go out on, Toronto – who had waited a long time for them to return – refused to let go and a humbled and appreciative Pecknold came out again for a solo reading of “Meadowlark”. I still can’t say as though I love Fleet Foxes – the whys of that I’m not entirely clear on either – but I am awed by them and their abilities. These are some ungodly talented boys.

Chart, eye and NOW also have reviews of the show, and The Montreal Mirror and The Oakland Press have interviews. Daytrotter recently trotted out a session with Dungen.

Photos: Fleet Foxes, Dungen @ Massey Hall – August 4, 2009
MP3: Fleet Foxes – “Mykonos”
MP3: Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal”
MP3: Dungen – “Satt Att Se”
Video: Fleet Foxes – “Mykonos”
Video: Fleet Foxes – “He Doesn’t Know Why”
Video: Dungen – “Familj”
Video: Dungen – “Festival”
Video: Dungen – “Panda”
Video: Dungen – “Stadsvandringar”
Video: Dungen – “Solen stiger upp”
MySpace: Dungen

Blitzen Trapper have released an MP3 to go with the new video they rolled out from Furr a couple weeks ago. On Milwaukee has an interview.

MP3: Blitzen Trapper – “Black River Killer”
Video: Blitzen Trapper – “Black River Killer”

NPR Wilco is streaming a World Cafe session with Wilco and American Songwriter has finished counting down their top twenty Jeff Tweedy compositions of all-time. Pre-sale for Wilco’s October 14 show at Massey Hall go on sale next Wednesday at 10AM via Front Gate (the show’s not listed yet) and public on-sale is next Friday at 10AM. Oh, and if you’re looking for Wilco and Wilco-related downloads a-plenty, Owl & Bear is your new best friend.

Austin360 talks to M Ward, who will be at Massey Hall on November 2 as part of the Monsters Of Folk. Their self-titled debut album is out September 22.

And fellow Monster Of Folk Jim James this week released his debut solo effort as Yim Yames, the George Harrison tribute EP Tribute To. Paste, The New York Times and The Courier-Journal have interviews with James/Yames and the EP is streaming at Spinner.

Stream: Yim Yames / Tribute To

JamBands talks to Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers. Hood is also featured solo in a Daytrotter session.

The Courier-Journal and Metromix talk to Josh Ritter.

NPR is streaming Neko Case’s set at the Newport Folk Festival last weekend. The Edmonton Journal and SEE also have interviews.

Pitchfork reports that Devendra Banhart’s major-label debut What We Will Be is due out in October.

Soundproof has a quick feature on Dog Day.

The Deadbolt has an interview with Tony Dekker of Great Lake Swimmers.

Black Cab Sessions takes Woodpigeon for a ride.

Frank YangIt was a bit embarrassing running not one but two contests around The Decemberists’ latest opus The Hazards Of Love without actually having heard the record, so a couple of weeks ago I went out and actually got myself a copy of the dang thing. I count myself a long-time fan of the band but haven’t been that taken with Colin Meloy’s more proggish, long-form compositions and Hazards seemed to be the grand culmination of those inclinations and honestly, I was afraid to hear it because I was afraid I’d hate it.

Happily, I don’t. I don’t love it, but definitely enjoyed it more than I’d expected. It moves briskly, the more overindulgent sections don’t overstay their welcome and nestled within the whole thing are a handful of standout songs that would have fit nicely on a conventional album. And the vocal performances from Shara Worden and Rebecca Stark, both in backing and as soloists, remind how good Meloy sounds when there’s a female foil for his vocals. And perhaps most importantly, now that he’s gotten the rock opera thing out of his system, perhaps he’ll get back to his real strengths as a storyteller within a single song rather than the multi-part epics.

But the one place where a rock opera belongs is on the stage, and the touring production of The Hazards Of Love finally arrived for a one-night stand in Toronto on Monday night at the Kool Haus. I had assumed that after their last visit in November 2006 that they’d continue their upwards trajectory through the city’s venues and visit us next at Massey Hall, which would have been ideal for a show such as this. But it was the haus of kool yet again.

Touring support came from Cincinnati’s Heartless Bastards, who’d been having a pretty good year with the response to their latest album The Mountain. I had some trouble listening to the album not because of the music, but because of the mastering – the way it distorted on playback, I was sure I’d gotten a bad copy of the CD or something. Then I (accidentally?) got sent another and again, distortion. I understand that fuzz is part of their sound, but this was something else entirely. Finally getting past that, I was able to appreciate what everyone was and that’s a thick slab of country-blues rock anchored by Erika Wennerstrom’s raw, raspy vocals and greasy guitarwork. That’s also what we got in the live setting, their impressively visceral set going over well with the Decemberists’ (presumably) more cerebrally-oriented audience.

Though judging from the nervous anticipation in the audience, it’s probably a mistake to assume that the Decemberists fanbase doesn’t love the band with body parts besides the brain. After all, as soon as keyboardist Jenny Conlee took the stage to get things started, she was presented with a rather massive bouquet of flowers – welcome back to Toronto! Starting with “Prelude”, she was followed shortly by the rest of the band – much shrieking for Meloy, naturally – and for the next hour it was The Hazards Of Love, non-stop and I think that even if I didn’t appreciate the album, I’d have enjoyed the live performance. They didn’t go so far as to actually act out the narrative, it’s a bit too vague for that, but you couldn’t help but be impressed with how tightly they moved through the piece, with all the attendant instrument and stage changes, without missing a beat. Things did lag somewhat around the 3/4 mark, just as the record does, but the big finish more than compensated. For my money, the best part of the show was the fact that Worden and Stark were along for the tour and able to not only recreate their vocal parts, but add some impressive visual pizazz to the proceedings – Stark embodying the sweet and innocent Margaret and Worden the vampish, glammy forest queen. I’d always known that Worden had the voice for more theatrical endeavours but she also had the moves.

With Hazards wrapped, you’d have to think the band exhausted and so the 15-minute break was well-earned. But let it never be said the Decemberists don’t offer value for dollar, and so when they returned, it wasn’t just for an encore but an almost-full second set, made up of songs new – both songs just-unveiled over the weekend were aired out – and old, ranging from “The Crane Wife” from their last record to “Shiny” off their debut 5 Songs EP, all punctuated by entertainingly rambling banter from Meloy. It seems that having to remain mum throughout all of The Hazards Of Love was a real trial for him, as he was positively loquacious in the second set, chatting and working the crowd as much as singing. The highlight, however, was once again thanks to the Diamond ladies Worden and Stark as they came out to trade verses on a positively ripping cover of Heart’s “Crazy On You”. So so good – check out the video from their Minnesota show if you don’t believe me.

At this point they’d been going for two hours, including the intermission, so I assumed things were done and headed out. Silly me. From the street behind the Kool Haus, I heard them once again come out for an encore and thankfully one of the venue security guys needed some air because he propped open one of the doors and I was able to hear “Eli, The Barrow Boy” and a massive sing-along “Sons & Daughters” finally wrap the evening. Holy cats those guys and gals can put on a show.

Chart also has a review of the show. NOW, hour.ca, Isthmus and The Chicago Tribune have interviews with The Decemberists and NPR is streaming some highlights of their set from the Newport Folk Festival over the weekend as well as their rendition of The Hazards Of Love in its entirety from SxSW in March.

Photos: The Decemberists, The Heartless Bastards @ The Kool Haus – August 3, 2009
MP3: The Decemberists – “The Engine Driver”
MP3: The Decemberists – “The Soldiering Life”
MP3: The Decemberists – “Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect”
MP3: Heartless Bastards – “The Mountain”
MP3: Heartless Bastards – “Early In The Morning” (acoustic)
MP3: Heartless Bastards – “Searching For The Ghost” (acoustic)
MP3: Heartless Bastards – “If I Were A Carpenter”
Video: The Decemberists – “Crazy On You” (live in Minnesota)
Video: The Decemberists – “O Valencia”
Video: The Decemberists – “16 Military Wives”
Video: The Decemberists – “The Tain”
Video: The Decemberists – “The Soldiering Life”
Video: The Decemberists – “Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect”
Video: The Decemberists – “The Bachelor & The Bride”
Video: Heartless Bastards – “All This Time”
MySpace: The Decemberists
MySpace: Heartless Bastards

Lucinda Williams is in town for two nights at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on October 10 and 11. Seeing as how it’s her 30th anniversary tour, the first night she will be performing selections from her 20th century albums, from Ramblin’ through Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, while the second night will focus on the last 10 years, from Essence through last year’s Little Honey. Wow.

A Camp has released a new video from Colonia.

Video: A Camp – “Love Has Left The Room”

The Singing Lamb interviews Amy Millan. Her second solo album Masters Of The Burial is out September 8 and she plays the Mod Club on October 14.

The Black Heart Procession will release a new album in Six on October 6 and are touring to support including a November 5 date at Lee’s Palace. PitchforkTV is also streaming a film that accompanied the band’s 2002 album Amore del Tropico.

MP3: The Black Heart Procession – “Rats”
Video: The Black Heart Procession – “The Witching Stone”
Video: The Black Heart Procession: The Tropics Of Love

State talks to Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, who will be at day one of Virgin Festival Ontario, August 29 at Burl’s Creek.

Earfarm interviews Andrew Kenny of The Wooden Birds. They also played a studio session for Paste.

Clash has a feature on Explosions In The Sky.

New Radiohead song will cost you one quid. What, you wanted to pay what you can again? Pfft. Details on the track at NME.

So the Blur reunion… over and done? Alex says so, Damon says so, Graham says not so fast?