Frank Yang

Who: B For Butterfly
What: English duo apparently not given to divulging much information about themselves, but prefer to let the music speak for them. And the two songs they’ve offered up say volumes; haunting and spare, rooted in folk and versed in rock and rich with melancholic melody and soaring harmony. If everything that showed up in my inbox was half as beautiful, it’d be a better world.
MP3: B For Butterfly – “Photograph”
MP3: B For Butterfly – “Treading On Snails”

Who: Old World Vulture
What: Quartet hailing from various points along the 401 offers a more extroverted take on instrumental post-rock and see no reason why sweeping cinematic soundscapes can’t live in harmony with squelching synths and heavy-ass guitar riffing. They’re giving away some tracks from their forthcoming debut EP on their website and are playing the Horseshoe this Friday night, December 11.
MP3: Old World Vulture – “Bastard Engine”
MySpace: Old World Vulture

Frank Yang

Who: Think About Life
What: Montreal outfit hasn’t quite managed to translate the insane energy of their live show into a recording – that’s near impossible and probably dangerous – but they do capture the anything-goes, good-times-till-you-drop spirit with their disco-rocking second album Family. They play the Phoenix on November 20 supporting You Say Party! We Say Die!
MP3: Think About Life – “Johanna”
MP3: Think About Life – “Having My Baby”
Video: Think About Life – “Sweet Sixteen”
MySpace: Think About Life

Who: Ava Luna
What: Brookylnites make fusing impassioned soul. gospel/doo-wop choirs and abrasive, synth-power post-punk sound like a good idea. They’re at the Boat on Tuesday night and their new EP Services is out in December.
MP3: Ava Luna – “Clips”

Frank Yang

Who: Golden Bloom
What: Latest record Fan The Flames is chock full of thoughtful and shimmery power-pop oft compared to Summerteeth-era Wilco. A bevy of downloads and an interview with main man Shawn Fogel available at Ryan’s Smashing Life.
MP3: Golden Bloom – “Doomsday Devices”
MP3: Golden Bloom – “E.H.M.”
MP3: Golden Bloom – “The Fight At The End Of The Tunnel”
Video: Golden Bloom – “Doomsday Devices”
MySpace: Golden Bloom

Who: Zeus
What: Retro-minded Toronto quartet whose debut EP Sounds Like Zeus strikes a perfect balance of pop melody and virtuostic riffery with a Genesis cover that’s either points for or against, depending on your opinion of Collins-era Genesis. They play the Rivoli on Thursday night, November 12.
MP3: Zeus – “Marching Through Your Head”
Video: Zeus – “Greater Times” (live on alt.sessions)
Video: Zeus – “Fever Of The Time” (live on alt.sessions)
MySpace: Zeus

Who: Steven McKay
What: The drummer for Bruce Peninsula steps out from behind the kit with some unexpectedly rich and intricate folk-pop orchestrations which inhabit a similar fantasy landscape as St Vincent. He plays the Drake Underground on Thursday night with Catriona Sturton & The Pigeons and Abigail Lapell.
Video: Steven McKay – “Andy’s House” (live on Southern Souls)
Video: Steven McKay – “Restore Me” (live on Southern Souls)

Frank Yang

Who: Said The Whale
What: Vancouver quintet sing about what they know – Vancouver, the sea and heartbreak – and their intersections and allegories, rendered in big happy pop styles on their new record Islands Disappear. They’re currently on a cross-Canada tour which stops at the El Mocambo on October 28.
Video: Said The Whale – “Camilo (The Magician)”
MySpace: Said The Whale

Who: It Hugs Back
What: Warm and whispery narcolepsy-rock from English outfit with an American Analog Set record or five in their collections filed alongside their complete Yo La Tengo discographies. Their latest album is Inside Your Guitar.
MP3: It Hugs Back – “Now & Again”
MP3: It Hugs Back – “Work Day”
Video: It Hugs Back – “Now & Again”
Video: It Hugs Back – “Work Day”
MySpace: It Hugs Back

Frank Yang

Who: The Danks
What: PEI four-piece who include a member of Two Hours Traffic, are touring with Two Hours Traffic and sound like a louder and rowdier Two Hours Traffic. RIYL: Two Hours Traffic. Their debut album is Are You Afraid Of The Danks and they’re at Lee’s Palace this Friday night with – wait for it – Two Hours Traffic.
MP3: The Danks – “Die Young”
MP3: The Danks – “Treaty Connector
MP3: The Danks – “I Mean, Come On”
Video: The Danks – “Planet Beach”
MySpace: The Danks

Who: Sharon Van Etten
What: Because I Was In Love, the 2009 debut from the Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, is a sweet blend of melancholy and narcolepsy. Not new, but never out of style as long as there exist acoustic guitars and heartbreak. She opens for Kyp Malone’s Rain Machine at Lee’s Palace on October 19.
MP3: Sharon Van Etten – “For You”
Video: Sharon Van Etten – “For You”
MySpace: Sharon Van Etten

Who: ArpLine
What: New York outfit formerly trading under the name The Kiss Off deals in synth-infused, borderline-histrionic glam anthems. Their full length debut is due out in early 2010.
MP3: ArpLine – “Fold Up Like A Piece Of Paper”
MP3: ArpLine – “Rope”