Photo via MySpace

I think this past week was the first time this year I’ve come back from a trip and not had Thao with The Get Down Stay Down roll into town within the next 72 hours. There was a show at Sneaky Dee’s opening for Xiu Xiu in March the day after I got back from SxSW and then in May they were at the Phoenix as support for Rilo Kiley three days after I got back from the UK. And while it might be for the best – like those past couple times, I would have been way too busy/tired to go even if she was here – I’m still a bit disappointed that I haven’t been able to see them live yet as their live show comes highly recommended.

As does their debut album, We Brave Bee Stings And All, released way back in January (I’m nothing if not timely). The lazy frame of reference for Thao Nguyen’s husky rasp of a voice is Cat Power, but beyond the timbre and texture there’s not much else in common. Rather than engage in soulful naval-gazing, Nguyen is a musical extrovert crafting spirited bits of folk-pop, rich in hooks and melodies if a bit deficient in accurate vocal pitch. I’m usually a bit of a stickler or that sort of thing but in this case I’m happy to make an exception – Nguyen’s delivery is so earnestly exuberant that rather than a flaw, it becomes and endearing trait. Most times.

Thao is wrapping up an east coast tour this week, which probably means that odds of her making it up this way on a headlining tour anytime soon are slim. Maybe I should go book myself another trip. U Weekly has an interview with Thao, as does Consequence Of Sound – in MP3 format. Update: WOXY has a lounge act session available to download now.

MP3: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down – “Beat (Health, Life and Fire)”
MP3: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down – “Swimming Pools”
MP3: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down – “Bag Of Hammers”
Video: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down – “Swimming Pools”
Video: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down – “Bag Of Hammers”
MySpace: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down

Filter gets to know Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion.

Metro has a feature on Noah & The Whale, whose debut Peaceful, the World Lays me Down is out September 16 and who’ve just announced a Toronto-less US tour, though that five day gap between Boston and Chicago is awful conspicuous. Five will get you six that a local date is in the works. Mayhap they’ll be touring in one of these, or at least on the dollars earned from it.

Rolling Stone is shrinking. The end of an era. Seriously. Via No Rock & Roll Fun.

Goldenfiddle pays respects to the newly late Isaac Hayes and Bernie Mac, tells Samuel L Jackson to look out. The movie from which that’s taken – Soul Men – is out November 14.

While technically it wasn’t a quiet weekend at all – celebrity passings aside – I didn’t get up to much hence the brief post. When I wasn’t having to work from home, I found the time to go out and pull the trigger on one of them iPhone thingies… first impressions? Kinda disappointed. Not just in that I’ve spent a lot of money on a phone when no one really calls me, but I didn’t think that having one device to combine my iPod, cellphone and PDA into one Voltron-style would come with as many compromises as it has.

First, while I know that 16GB is but a fraction of 60GB, I didn’t realize how much less music I’d be able to carry around with me. I’d gotten used to being able to toss whatever onto my old iPod without really worrying about space, but now its almost to the point of one album on, one album off. But in a sense, it’s good because it’ll make me actually think about what I want to have with me rather than having everything and being overwhelmed by choice. And if I want to be overwhelmed, I can always bring the old iPod with me.

Second, I didn’t expect that the iPhone would be so limited in its text-handling abilities, in particular the inability to sync the notes with, well, anything. On my Palm, I used the notepad and to-do lists pretty heavily and now, they’re no longer available to me. Research seems to imply that that functionality is coming – along with cut and paste, perhaps – in a later version of the firmware and I’ve already figured some workarounds but I had taken for granted that I’d be able to write on the unit and then easily transfer it to my laptop. Apparently not.

Thirdly, the headphones that came with the unit, and the little mic/iTunes control, are crap. Sound like crap and fit like crap, but everyone knows that. I’ll keep using my Shure in-ears for now, but one of these combos may be in order.

But on the good side, it’s a neat little unit and just getting rid of all the AC adapters I had on my desk for charging all my other various devices has been a reward unto itself. Clutter begone! I’m still figuring out what apps I want or need – not installing stuff willy-nilly yet – but this having access to my email from anywhere… it’s pretty sweet. Now I can start ignoring your “hey check out my MySpace” emails that much quicker! I’m kidding. Sort of.

Photo by Guillermo Herren

I discovered Brooklyn trio On!Air!Library! a bit too late to be of use – they were already done promoting their debut self-title and before long, would quietly announce their disbanding. It’s a shame, too, because the trio, fronted by twin sisters Claudia and Alley Deheza, had managed to craft a unique style of beautifully fractured dreampop that was as compelling as it was confusing. Claudia Deheza and third On!Air!Librarian Phillip Wann would go on to form the underappreciated and decidedly more pop Daylight’s For The Birds, though she would leave before their debut album Trouble Everywhere was completed.

Eventually, she found her way back to her sister who had started a new project with husband and ex-Secret Machine Bejamin Curtis, which brings us to now – and School Of Seven Bells. They made their recorded debut in Fall of last year with the Face To Face On High Places vinyl-only EP and not at all surprisingly, with the angelic harmonies of the Deheza sisters SVIIB evoke the same blend of dream and delirium that defined O!A!L! – less hazy in production but simultaneously more oblique and anthemic in songcraft. But in the past year, it seems they’ve rediscovered the joys of pure pop – they’ll be following that up with a 7″ single on September 16 for “Half Asleep”, which is available to stream at Stereogum, and their first proper full-length Alpinisms on October 28, from which you can grab another song below. Based on those two tracks, I am very very looking forward to this record – the songs are both stunning.

School Of Seven Bells is opening up for M83’s on their upcoming Fall tour, including a November 20 date at the Opera House. Prefix has an interview with that band’s mastermind Anthony Gonzalez.

MP3: School Of Seven Bells – “Connjur”
MP3: On!Air!Library! – “February”
MySpace: School Of Seven Bells

And because it’s just a gorgeous song, “World’s Away” from Daylight’s For The Birds featuring Claudia Deheza on vocals. I’m a bit concerned that the band has been silent for some time, and haven’t even logged into their MySpace in a couple months. Never a good sign.

MP3: Daylight’s For The Birds – “World’s Away”

Holy Fuck have a date at the Phoenix for September 25.

November 12 brings Deerhunter, The Neighbourhood Council and Times New Viking to Lee’s Palace. Deerhunter will release Microcastle on October 28, details and full dates at CMJ.

Ladytron have released a new video from Velocifero.

Video: Ladytron – “Runaway”

Bradley’s Almanac has recordings of Swervedriver’s show in Boston this past June.

Matador reports that Yo La Tengo will release a compilation of their instrumental, soundtrack material on September 5 entitled They Shoot, We Score.

Photo by Frank Yang

Since they cancelled their last scheduled Toronto show – also their first – back in Spring of 2006, I’ve been waiting for Margot & The Nuclear So And Sos to set a make-up date. Their debut The Dust Of Retreat was one of my favourites of that year and while the album has fallen out of rotation somewhat since then (though not completely) and I’d seen them last year at SxSW as part of the inaugural Hot Freaks, the fact that they had unfinished business here has always been in the back of my mind.

And so while it was great that they finally made a date to come visit this past Wednesday, the timing was a bit odd. Sure they were on the road anyways, having played Lollapalooza this past weekend, but with their new albums Animal and Not Animal not due out till October 7, I’d have figured they’d save any border-crossing for when they had the records to flog. But I’m not complaining.

Support for this night was Ruby Coast, whom I’d seen not even two weeks ago at the last show I was at. Usually I wouldn’t expect to have a significantly different opinion after such a short interval – it wouldn’t be unreasonable if the band played the same set – but such was not the case. Well, maybe they played the same songs – I’m not familiar enough with their material to say either way – but for whatever reason, the delivery was more impressive this time out. The negatives that I took particular note of last time – their penchant for cribbing from their contemporaries – stood out less and their positives – the fact that they definitely know their way around a melody and have great presence onstage without necessarily trying – were more evident. It’s obvious they’ve got a lot of upside and as they inevitably develop and discover their own identity, they could do something really interesting. Keeping an eye out.

As for Margot, it may have been an odd time for them to visit what with them being between albums, but it also made it interesting. The Indianapolis eight-piece has obviously been playing from the Dust songbook for so long that the live arrangements on some of the songs were beginning to mutate as the band tried to keep it interesting for themselves, and the Animal material is also probably still fresh enough that it’s still finding its form onstage. It was difficult to gauge the new stuff from just a listen (I haven’t had time to acquaint myself with the Daytrotter recordings), but it seemed to be a bit more sprawling than the older stuff, less immediate. Which makes sense – with two LPs worth coming out of the recording sessions, concise pop is probably not going to be the elevator pitch, but fans will be pleased to note that their melancholic streak seems to be running as deep as ever.

Performance-wise, the band got off to a bit of a slow start but when frontman Richard Edwards commented on how much he liked Toronto and how much he didn’t like Vancouver – much to the modest crowd’s approval – things seemed to find a new gear. Buoyed, I guess, by performer and audience bonding in distaste for the left coast, the show had a good build-up from that point with the band walking the fine line between intricate orchestration and all-out cacophony. Though their set was rather short – maybe an hour including one-song encore – it was a worthy Toronto debut with hopefully more to come soon after Animal/Not Animal is finally unleashed.

Photos: Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s, Ruby Coast @ The Horseshoe – August 6, 2008
MP3: Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s – “Skeleton Key”
MP3: Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s – “Barfight Revolution, Power Violence”
MP3: Ruby Coast – “Brittle Bones”
Video: Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s – “Quiet As A Mouse”
MySpace: Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s

Though they were just here on Tuesday as part of the The Go! Team/CSS show, too-happy-for-words Brooklyn drum-and-keys duo Matt & Kim are coming back on November 8 for a show at the Whipper Snapper Gallery with Texans Best Fwends. Their matinee show as part of Over The Top last year was one of the most enjoyable things ever. Very much looking forward to seeing them again.

MP3: Matt & Kim – “No More Long Years”
MP3: Matt & Kim – “Yea Yeah”
Video: Matt & Kim – “Yea Yeah”
Video: Matt & Kim – “5K”

BlogTO catches up with Bruce Peninsulan Neil Haverty on the road out east. They’re at the Whipper Snapper Gallery tomorrow night, congrats to Jordan who won the passes to the show.

NOW and eye preview tomorrow’s Wolf Parade at the Kool Haus.

PopMatters meets The Dodos, coming to town for a show at the ‘Shoe on October 6.

Fredericksburg.com, BrookylnVegan and Washington Blade interview Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, in town next Friday opening for Radiohead at the Molson Amphitheatre.

Scott Hutchinson of Frightened Rabbit tells Highland News that he’s actually rather afraid OF rabbits – on account of potential allergies.

The News & Observer checks in with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy.

Travis Good of The Sadies gives JAM an update on upcoming collaborations and projects. They’re playing Dog Day Afternoon outside of Guelph next weekend and the Horseshoe on October 3 and 4.

The Valley Advocate and The Hartford Courant talk to New Pornographer Carl Newman.

Further to the news yesterday of the new Dears album Missiles, due out October 21, Chart points to a MySpace blog post from Murray Lightburn that confirms the rumours that had been circulating about some shuffles in the Dears lineup… namely, that everyone who’s not married to himself or Natalia Yanchack is no longer in the band.

Photo by Laura Heffington

I hate quoting myself, but listening to A Certain Feeling, the new album from Los Angeles quartet Bodies Of Water, I come back to what I wrote when I saw them open up for Sons & Daughters back in March – “a musical mystery tour through the sounds of the ’70s, paying special attention to the lessons of prog rock as well as influences you’d file under psychedelia or country”. All of which I still stand by but I need to amend it by adding what seems to be the single unifying influence on the record – rock opera.

The record’s sudden stylistic shifts, drawn-out arrangements, dramatic delivery and powerful, rotating lead vocals make much more sense in that context, instead of taken as straight pop music. And while the harmonies are the most remarkable part of Bodies Of Water’s sound, they’re not short on instrumental prowess as the extended musical sections will attest – and it’s not jamming, it’s well thought-out and executed composition. Brought together, though, it’s not so much chocolate and peanut butter to my ears. It’s too dense, too overdramatic. A Certain Feeling is something I can certainly respect, it’s just not something I especially see myself wanting to listen to a lot.

The band are playing the El Mocambo on Saturday night, August 9, and courtesy of Against The Grain, I’ve got three pairs of passes to give away and courtesy of whoever it was that sent me multiple copies of the album, I’ve also got two CDs of A Certain Feeling to give away. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I will cross this Body Of Water” in the subject line and in the body, indicate if you want to enter for the passes or the CD or both, and include your full name and mailing address. Entrants for the passes should be in the Toronto area, obviously, but if you want a CD you can be from anywhere. Deadline for entry for the passes is tonight at midnight, for the CDs I’ll let that run another few days – say till midnight August 10th.

Muzzle Of Bees asks five questions of the band, NOW has an interview of no fixed number of questions.

MP3: Bodies Of Water – “Under The Pines”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “I Guess I’ll Forget The Sound, I Guess I Guess”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “These Are The Eyes”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “Doves Circle The Sky”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “We Are Co-Existors”
Video: Bodies Of Water – “I Heard A Sound”
MySpace: Bodies Of Water

Obviously unable to let Brendan Canning enjoy the Broken Social spotlight with Something For All Of Us…, Kevin Drew has released a new song for free download over at RCRDLBL.

Drowned In Sound reports that Los Campesinos! will release the follow-up to their debut Hold On Now, Youngster… and their second album of the year with We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, due out October 13 in the UK and November 11 in North America.

The Dears will return with their new album Missiles will be out October 21. NME has reposted some musings on the new record posted by Natalia Yanchack to her blog. And I think that’s a song from the new album streaming on the band’s website – correct me if I’m wrong.

Billboard offers an early review of The Verve’s Forth, due out August 26. NME reports that even with the return of The Verve, Richard Ashcroft intends to continue with his solo career, which would explain the jammier stylings of the resurrected band – he’s saving all the ballad-y stuff for himself.

Tricky will be at the Phoenix on September 9, the same day as the release of his new album Knowle West Boy. Full North American dates at NME.

The Star-Telegram and IGM talk to The Hold Steady, who recorded a rooftop performance for PitchforkTV. The Quietus also gets a guide to surviving life on the road and Independent Weekly gets song annotations while Rolling Stone settles for a Q&A.

ClickMusic interviews Scott Devendorf of The National.

Scientific American discusses the musician/scientist lifestyle with Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg.

MTV declares Fleet Foxes “the most unlikely breakout band of the year”. Blurt also has a brief feature.

Filter gets to know Grand Archives.

The Indianapolis Star gets a Wilco state of the union from John Stirratt.

The Rochester Post-Bulletin talks to Gary Louris, who will release Ready For The Flood, his collaboration with Mark Olsen, on September 16.

Lucinda Williams will release a new album in Little Honey on October 14.

Yesterday I’d said The Whigs weren’t coming to town anytime soon – wrong. They’re going to be here on November 7 with We Are Scientists opening up for Kings Of Leon at the Kool Haus.

Photo by Christy Bush

Let’s ease back into things with some concert announcements. As mentioned before, Magnetic Morning is the long-brewing side project for Interpol drummer Sam Fogarino and Swervedriver frontman Adam Franklin. The collaboration has already yielded a self-titled EP and is currently in the studio working on a full-length for release this Winter or thereabouts.

There’s obviously potential in the pairing – Fogarino’s drums have generally been my favourite part of Interpol’s sound and Franklin has already proved himself both within Swervedriver and without – but those approaching the project expecting it to sound much like one or the other will be surprised. Based on the EP, at least, the duo are using this vehicle to explore their gentler side as it eschews the intensity their day jobs for something more janglesome and gently psychedelic. The songwriting may not be the strongest that either artist has ever been involved with – the best song is a Kinks cover – but for creating a consistent, textured and wholly enveloping mood, it’s pretty successful. I’m not completely sold but am definitely interested in hearing more.

Post-recording, they’re hitting the road this Fall and that jaunt will include an October 23 stop at the Horseshoe, tickets $11.50 in advance.

MySpace: Magnetic Morning

Lymbyc Systym are coming back to town for a show at the El Mocambo on September 11 with Austin’s This Will Destroy You, with whom they’re releasing a split album entitled Field Studies later this Fall. Tickets for that are $7.

MP3: Lymbyc Systym – “Truth Skull”
MP3: This Will Destroy You – “The World Is Our ____”

Okay, puzzle this one out. Originally announced for September 17 at the Horseshoe was the double-bill of The French Kicks and The Whigs. All well and good. Then I get an email that said The Broken West would also be at the Horseshoe on September 17 with the French Kicks, in support of their new album Now Or Heaven, out September 9. What a bill, right? But wait – the tour dates on The Whigs’ MySpace now show the band as being in Costa Mesa, California on that date opening up for Tokyo Police Club. So, instead, it looks like French Kicks and Broken West at the ‘Shoe on September 17, no Whigs anytime and Tokyo Police Club at the Air Canada Centre on September 30 opening up for Weezer. Got that?

MP3: The Broken West – “Perfect Games”

In advance of the release of their Some Are Lakes on October 7, Land Of Talk have a date at Lee’s Palace on September 27. Tickets are $10.

And because they need no reason at all to set up shop for a couple nights, The Sadies will take over the Horseshoe on the eves of October 3 and 4. Tickets to either show are $15.

Also on October 4, New York electronic duo Ratatat will be at the Phoenix delivering their new record LP3, tickets $15. And that’s a live show so if you’ve got Nuit Blanche plans that night (or Sadies plans or Laura Marling plans) you can do both! Or three! But not all four.

MP3: Ratatat – “Mirando”
Video: Ratatat – “Mirando”

Crystal Castles will be at Circa on October 24.

MP3: Crystal Castles – “Untrust Us”

David Byrne will bring the songs of himself and Brian Eno – but contrary to earlier reports, not Eno himself – to Massey Hall on October 29. Their project is Everything That Happens Will Happen Today and an MP3 is available at the website in exchange for your email address.

Some bits from bands coming to town very soon – You Ain’t No Picasso asks Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So And Sos about some various first times. Margot are at the Horseshoe tonight, congrats to Diana and Matt who won the passes to the show.

Aimee Mann prognosticates bad times for the music industry for The Washington Times. She’s at the Kool Haus on August 28.

JAM recounts the (recent) life and times of Spiritualized, who are at day one of V Fest on September 6. They also have a new video from Songs In A & E. Vice has an interview with video director Jake Chapman.

Video: Spiritualized – “You Lie You Cheat”

Spin welcomes My Bloody Valentine back to the world of active bands with a look back at their history. MBV are at the Ricoh Coliseum on September 25.

New York Magazine profiles Lykke Li, whose Youth Novels is out August 19 and will play the Mod Club on October 24. She also has a new video.

Video: Lykke Li – “Breaking It Up”

And finally, some bits from acts who were just here. The Star-Tribune chats with She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel.

Spin has posted online this month’s cover story on Duffy, who has released a third video from Rockferry. Wales Online also has an interview.

Video: Duffy – “Stepping Stone”

Neil Halstead discusses Oh! Mighty Engine with the blogger types, offering interviews to BrooklynVegan and Muzzle Of Bees.

NOW and Chart make time with Mates Of State.