I’ve alluded to the fact that I’m going to be MIA for a couple weeks at the end of this month over the last little while, and that’s because I’m going on vacation. Heading over to the old country next Friday for a fortnight with the parentals for a whirlwind of PG-rated fun in the chewy centre of Europe – locales that will be visited include Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and maybe even a little Lichtenstein. It’s a bus tour dealie so there’ll be no backpacking/hosteling action, just watching lots of countryside whiz by as we hop from one photo op to the next. But it should be fun and more importantly, it’s getting me the hell away from here.

For you see, this will be the first extended blog hiatus I’ll have taken in almost five years. Since ending my enforced post-a-day regimen, I haven’t really taken advantage of the theoretical freedom that was supposed to allow. Now I will, and I really think it will do me – and this site – a world of good to get away and recharge the batteries a bit. Unless I discover that life in the cobblestone streets of Prague, blog-free, is more fun than hanging out in the Horseshoe every other night… but I can’t see how that’s possible.

ANYWAY, point is – I shall be absent in real-time for a while. I will have my laptop with me, but that’s mainly for saving down photos and watching The Wire on the bus. If I find an open wifi point, I may check in but more likely just wade through my mail or upload pics to my Flickr. No daily travelogues like the last time I was abroad in Fall 2005. Thanks to the marvels of modern science, however, there will be some automated updates while I’m away. Nothing heavy, just random bits of this and that so that the cobwebs don’t set in.

But that’s not till next week. And naturally, as I scramble to get myself organized for the trip, it’s also a mighty busy time in in terms of blog fodder, so come along while I indulge in a little link clearing in a roots-rock vein.

My Morning Jacket tell Billboard they’ve got something special planned for their set at Lollapalooza this year, namely a Marvel Team-Up with the Chicago Youth Symphony. MMJ were on of the highlights of Lolla last year, but it looks like they’re going to try and top that this year. Here’s hoping some orchestral types in Austin get in touch with the band for ACL.

Patterson Hood tells The Aspen Times the story of the Drive-By Truckers.

The AV Club talks to M Ward, who was in town last night at Massey Hall opening for Norah Jones.

Check out this minisite for Shearwater’s Palo Santo, comparing the original demos with the final versions of the songs they re-recorded for the album’s re-release as well as commentary from the band on the evolution of the songs.

Jay Farrar of Son Volt chats with The Free-Lance Post.

The Chicago Tribune and The Times talk to Jeff Tweedy in advance of the release of Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky on Tuesday.

Maria Taylor is featured in this week’s Spinner Interface.

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady tells The Guardian how rock’n’roll turned him from a 98-pound weakling into the hero of the beach. Metaphorically speaking. He also talks to The Portland Mercury about the band’s ties to baseball and guitarist Tad Kubler chats with the Detroit Free Press.

I was initially excited to hear about the double-disc Mendoza Line release, 30 Year Low, that’s been scheduled for release on August 21 – there had been talk around the end of last year about the band releasing an EP of new material as well as a compilation of rarities, and this release will be made up of both of those records. But the excitement was tempered with sadness when I saw this Catbirdseat dispatch implying that this release would essentially be the final word from the band.

I only just discovered the band with their last proper album, 2005’s Full Of Light And Full Of Fire, and as much as I enjoyed that release, I’ll fall in line with the others who declare its predecessor, Fortune, as the band’s high point. The last record with singer/songwriter Peter Hoffman in the fold, it was a masterful piece of folk rock that found Hoffman and fellow frontpersons Shannon McArdle and Tim Bracy at the top of their game. The variety in their songs and styles complimented and contrasted each other perfectly. Full Of Light put Bracy and McArdle’s dynamic front and centre and their chemistry as musical collaborators and husband-and-wife worked just as well. But now that their marriage is over and McArdle has left the band, Bracy’s intentions to continue to front the band on his own just don’t seem like a good idea. Even if he writes some amazing songs for the next record, it just won’t be The Mendoza Line to me.

The preview MP3 from this final release is an alternate version of the song featuring vocals from Bracy and McArdle but the version on the album will instead feature the velvet throat of Okkervil River’s Will Sheff.

MP3: The Mendoza Line – “Aspect Of An Old Maid” (alternate version)

And speaking of Okkervil, their next album has a name – look for The Stage Names on August 7. Pitchfork has the tracklisting and artwork for the new record.

Much Emily Haines and Metric info to dispense. Quiet Color has an interview with Emily while Pitchfork gets some info on the Grow Up And Blow Away reissue (can you call it a reissue if it was never released in the first place?) on June 28 as well as her new solo EP What Is Free To A Good Home on July 24. In addition to her Harbourfront show on July 25th, she’s been added to the lineup for the Hillside Festival on the Saturday, July 28. MuchMusic has a video interview with Emily from earlier this week and a two-track preview of the Grow Up album. And I’ve got one track from both the EP and reissue for you to save for your very own.

MP3: Emily Haines – “Rowboat”
MP3: Metric – “Grow Up”

Interesting note in the NxNE press release from earlier this week – they’re now associated with the Voxtrot show at Sneaky Dee’s on June 8th saying that 50 badges or wristbands will be admitted, but also note that the show is sold out and say a second one will be added. That’s all well and good, but with no open dates before or after the 8th, the only thing I can imagine is adding an early show, maybe without opening sets from Au Revoir Simone or Favourite Sons? Very curious to see how this shakes out since I’m planning on hitting that show after Dinosaur Jr at the Phoenix.

The National’s Boxer is out Tuesday after next. Stream the whole thing at their MySpace now. Tremble at its greatness.

Stream: The National / Boxer

Patrick Wolf plays the El Mocambo tonight and both eye and NOW have features on him. Remember, early show – doors at 7, tickets only at the door. And original opener Bishi is off the bill – Cuff The Duke’s Wayne Petti will open instead. Check out this Village Voice review of this week’s NYC show to get an idea of what we might be in store for tonight.

Incendiary talks to Low.

NME has details on the new Rilo Kiley album while Pitchfork has corrections to NME‘s details. But at least this much appears to be correct – Under The Blacklight will be out in the UK on August 20 and presumably August 21 in North America.

It figures that with every band and their mother reuniting these days, this is the one that has to be completely disavowed. Le sigh. But man, if that happened I would never say anything ill of NxNE again. NEXT YEAR, GUYS. MAKE IT HAPPEN.

NOW features Forest City Lovers, playing the Silver Dollar this coming Monday with Pony Up. My contest for passes to said show ends tonight! You should enter.

Also happening Monday night is the Fields show, but it’s now going to be at the Drake Underground rather than the Amp’d Mobile Studio. It’s free to all though if you went to the trouble of getting tickets to the Amp’d thing, those will still be honoured. What that exactly means, I don’t know. Doors are at 9, show at 10. Spinner talked to the band about drinking martinis at Frank Sinatra’s old Palm Springs pad. For serious.

Some shows of note – Hawksley Workman and Ohbijou will be playing a free show at Harbourfront Centre on June 4 as part of the Luminato arts festival, The Airfields have a show scheduled for The Silver Dollar on June 21 and Vancouverites The Awkward Stage are there a month later on July 21. And finally, looking waaaaay ahead, Do Make Say Think appear to have a date scheduled at the Phoenix for October 20. And if you’re looking to get out of the city the weekend of June 2 and 3, Track & Field out on Tantramar Farm near Guelph, could be just the ticket. The lineup is crazy solid and by all accounts past editions have been a great time. Admission hankerchiefs go on sale the week of the 24th starting at a launch party/fundraiser at the Tranzac. More info on their website.

And oh yeah, it’s my birthday. Yay me.

I don’t think it’s ever taken me a week to put together a review – but considering that this is encompassing twelve bands over four days as part of this year’s Over The Top Fest, I think I’m allowed a little extra time.

It’s funny to think that before the festival began, I was speculating that I’d surely end up seeing stuff I didn’t like, based largely on the fact that I didn’t know a lot of the bands playing and one must be realistic about such things. Well in the post-mortem, I can say with no small amount of astonishment that I enjoyed almost everything I saw – I may not be joining some fan clubs or rushing out to buy the records, but as far as the specific performances I saw over the course of last weekend go, almost everything was some degree of terrific.

I spent the first two nights at the Tranzac as well as Saturday afternoon before wrapping things up with another matinee on Sunday at Sneaky Dee’s. I didn’t purposely avoid the bigger-name shows but that’s how things shook out, making for a really laid back festival which suited me just fine. Anyway, let’s get into it (eye also has a wrapup of their weekend).

The Icicles (Grand Rapids, MI) – This four-girl, one-guy outfit started things off with matching airline-themed costumes, synchronized leg kicks and sugary pop confections topped of with tight, sweet harmonies. A late sub-in for a canceled band, they were retro without being kitchsy and so full of smiles they were impossible to dislike. Their new album is Arrivals & Departures and apparently they had a song in a Motorola commercial? News to me, but it explains how they paid for those snazzy outfits.

MP3: The Icicles – “La Ti Da”
eCard: The Icicles / Arrivals & Departures
MySpace: The Icicles

Casper & The Cookies (Athens, GA) – Even if I didn’t know they came from Athens, GA, I’d have guessed this four-piece came from Athens. Sounding like the offspring of Elf Power and early Of Montreal, their glammy psych pop was enthusiastic but also overly generic. Their energy onstage was appreciated but the music, while proficient, was ultimately unremarkable.

MP3: Casper & The Cookies – “Kroetenwanderung”
MP3: Casper & The Cookies – “April 18, 2003 part 4”
MySpace: Casper & The Cookies

The Hylozoists (Toronto, ON) – The room had been rather empty for the first couple acts but by the time the local heroes took the stage, there was a decent-sized crowd in attendance. The eight-piece lineup was only a little smaller than the massive vibraphonic spree I saw in Austin in March but the missing members (a cello and trumpet, at least) took some of the orchestral grandeur with them. Which isn’t to say that their set didn’t sound terrific – it did, whatever their configuration The Hylozoists always sound terrific – but it did reinforce the opinion that that show in Texas, so massive and majestic-sounding, was something really special.

MP3: The Hylozoists – “Smiley Smiley”
MP3: The Hylozoists – “Strait Is the Gate”
MySpace: The Hylozoists

Nick Krgovich (Vancouver, BC) – When someone at an indie rock show says they’re going to cover the entirety of Sade’s Lovers Rock save for one song, it’s hard to know whether or not they’re serious. Nick Krgovich, best known as part of Vancouver orch-pop outfit P:ano, was serious. He opened the second night of the fest with a solo set of Sade covers, accompanying his delicate falsetto with spare synthesizers and loops. The fact that it all sounded really, really good is as much a testament to Sade’s songwriting skills as Krgovich’s musical abilities. An odd but really enjoyable start to the evening.

MySpace: P:Ano

Vague Angels (New York City, NY) – Best known (to me, anyway) as fronted by Chris Leo, brother of Ted, there was definitely something familiar and fraternal in their sound, Chris’ songwriting is a lot less compact pop and more free-form, stream-of-consciousness narrative. There’s an occasional hook thrown in to keep your ear interested but the vibe was rather beatnik bar-like. That Leo spent the set seated on the edge of his guitar case didn’t help much. Apparently Ted got the need to rock out, Chris got the hairline.

MP3: Vague Angels – “Vague Angels Of Vagary”
Video: Vague Angels – “Vague Angels Of Vagary” (MOV)

Casiotone For The Painfully Alone (Chicago, IL) – Apparently this was Casiotone’s first-ever show in Toronto and judging from the sold-out crowd, some folks have been waiting for this for a long time. Looking as casual as you can get in a worn old cardigan, Owen Ashworth set up behind a small fortress of keyboards (largely Casios, natch) and performed the charming bedroom anthems that have garnered endless comparisons to Stephin Merritt. Though he opened and closed the set performing alone (though he didn’t look pained about it), the highlights were when he was joined by Jennifer Hermannsson on vocals, her sunny voice and demeanor offering a counterpoint to Ashworth’s hangdog demeanor. A nice cap to a low-key evening. Check out an interview with Ashworth at Bandega.

MP3: Casiotone For The Painfully Alone – “Young Shields”
MP3: Casiotone For The Painfully Alone – “Cold White Christmas”
MP3: Casiotone For The Painfully Alone – “Bobby Malone Moves Home”
MySpace: Casiotone For The Painfully Alone

Yah Mos Def (Philadelphia, PA) – The weekend matinee shows, as solid as the lineups were, were at a bit of a disadvantage as far as luring attendees went because it was absolutely beautiful out. It’s hard to argue for hanging out inside a dark club instead of a sunny patio. And so it was that Philly punk/hip-hop duo Yah Mos Def (one word away from a lawsuit) found themselves playing to a largely empty room. They didn’t seem to notice or mind, however, because as soon as their ipod DJ kicked in, they were all over the stage doing their thing like early Beastie Boys. I realize that’s a rather obvious and cliche reference point, but I’m not a hip-hop guy. It’s all I got. But I do know they didn’t sound like Mos Def.

Page France (Baltimore, MD) – I’m sort of on record as not being much of a Page France fan, so I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed the set from the stripped down lineup of singer/guitarist Michael Nau and bassist Jasen Reeder. I thought I’d miss the orchestral touches the rest of the band would have added but kept starker and simpler, I found their songs to be less fluffy and even detected a bittersweetness that I hadn’t noticed before. Maybe I need to go back and listen closer.

MP3: Page France – “Hat And Rabbit”
MySpace: Page France

Matt & Kim (Brooklyn, NY) – Also proving they deserved a second look were the duo of Matt & Kim. I had given their album a spin a while back and found the giddy energy contained therein too much to take but in a live context, it makes for pretty much the best time ever. With Matt on vocals and keyboards and Kim a dervish on the drum kit, the pair were like a musical overdose of happy pills, especially with Matt as the almost absurdly effervescent frontman. The crowd was small but I wager we had a good enough time to cover for everyone else in the city. Definite highlight of the weekend.

MP3: Matt & Kim – “No More Long Years”
MP3: Matt & Kim – “Yea Yeah”
Video: Matt & Kim – “Yea Yeah” (YouTube)
Video: Matt & Kim – “5K” (MOV)
MySpace: Matt & Kim

Darling Arms (Montreal, QC) – The Sunday matinee at Sneaky Dee’s promised to be a low key, sedate affair which after four straight days of show-going, suited me just fine. Leading things off were Darling Arms from Montreal, whose debut EP I reviewed last year. Those recordings were mainly Christina Frances solo but the band now includes a drummer and cellist and as nice as the recorded versions of the songs were, they really sounded splendid with the extra instrumentation bolstering Frances’ sad and lovely voice. Really nice stuff.

MP3: Darling Arms – “Beluga”

Wyrd Visions (Toronto, ON) – I caught Wyrd Visions at last year’s Over The Top matinee and wasn’t terribly impressed with his one-man dronefest performance. But it seems he’s learned something of songwriting efficiency in the interim, with his compositions now only seeming to last a really long time instead of an eternity. But seriously, while his stuff continues to fall on the wrong side of the hypnotic/narcoleptic line for my tastes, it’s evident that it’s evolving and someday it could quite possibly be something I’d enjoy. Except for the thing where he spells “w-y-r-d-v-i-s-i-o-n-s” for 10 minutes. That has got to stop.

Mt Eerie (Anacortes, WA) – The works of Phil Elverum, until this day, had been pretty much completely unknown to me. I’d never heard anything he’d done as either Mt Eerie or The Microphones but had always heard it spoken of in hushed, reverential tones so I was pleased for the opportunity to see what he was about. I’d expected a set of the quiet, acoustic-y singer-songwriter stuff that was posted at his websites, but instead the set began with Elverum strapping on an electric guitar and doing the power trio thing with a rhythm section of local players. He seemed to relish the opportunity to rock out, Crazy Horse style, punctuating his songs with ragged guitar solos and occasional bouts of jumping up and down. After getting that out of his system, he settled in with the acoustic guitar and played a set more in line with what I was expecting, Eleverum himself was quirkily charming and his songs that were intimate, a little odd and a lot affecting. Chart talks to Elverum about how he chooses to release his music.

MP3: Mt Eerie – “Woolly Mammoth’s Absence”
MP3: Mt Eerie – “2 Blonde Braids”
MySpace: Mt Eerie

And that was my Over The Top 2007. As I said in the beginning, I opted to see acts that were mainly unfamiliar to me and it was a strategy that paid of very nicely. I don’t know that I came away with any favourite new bands, but by and large I had a good time just enjoying whatever it was that I was seeing at any given show, no doubt part of the festival’s strategy of eclectic lineups. I also heard that the shows I didn’t go to were generally all very successful and well-received. It’s really nice to see the Over The Top Fest continue to grow each year and yet somehow stay just as grassroots as it ever was (I think this was my fifth year of attending the shows). Congratulations to everyone who organized and ran things on a job well done and I’m looking forward to next year.

Photos: The Hylozoists, Casper & The Cookies, The Icicles @ The Tranzac – May 3, 2007
Photos: Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Vague Angels, Nick Krgovich @ The Tranzac – May 4, 2007
Photos: Matt & Kim, Page France, The Yah Mos Def @ The Tranzac – May 5, 2007
Photos: Mt Eerie, Wyrd Visions, Darling Arms @ Sneaky Dee’s – May 6, 2007

And as long as I’m talking festivals, hello Austin City Limits lineup. Am I going back to Texas again this year? I may very well.

I swear, I had intended to have my reviews of last weekend’s Over The Top Fest done and up by today… but the fact that you’re reading an excuse instead should tell you all you need to know about that. Hoping to have that together for tomorrow, but for today, there’s this.

I can’t imagine there’s any two career moves that any musician is more wary of than a) having a hit with a cover song or b) having a hit via a TV show (note: my definition of “hit” in this context means less a #1 radio smash than simply a song that common folk might recognize). While the exposure from either of these scenarios is surely precious, they can also turn into dead ends or pigeonholes if you don’t have the talent to prove yourself noteworthy on your own merits.

I made these points in January after seeing The Last Town Chorus play a hauntingly beautiful free show at the Horseshoe, but since then I’ve gotten a copy of their new album Wire Waltz and am happy to report that it proves that band principal Megan Hickey is worthy of being known for far more than just a weepy cover of David Bowie’s “Modern Love” in Grey’s Anatomy. While it’s not that far off from the stark, austere sounds of her self-titled debut, it does introduce arrangements that are richer enough to no longer sound ascetic and some tempos that, if not exactly jaunty, do offer some more upbeat numbers that were lacking on the first record. But most importantly, Hickey’s sweet but weary voice and plaintive, otherworldly lap steel guitar are in fine form and ensure that Last Town Chorus sound quite unlike anything else out there right now.

At that show back in January, Hickey promised to be back in town sometime in March and while she’s made good on her promise to return to Toronto, her timetable was off by a couple months. The Last Town Chorus will be playing at the El Mocambo this coming Monday night and courtesy of Against The Grain, I’ve got three pairs of passes to give away to the show as well as two copies of the new CD. Yes, that doesn’t really make for even prize distributions but sometimes that’s how it’s got to be. I’m giving these away as two grand prizes consisting of the passes and CD and one not-so-grand-but-still-pretty-damn-good prize of the passes. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with your full name in the body and “I want to see The Last Town Chorus” in the subject line. Contest closes at midnight, May 11.

Hickey talks to New York Magazine, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and The Hartford Courant about the TV show thing, her choice of instrument and the music it makes.

MP3: The Last Town Chorus – “It’s Not Over”
MP3: The Last Town Chorus – “Modern Love” (live)
MP3: The Last Town Chorus – “Change Your Mind”
MP3: The Last Town Chorus – “Oregon”
Video: The Last Town Chorus – “Modern Love” (YouTube)
MySpace: The Last Town Chorus

Being There offers up an introduction to XTC.

Incendiary offers up a two–part interview with Charlotte Hatherley.

God Is In The TV and Sixeyes talk to Matt Berninger of The National about Boxer, out May 22.

Radio Free Canuckistan digs up an old interview with Jeff Tweedy dating all the way back to April 2002 and the release of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The Phoenix talks to Tweedy in the here and now. Update: RFC has posted a second ’02 Tweedy interview, this one from November.

Richard Lloyd tells Billboard that following a June 16 show in Central Park, New York, he’s leaving Television for good “in order to concentrate my own magnetic force and supernatural powers on my own career”. Yeah. While the band has split up before and gone through long, long hiatuses, this has a tone of finality to it that makes me so glad I was able to see them play last June. Lloyd is in town tomorrow night for a show at the Horseshoe wherein he’ll play some Hendrix covers and material from his re-released solo record Field of Fire and his forthcoming album Radiant Monkey – the one that’s apparently too good to play second fiddle to Television.

The Fiery Furnaces are going for an intimate vibe when they come to town on June 25, opting to play the Horseshoe rather than their considerably larger usual digs. Tickets for that are $25, Pitchfork has full tour dates.

And Swedes The Soundtrack Of Our Lives will be doing a couple shows in Toronto during NxNE – one at the Silver Dollar on June 8 and another that I’ve forgotten details about. It was announced at the NxNE press conference last night, but I think I was distracted by the wine and the sight of Dave Foley’s nipples.

I completely lost track of Montreal’s Pony Up! after seeing them in Summer 2004 opening for Camera Obscura – this despite my saying that “I was persuaded enough to pay attention down the line”. Lies lies lies.

But in the interim, they’ve not only stuck around but thrived, signing to a hip(ster) label, releasing their full-length album Make Love To The Judges With Your Eyes last year and touring with the likes of Camera Obscura (again) and The Mountain Goats. Certainly more productive than MY last three years. Anyway, they’re going to be in town on Monday for a show at the Silver Dollar with Forest City Lovers (whom you may remember from this review) and Knock Knock Ginger.

Courtesy of Against The Grain, I’ve got three pairs of passes to give away to this show. Entering is fun and easy! Just email me your full name in the body and “Giddy Up Pony Up” in the subject line to contests AT chromewaves.net. This contest will close at midnight, May 11. That is all.

Video: Pony Up – “The Truth About Cats & Dogs” (YouTube)
MP3: Forest City Lovers – “Oh Humility” (live at CJLO)
MP3: Forest City Lovers – “Doorsteps” (live at CJLO)
MySpace: Pony Up
MySpace: Forest City Lovers