Monday, November 7th, 2011
Loney Dear at The Drake Underground in Toronto
Frank YangWhile I don’t expect anyone loses any sleep over anything I write, I feel compelled to offer a formal mea culpa for my thoughts on Loney Dear’s last record Dear John. Said review wasn’t a thumbs down by any means nor was it inaccurate, but “yeah it sounds like all his other stuff but that’s okay” now feels at best faint praise and at worst, dismissive. And considering how much I’ve grown to properly appreciate the work and vision of Emil Svanängen, I’d like to take the opportunity of Saturday night’s show at the Drake Underground in support of his latest album Hall Music to properly praise him.
As I mentioned, it’s true that all the Loney Dear albums share a similar vibe and dynamic – that of orchestrally ornate pop that ruminates on love and melancholy the ebbs and crests with Svanängen’s falsetto – but rather than imply a lack of new ideas, Svanängen continues to find new angles to observe from and depths and heights to explore within those parameters. That every one of his albums offer a fully-realized suite of songs and are as worthy a point of entry into his catalog as any other is remarkable, and also necessary – his works have been released in North America in as non-chronological a sequence as mathematically possible, with Hall Music being pretty much the first to count as the “new” Loney Dear album everywhere in the world at once.
Within the parameters of what is Loney Dear, Hall Music could be considered a bit of a revolution, particularly when compared to its predecessor, Dear John. Whereas John was sonically dense and had a distinctly sleek and synthetic sheen to it, Hall Music feels sparer but bigger, no doubt a result of the chamber orchestra tour undertaken prior to its recording. It makes full use of the reverberant space around things to create a more stately, almost spiritual, frame to present Svanängen’s compositions, the net result being what may be the most cohesive and beautifully rendered album in the Loney Dear canon.
So you might think that reproducing all of the grandeur live would require a full band if not a full orchestra. Instead, his brief North American tour was billed as a solo one, which might have raised concerns about the material being done full justice – my reviews of his past two visits in June 2007 and October 2009 hailed his band for being able to bring his complex arrangements to life – but when you consider that the Loney Dear recordings are largely done by Svanängen alone, this might have actually been the more faithful presentation. And considering the stage setup consisted not of a single acoustic guitar but of a fortress of gear arranged on four sides around a single seat, I was pretty confident this wouldn’t be a thin-sounding show.
And indeed, “thin” was about the last thing you could call the hour-long set. Deftly working an array of effects, bass pedals and loopers with his feet while singing and playing 12-string acoustic, Svanängen did a remarkable job of recreating and reinventing material from all of his albums, even adding live percussion by playing an array of drums and cymbals and looping them into the mix. One-man band? One-man orchestra, more like. It wasn’t completely strictly solo – he solicited a choral F# note from the audience and had a tour companion named Susanna (missed the surname but she hails from a town about 10km from where original Metallica bassist Cliff Burton was killed – this was the banter on offer) on backing vox and keys for a few songs. Nor was it flawless as a runaway note from a stuck bass pedal during “My Heart” forced him to dash back to his laptop to silence the offending tone, though full points for not missing a single lyric while doing so.
At one point, Svanängen apologized for the slowness of the material chosen for the set, a consequence of the church settings he’d been playing at home of late, but no apology was necessary as it suited the sit-and-listen mood of the audience quite well. If there was any regret, it was that long-time bandmate Malin Ståhlberg wasn’t on hand to not only add backing vocals but to take lead on my favourite song from Hall Music, “What Have I Become?”. But to have her there would have made it a completely different show, and this one was just about perfect in its way; as beautiful and heartswelling as I’ve learned to expect Loney Dear shows to be, but in a completely new way.
Gimme Indie is streaming a live recording from Sweden a couple weeks ago.
Photos: Loney Dear @ The Drake Underground – November 5, 2011
MP3: Loney Dear – “Calm Down”
MP3: Loney Dear – “My Heart”
MP3: Loney Dear – “Ignorant Boy, Beautiful Girl”
MP3: Loney Dear – “Airport Surroundings”
MP3: Loney Dear – “I Was Only Going Out”
MP3: Loney, Dear – “I Am John”
MP3: Loney, Dear – “A Few Good Men”
Video: Loney Dear – “Young Hearts”
Video: Loney Dear – “I Was Only Going Out”
Video: Loney Dear – “Airport Surroundings”
Video: Loney, Dear – “I Am John”
Video: Loney, Dear – “Saturday Waits”
Q solicits a soundtrack for a meal from Amanda Mair.
Björk talks to Clash about Biophilia, from which she has released another new video.
Video: Bjork – “Thunderbolt”
Aux.tv talks shop with Vincent Morriset, director of the film component of the new live Sigur Rós document Inni, out next week. And Jonsi’s solo projects continue with the announcement that he will score the new Cameron Crowe film We Bought A Zoo with new and old material. The soundtrack will be out on December 13 and the film will be released on December 23. Exclaim has specifics, and that title? Not a metaphor.
Trailer: We Bought A Zoo
Franco-Finn duo The Dø will be releasing their second album Both Ways Open Jaws on November 15. An MP3 for a single which came out on their Dust It Off is available now to preview, along with a video.
MP3: The Dø – “Slippery Slope”
Video: The Dø – “Slippery Slope”
If you’re heading to Massey Hall tonight for the first of two shows by Noel Gallagher and are concerned you haven’t heard any of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds because it’s not released until tomorrow, fear not – Rolling Stone has the former Oasis songwriter’s solo debut available to stream so you can get acquainted with all the songs you’ll be patiently waiting through before you hear “Don’t Look Back In Anger”. And apparently a half-hour film documenting the recording sessions of said album is out there; Rolling Stone also has those details.
Stream: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds / Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
Beatroute profiles The Jezabels, who’ve released a new video from Prisoner – out tomorrow – and will be at The Phoenix on November 24 and 25 supporting Hey Rosetta!.
Video: The Jezabels – “Trycolour”
Sunday, November 6th, 2011
Coeur de Pirate covers The Weeknd
Frank YangMontrealler Béatrice Martin is also known as Coeur de Pirate but is best known for her lovely, piano-led Francophone pop, the likes of which populated her 2008 self-titled debut and made her a bit of an international star in the process.
But if you’ve seen her live, you’d know that she’s fluently bilingual and that she likes to show off both her English skills and knowledge of contemporary pop music with covers. Lots of them. From the stage she’s offered her take on the likes of Rihanna, Katy Perry and Phoenix, amongst others, and this Summer, while working on her second album Blonde, she took the time out to not only record a version of Toronto R&B sensations The Weeknd’s curse-filled, self-loathing “Wicked Games” from their House Of Balloons mixtape, but make a video for it as well.
Blonde is set for release this Tuesday, and Coeur de Pirate is at The Mod Club in Toronto this Friday, November 11, to celebrate its release. Who knows what cover she’ll have planned for the occasion. The Montreal Gazette, Montreal Mirror, and Beatroute have interviews with Béatrice Martin. The Weeknd released the second part in their mixtape trilogy – Thursday – in August and the final instalment, Echoes of Silence, is due out this Autumn.
MP3: Coeur de Pirate – “Wicked Games”
Video: Coeur de Pirate – “Wicked Games”
MP3: The Weeknd – “Wicked Games”
Saturday, November 5th, 2011
Jacqueline Di MiliaWho: Mister Heavenly
What: Despite a heavyweight lineup featuring principals and members of Man Man, Islands and Modest Mouse, they initially garnered attention for having actor Michael Cera as their bassist.
Why: With Cera no longer a part of the band, they are hitting the road in support of their debut Out Of Love.
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Where: The Great Hall in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Brooklyn punk band Mr. Dream are tourmates, hopefully for reasons beyond how great the venue marquees will look with both band names up there.
How: Tickets for the show are $14 in advance but courtesy of Embrace, I have two pairs of passes to give away to the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to meet Mister Heavenly” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that in to me before midnight, November 13.
What else: The Saint Augustine Record and Sunshine Slate have band interviews.
MP3: Mister Heavenly – “Bronx Sniper”
MP3: Mister Heavenly – “Pineapple Girl”
MP3: Mister Heavenly – “Bronx Sniper”
Saturday, November 5th, 2011
Antonia TricaricoWho: Joe Lally
What: Washington, DC bassist and icon, probably best known for co-founding a kind-of influential band called Fugazi.
Why: With the hardcore/punk forebears on hiatus since 2003, Lally has been going it solo and released his third album Why Should I Get Used To It earlier this year.
When: Saturday, November 12, 2011
Where: The Drake Underground in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Chicago-based cellist Alison Chesley who performs as Helen Money supports and also plays in Lally’s band
How: Tickets for the show are $10 in advance but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I have two pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see Joe Lally” in the subject line and your full name in the body and have that in to me before midnight, November 9.
What else: The Riverfront Times has an interview with Lally.
Stream: Joe Lally – “Why Should I Get Used To It”
Friday, November 4th, 2011
Review of Ryan Adams’ Ashes & Fire and giveaway
David BlackThat Ryan Adams’ retirement from music – declared at the start of 2009 as a result of personal, medical, and industry factors – wouldn’t last was never in question. You don’t go from being as prolific as he had been over the past decade and a half to radio silence without a relapse or two. That said, he made a pretty good go of it for a while, busying himself with writing and being Mr. Mandy Moore. By early 2010, however, he was clearly ready to get back to making music and soft-launched his post-Cardinals career with the limited, vinyl-only release of a metal album that had been sitting in the vaults for a few years, and then before the year was out, a final Cardinals record – also shelved for a few years – was released via his website.
So while it’s his third release in under two years, Ashes & Fire is notable for being the first in some time to contain newly-written and recorded material without The Cardinals and get a wide release. And for anyone expecting Adams to make his return with a grand, rock’n’roll statement, Ashes may come as a bit of a puzzle – it’s slow, understated and primarily acoustic, sounding more of a denouement than a declaration, but most of all it sounds peaceful. An unexpected place for alt.country’s one-time enfant terrible and someone known for being creatively and personally mercurial, but considering that Adams has basically grown up in public – that first Whiskeytown record came out when he was 21 – it’s rather comforting to know that he’s feeling more settled and contented now.
If approached without the weight of expectation, without hoping for another Heartbreaker as I’ll admit I have for a decade now, Ashes has much to recommend it. Adams is in fine voice, his raspy croon having aged nicely and perfectly suiting the material, and though it initially sounds quite skeletally-arranged, there’s a full band in there playing with delicacy and restraint. It’s easy to wish that maybe there was a little more of the fire that the album’s title promises, but even a token rocker would probably detract more from the atmosphere of the album as a whole than it would add. And anyways, the guy just put out a metal album – maybe hit that up if you need some volume. Ashes & Fire comes with a very specific sound and purpose and it fulfills that most effectively.
Though Ashes & Fire came out digitally and on CD last month, the vinyl edition won’t be out until next week and courtesy of EMI Music Canada, I’ve got three copies of the LP edition to give away. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want Ashes & Fire” in the subject line and your full name and mailing address in the body, and have that to me by midnight, November 11. And sorry, contest only open to residents of Canada.
Adams plays the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto on December 10. Paste, Adelaide Now and The Quietus have interviews and NPR an interview and session with WFUV.
Video: Ryan Adams – “Lucky Now”
Video: Ryan Adams – “Ashes & Fire”
Stream: Ryan Adams / Ashes & Fire
NPR welcomes Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks to the World Cafe for a session.
Rochester City Newspaper, The Portland Press Herald and Yes! Weekly talk to Joey Santiago of Pixies.
NPR has a six-song session with Wild Flag up to stream while The San Francisco Examiner talks to Carrie Brownstein.
Spin has posted a nice gallery that gets the likes of Justin Vernon and Johnny Marr to talk about their instruments.
Let’s play three – Tokyo Police Club have added a December 10 date to their run at The Phoenix in December, making it a three-night residency. As with the other two shows, Born Ruffians and Said The Whale will support. Tickets are $25.
MP3: Tokyo Police Club – “Party In The USA”
MP3: Born Ruffians – “Sole Brother”
MP3: Said The Whale – “Camilo (The Magician)”
Pitchfork are on board with Vancouver garage-soul outfit Chains Of Love, offering up the A-side of their new 7″, out December 13, and reporting that the band’s debut EP will be coming in early 2012. They’re at The Horseshoe on Tuesday night, November 8, for a free show. Go. Show appears to have been nixed. Sorry.
MP3: Chains Of Love – “Breaking My Heart”
The Edmonton Journal, Saskatoon Star Phoenix and Calgary Herald interview Dan Mangan.
Paste has a quick video session with Stars.
Toronto post-rockers Old World Vulture have released an MP3 as a teaser for their forthcoming album, due out in early 2012. Hear it live when they play Rancho Relaxo on November 12.
MP3: Old World Vulture – “Trophy Lovers”
Paste declares PS I Love You amongst the best of what’s next.
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