Sunday, May 8th, 2011

"Palmcorder Yajna"

Ben Gibbard covers The Mountain Goats

Frank YangWhether fronting Death Cab For Cutie, moonlighting in The Postal Service or just spending some time as Ben Gibbard, Ben Gibbard has shown a willingness to bust out a cover or two and an sense of equal opportunity when it comes to doing so. Recordings abound of him playing hits and deep cuts, Top 40 pop tunes and underground obscurities; the man seems to operate on a pretty strict, “if I like it, I’ll play it” policy and that’s probably how it should be.

Circa his 2007 solo tours, between Death Cab’s 2005 major label debut Plans and their last record, 2008’s Narrow Stairs, one of the songs that made his “like” list was “Palmcorder Yajna”, from The Mountain Goats’ 2004 release We Shall All Be Healed, and so it was that the tune became a set list staple – and got John Darnielle’s approval – and surely introduced any number of Death Cab devotees to the wonder of The Mountain Goats. Though I would bet that many thought that he was playing a new Death Cab song, for such is the downside of the Ben Gibbard cover version; everything he sings sounds like Ben Gibbard.

Death Cab’s new record Codes & Keys is out in a few weeks – May 31 – and they have two local shows on their touring itinerary. An intimate and completely sold-out show next Thursday, May 18, at The Phoenix, and a big-ass date at the Molson Amphitheatre on July 29. The Mountain Goats were just here last month so I wouldn’t expect a return engagement anytime soon, though they will be at Osheaga in Montreal come late July, if you need a fix and don’t want to cross any borders.

MP3: Ben Gibbard – “Palmcorder Yajna” (live)
MP3: The Mountain Goats – “Palmcorder Yajna”
Video: The Mountain Goats – “Palmcorder Yajna” (live)

Saturday, May 7th, 2011

CONTEST – The Felice Brothers @ Lee’s Palace – May 12, 2011

FacebookWho: The Felice Brothers
What: Folk-rock five-piece based out of the Catskills, only two of whom are actually brothers from the same mother. But they started the band so they get to name it whatever they want.
Why: The remarkably prolific outfit will release their latest album Celebration, Florida on Tuesday, and are touring to promote.
When: Thursday, May 12, 2011
Where: Lee’s Palace in Toronto (19+)
Who else: South Carolina duo Shovels & Rope are supporting on this tour.
How: Tickets are $17.50 in advance, but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to be a Felice Brother” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that in to me before midnight, May 9.
What else: On Milwaukee and Madison.com have interviews with the Felice brothers.

MP3: The Felice Brothers – “Run Chicken Run”
MP3: The Felice Brothers – “Wonderful Life”

Saturday, May 7th, 2011

CONTEST – Here We Go Magic @ The Horseshoe – May 11, 2011

Maxine FauconnierWho: Here We Go Magic
What: Brooklyn prog-pop band that evolved out of frontman Luke Temple’s folkier-inclined solo project.
Why: Their 2010 sophomore effort Pigeons was followed up with The January EP, though it was in fact released in late March. Practically April. And now they’re touring.
When: Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Where: The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto (19+)
Who else: AroarA – aka Andrew Whiteman of Broken Social Scene’s latest project – opens things up.
How: Tickets for the show are $13.50 in advance, but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got a pair of passes to give away. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to Go Magic” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, May 9.
What else: Sonic Scoop talks to guitarist/bassist Jennifer Turner.

MP3: Here We Go Magic – “Hands In The Sky”
MP3: Here We Go Magic – “Casual”

Friday, May 6th, 2011

These Days

Review of Sleepy Vikings’ They Will Find You Here

Kelley JacksonHere’s a somewhat disturbing trend – bands of young’ns drawing influence from the music I grew up with, despite the fact that they probably weren’t even out of diapers when it was contemporary. Disturbing mainly in the fact that it implies I’ve crossed some sort of generational checkpoint and the cycle of influences is looping in on itself, as it does.

Case in point, Tampa sextet Sleepy Vikings, whose acquaintance I first made at NXNE last year. Despite making a non-stop 26-hour drive from there to here and playing their showcase half-dead as a result, they still impressed with their decidedly ’90s-vintage sound, all beautifully sullen jangle and fuzz. The only recordings they had to offer then were a three-song EP dubbed Ghost, but it certainly augured well for the future.

And the future is now – or more accurately, next Tuesday when their debut They Will Find You Here is released. It takes those three songs from Ghost – which remain the standout moments – and adds another half-dozen compositions that mostly reinforce what they’ve already proven excellent at. But what’s most remarkable about They Will Find You Here isn’t so much the music itself but the mood that it, as a whole, conjures. Led by singer Tessa McKenna’s subtle twang and Julian Conner’s rough harmonies, Sleepy Vikings evoke the sense of ennui and melancholy that’s one of the less-celebrated aspects of being young. They sound too resigned to be called angsty, even in their more fiery moments, but with that comes an honesty and vulnerability that would have been lost if delivered with more bluster.

I initially liked Sleepy Vikings because they sounded a lot like bands I used to – and still do – enjoy; now I like them because they remind me of things I used feel – though thankfully not nearly as much.

Orlando Weekly and therepubliq have band features.

MP3: Sleepy Vikings – “Calm”
MP3: Sleepy Vikings – “Flashlight Tag”

am New York talks to Kip Berman of The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, in town at The Opera House on August 2.

Spinner talks to Warpaint about the Interface session they’ve just posted.

The Kills’ Jamie Hince talks to Spinner and The Georgia Straight.

According to Pitchfork, Ted Leo will be recording a none-more-analog live set for Jack White’s Third Man Records next week, to be released on vinyl shortly thereafter.

Interview talks to The Antlers’ Peter Silberman about their new record Burst Apart, due out on Tuesday. They play The Mod Club on June 14.

Consequence Of Sound reports that the Soft Bulletin live shows that The Flaming Lips have been performing will produce a live album in the near future.

eye, The AV Club and Cleveland Scene interview Kevin Barnes of Of Montreal.

Simultaneously tending to both their their present and their past, R.E.M. has released another new video from Collapse Into Now while also revealing details of their next super-deluxe reissue set; next up is 1986’s Life’s Rich Pageant, which will be released in loaded-with-bonuses double-disc form on July 25. Interview has a talk with frontman Michael Stipe.

Video: R.E.M. – “Discoverer”

Fracture Compound interviews Superchunk.

It’s a J Mascis video bonanaza. In addition to a new official clip from Several Shades Of Why, there’s a set of in-studio performances over at Pitchfork.

Video: J Mascis – “Is It Done”

NYC Taper is sharing a recording of Buffalo Tom’s recent visit to the Bowery Ballroom in New York.

In conversation with Hitfix, Zach Condon reveals that a new Beirut record should be out sometime this Summer. Presumably before they play two nights at The Phoenix, August 2 and 4.

Hitfix also gets the scoop on Matt Ward’s return to being M Ward – solo artist – rather than Him or a Monster.

Fleet Foxes have posted up another MP3 from the just-released Helplessness Blues. They’re at Massey Hall on July 14.

MP3: Fleet Foxes – “Grown Ocean”

On May 31, My Morning Jacket will mark the release of Circuital that day with a live-to-YouTube concert at Louisville’s Palace Theater. The New York Times talks to filmmaker Todd Haynes, who will be directing the performance, as to what he’s got planned.

NOW finds out what’s going on in the world of Joe Pernice; home renovations, a new record due out this Fall, a possible/probable tour as Pernice Brothers and a solo show at the Dakota Tavern tonight.

Exclaim has details on the first new Richard Buckner record in five years; Our Blood will be out on August 2 and the first taste of what he’s been up to in that time is available to download.

MP3: Richard Buckner – “Traitor”

Old 97’s will follow up the release of last year’s The Grand Theatre, Vol. 1 with – wait for it – The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2 on July 5. Spinner talks to Rhett Miller about the record.

The Toronto Star, Houston Chronicle and The Daily Herald talk to Steve Earle. He’s at The Molson Amphitheatre on August 20.

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Traces

More Sloan than you can shake a stick at

Yep RocThis is not a review of the new Sloan record, the twentieth-anniversary saluting The Double Cross, even though it is out next Tuesday and the time would be about right to do a review. I will say that it’s probably their best record in over a decade, though, and one that I didn’t think they had in them anymore. Quite pleased to be wrong about that.

I’ll offer more complete thoughts on it at a later date, but for now it warrants pointing out that Exclaim is streaming the whole of the new record until Monday and CBC Radio 3 has got the band’s complete discography – including the new album and non-album tracks collected on their B-Sides Win digital comp – available to stream on their Radio 3 page. Randomly clicking through the enormous list of tunes is the perfect way to remind yourself of why they were and are still, on occasion, one of Canada’s greatest pop bands.

The band plays an album release in-store set at Sonic Boom next Saturday, May 14 at 4PM and have scheduled a full gig – their first regular Toronto show in recent memory – at The Mod Club on June 22. Tickets for that are $22.50 in advance.

MP3: Sloan – “Follow The Leader”
MP3: Sloan – “The Answer Was You”
Stream: Sloan / The Double Cross

Fucked Up have made good on their promise to release four preview MP3s in advance of the June 7 release of David Comes To Life. Grab them all below while reading through the website they’ve set up for it.

MP3: Fucked Up – “The Other Shoe”
MP3: Fucked Up – “Ship Of Fools”
MP3: Fucked Up – “A Little Death”
MP3: Fucked Up – “Queen Of Hearts”

NPR has posted a studio session with Caribou, recorded at Los Angeles’ KCRW.

The Line Of Best Fit interviews Timber Timbre.

Southern Souls have collected all of the Rural Alberta Advantage church-set videos that have been surfacing – three so far – in one place while VBS visits the band’s rehearsal space.

PJ Harvey has completed the video series for her latest album Let England Shake, premiering the final clip at Vanity Fair, along with a chat with director Seamus Murphy about the clip, while NME have helpfully gathered all the other clips together in one place.

Video: PJ Harvey – “All And Everyone”

Exclaim reports that Radiohead will perform The King Of Limbs in its entirety for BBC broadcast on July 1.

Elbow have released a little mini-doc to go along with their new album build a rocket boys!

Video: Elbow: Rocket Science

BrooklynVegan talks to Faris Badwan and Rachel Zeffira of Cat’s Eyes.

dose.ca, The Boston Globe and The Chicago Sun-Times interview Peter Bjorn & John, in town for both an in-store at Sonic Boom and full show at Lee’s Palace on Friday.

And apologies if you’ve been experiencing site slowness the last few days; been trying to figure out what’s going on, whether it’s WordPress install, my PHP server, database, hosting, whatever. None of the evidence points to a single cause but it has definitely been grindy lately. And if you’re someone who’s good at troubleshooting stuff like this and feel like helping out, please get in touch.