Sunday, March 14th, 2010
Superchunk covers Archers Of Loaf
superchunk.comThis one’s for the oldsters. Of which I am one. But not old enough to have ever seen Superchunk live… okay, I am, but wasn’t tuned in enough to have caught them before they went on hiatus in the early ’00s. Which is why for SxSW this week, for all the shiny young things looking to make a splash, the one act I am most looking forward to seeing is the ‘Chunk. In recent years they’ve come out of retirement just enough to make occasional live appearances like the one or two they have planned for Austin this week. One of them I will have to miss due to other commitments and logistics, so if you’re looking for me, La Zona Rosa on Friday at 3PM is a good start. And if I’m not there, then call the cops because the bats have taken me.
And while all I want to hear from them is their own songs, if, say, Matt Gentling and Eric Bachmann from fellow ’90s college rock heroes Archers Of Loaf were to join them onstage as they did in Atlanta in February 2001 and tear through “Harnessed In Slums”, well allowances can be made. Not that I expect that to happen. Really. Gentling was only a temporary touring member of Band Of Horses so while they’re in town, he probably won’t be. And as Bachmann recently tweeted, he’s getting started on the next Crooked Fingers record, so he’s busy doing God’s work.
Would you look at how young Bachmann looks in that video? Gadzooks.
MP3: Superchunk – “Harnessed In Slums”
Video: Archers Of Loaf – “Harnessed In Slums”
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
Diamond Rings, First Rate People and The Darcys at Canadian Musicfest
Frank YangOkay, so for the more intrepid festival-goers Thursday night would have been Canadian Musicfest night TWO, not one. But I think that with the amount of standing around on sticky barroom floors I’ve got coming up, I should be given a bye for choosing to begin my CMF at the traditional Thursday starting line rather than the present-day realistic Wednesday one, though that starting line was located at The Garrison, some ways away from the traditional CMW stomping grounds.
The event was the eye weekly showcase, and the draw one act whom I’d been meaning to see for the better part of six months and another whom I’d only discovered a week or so ago, but was finding more than a little bit intriguing. These were First Rate People, an act who in this era of online over-sharing had managed to maintain an air of mystery about them, offering nothing in way of image and a few tantalizing song samples that reveled in a sample-heavy, retro-pop, soul revue aesthetic. Live, however, there were no such airs about them. The five-piece all looked barely old enough to be in the bar legally, and rather than belie their young age, their set and sound reveled in it. Not in any juvenile or amateurish sense – there was clearly a lot of talent up there as well as instrument swapping – but in their giddy, “school’s out!” spirit and refreshing disregard for things such as musical genre. Reminiscent at their best of Saturday Looks Good To Me with more hip-hop than power-pop in their blood, they’ve still not fully reconciled their beats-friendly inclinations with their traditional band roots and their best hooks are still coming from the samples and not them, but when – not if – they get it together, they’ll be a potent crew.
Photos: First Rate People @ The Garrison – March 11, 2010
MP3: First Rate People – “Girls’ Night”
I had missed countless opportunities to see Diamond Rings live since he emerged as a Pitchfork darling last Summer, so with only the breezy videos to go by, I was expecting John O’Regan’s glammy alter-ego to be a tongue-in-cheek bit of synth-poppery. And while the unicorn tapestry hanging off the front of his synth was a bit of fun, the performance was decidedly darker and more dramatic than any of that – the light-hearted “All Yr Songs” was an anomaly amongst the songs that will likely make up the full-length debut Special Affections, due out later this year, and second single “Wait & See” takes on an entirely different character when heard without the visuals. Also helping the intensity of the performance was O’Regan picking up the guitar for more than a few numbers and injecting some welcome D’Urbervilles-ish skronk. An impressive set, and it was good to see that the Bowie comparisons that get used in describing Diamond Rings go much further than just the Aladdin Sane-ish makeup; the style is obvious, but there’s plenty of substance as well.
Photos: Diamond Rings @ The Garrison – March 11, 2010
MP3: Diamond Rings – “All Yr Songs”
Video: Diamond Rings – “All Yr Songs”
Video: Diamond Rings – “Wait & See”
MySpace: Diamond Rings
I then took leave of The Garrison and hoofed (then streetcar-ed) it to the El Mocambo for the Audio Blood showcase, which had the good luck of a) featuring a band I wanted to see at the precise time I would be able to get there and b) being en route to my apartment. I had seen The Darcys at NXNE last year, but since that show they’d undergone some pretty fundamental lineup changes with the departure of frontman Kirby Best and they’ve since recorded a new record under the production auspices of The Dears’ Murray Lightburn. And while the positive-and-not-derivative Radiohead comparisons I made in June still hold, new singer Jason Couse’s voice does have a greater Yorke-ian influence than his predecessor; a fact that could be troubling if its used in the wrong (read: obvious) way. Musically, they still have superb arrangements and songcraft built on a bed of white noise and white knuckles, but they could stand to sublimate the angst in their delivery a bit. I suggest rolling it up into a little ball and swallowing it deep, down inside. That’s what I do.
The Varsity has an interview with The Darcys.
Photos: The Darcys @ The El Mocambo – March 11, 2010
MP3: The Darcys – “House Built Around Your Voice”
MySpace: The Darcys
Daytrotter has posted up a session of Michael Jackson covers from Snowblink, who are opening up for Owen Pallett at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 8.
The Vancouver Sun and The Georgia Straight have feature pieces on Basia Bulat, who has announced a show at The Phoenix on June 4, tickets $17.50. Her video session with QTV also just went online.
MP3: Basia Bulat – “Gold Rush”
Video: Basia Bulat – “Gold Rush” (live on QTV)
The National Post talks to Dan Mangan, who plays an in-store at Criminal Records tonight at 6PM and will be at the Horseshoe on April 22.
Pitchfork reports that Holy Fuck will release their new record Latin on May 11.
Friday, March 12th, 2010
The Besnard Lakes at Criminal Records in Toronto
Frank YangWednesday night’s in-store at Criminal Records had something for everyone. For The Besnard Lakes, it was an opportunity to refine the translation of their just-released new record The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night into live performance before setting out on a world tour that would take them and their much-anticipated new album across Europe and North America. For those in attendance, it was a chance to be amongst the first anywhere to hear the new songs live and in an intimate – and free – setting, without having to endure the crowds that would surely be jamming the Horseshoe last night at their official Canadian Musicfest last night. Win-win.
That said, the brightly-lit retail outlet was an unusual setting for a band as much about atmosphere as the Besnards. Partway through the set, bassist Olga Goreas mentioned how much she was missing their signature smoke machine and a little bit of that probably would have better set the mood for the show, through which the audience sat almost too-respectfully silent on the floor of the store. Instead, all the mood would have to come from the music – epic in scope and massive in weight and probably requiring more hands to reproduce live, not less. Yet the departure of keyboardist Nicole Lizee after the touring cycle for The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse was done left the band as a four-piece and as such, frontman Jace Lasek had to augment his guitar-playing and pedal-stomping with laptop and keyboard duties. And while they probably could have gotten away with simply playing louder, the extra care taken to reproduce the fullness of the Roaring Night material was appreciated.
The set was made up mostly of new material which, with the record having been officially available for less than 48 hours, was probably unfamiliar to much of the audience but they did throw the fans a bone with a single number off of Dark Horse before going even further back – I assume from their debut Volume 1 – for a closing number that sounded almost completely unlike their present-day material. It wasn’t the most engaging Besnard Lakes show I’d ever seen – as befit a dress rehearsal of sorts, they were concentrating more on the playing than the performing – but I’m sure that by the time they return to town, with The Roaring Night fully road-tested, it’ll be something to behold. And there’ll be the smoke-machine.
Spinner, Chart, The Montreal Gazette, hour.ca, The List, The Montreal Mirror, CBC and NOW all have feature pieces on the Besnard Lakes.
Photos: The Besnard Lakes @ Criminal Records – March 10, 2010
MP3: The Besnard Lakes – “Albatross”
MP3: The Besnard Lakes – “And You Lied To Me”
MP3: The Besnard Lakes – “For Agent 13”
Video: The Besnard Lakes – “For Agent 13”
Video: The Besnard Lakes – “Devastation”
Stream: The Besnard Lakes / The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
MySpace: The Besnard Lakes
Spinner talks to Think About Life, who play Lee’s Palace tonight at 1AM.
John O’Regan of Diamond Rings graces the cover of this week’s eye, who also talk to his bandmate in The D’Urbervilles, Tim Bruton. Diamond Rings the Silver Dollar tonight at midnight, while The D’Urbs are up at 10PM at the Garrison.
Torontoist questions Dan Mangan, who plays the Courthouse tonight at 11PM, Criminal Records tomorrow at 6PM and the Horseshoe on April 22.
eye takes a look inside the apartment of Rural Alberta Advantage frontman Nils Edenloff. It’s okay, they were invited. Spinner settles for a chat.
The Toronto Star, Lucid Forge and Torontoist talk to Woodhands, who have just announced they’ll be playing tonight (!) at Wrongbar as a last-minute CMF addition – tickets are $12.50, on sale now.
Chart interviews The Balconies, whom they’re rightly declared a hot act. Witness the hotness at the Horseshoe Saturday night at 9:20PM
The Sadies will release their new album, entitled Darker Circles, on May 18. Live dates are sure to follow, but I’m going to go out on a limb right now and say they’ll be at the Horseshoe on December 31.
The National Post Q&A’s Great Lake Swimmers.
The Weakerthans will celebrate the release of their live CD/DVD set Live At The Burton Cummings Theatre on March 23 with an in-store performance at Sonic Boom on March 24 at 5PM. Maybe they can play in front of the Burton Cummings vinyl section. They’ve also got a date at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on May 26.
MP3: The Weakerthans – “Plea From A Cat Named Virtue”
Video: The Weakerthans – “Tournament Of Hearts” (live)
Popolio has a quick interview with Ume. They’re playing Eastbound & Down during SxSW at 2:05PM.
Filter and Michigan Live talk to Ted Leo. The Filter piece is a two-parter.
Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers talks to Spinner about their next-next record, which will follow next week’s release of The Big To-Do with Go-Go Boots before the year is out. The Truckers are doubling up their next visit to Toronto with two nights at Lee’s Palace, April 6 and 7.
Spinner talks to Centro-Matic.
My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan tells Spinner he’s glad the band took a break.
The Scotsman interviews Spoon, who are at the Sound Academy on March 29.
Spin checks in with The Thermals, who are in the studio working on their next album Personal Life, due out September 7.
Rolling Stone has words with Midlake. They play The Mod Club on May 25.
Sharon Van Etten talks to Spinner. She is at the Horseshoe on April 5.
hour.ca interviews Joanna Newsom, who plays a sold-out show at The Phoenix on Saturday night.
She & Him are the subject of features at Spinner and Billboard. Volume 2 is out March 23 and they play The Phoenix on June 9.
Soiree de poche has a video session with Beach House, who have a sold-out show at The Opera House on March 30 and are also playing the Toronto Islands Concert on June 19.
Blurt and Spinner have features on Wye Oak, here opening up for Shearwater on April 1.
Spinner talks to Phantogram, who will be at Supermarket tonight at 1AM.
Spin has debuted the video for the title track of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s new album Beat The Devil’s Tattoo. They are at The Phoenix on April 1 and again on April 11.
Video: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Beat The Devil’s Tattoo”
Echo & The Bunnymen are sharing another track from their latest record The Fountain. They are at The Phoenix on April 23.
MP3: Echo & The Bunnymen – “Proxy”
Serena-Maneesh will release their new album S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor on March 23 and are not only streaming the whole thing, but they’ve debuted a new video over at Stereogum. They will be at the Great Hall on April 2.
Video: Serena-Maneesh – “I Just Want To See Your Face”
Stream: Serena-Maneesh / S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor
Swedish folk sister act First Aid Kit have set a North American tour for June and will be at the Rivoli in Toronto on June 12. Their debut Drunken Trees came out last year.
MP3: First Aid Kit – “I Met Up With The King”
MP3: First Aid Kit – “You’re Not Coming Home Tonight”
Shout Out Louds have released a new mini-documentary about the making of their latest record, the just-released Work. They play the Mod Club on May 8.
Video: Shout Out Louds “At Work”
Drowned In Sound has posted the first of a multi-part interview with Jonsi. Go is out March 23 and he plays the Sound Academy on April 30 and May 1.
Under The Radar interviews The Mary Onettes.
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Kate Nash jets across Atlantic for North American tour
Clare NashUpdates from the recording sessions for Kate Nash’s follow-up to 2007’s Made Of Bricks were few and far-between, but what did come out – that she was working with Bernard Butler, as famed for his stint as guitarist in Suede as his production work and that boyfriend Ryan Jarman from Brit-rockers The Cribs was hanging around – seemed to imply that her bubbly piano anthems might be taking on a harder edge on the sophomore effort. A theory borne out by the first released MP3 from the album, initially entitled Crayon Full Of Color but since changed to My Best Friend Is You and out on April 20 either way – “I Just Love You More” sounded like a not especially successful attempt at punk rock and certainly not playing to Nash’s strengths – clever wordplay and keen, observational songwriting that’s as humorous as it is pointed.
The first proper single, however, does sound like vintage Kate Nash. “Do Wah Doo”, for which a fun dancing stewardess-themed video has just been released, is very much in line with the best of Bricks, just gussied up with Butler’s signature retro-slick production. In fact it might be a little too similar to those who’d like to see some more growth from album one to two, but if “Do Wah Doo” represents one end of the stylistic spectrum covered on the new record and “I Just Love You More” the other, then My Best Friend Is You should be a fun and interesting listen.
Nash was already announced as one of the artists taking part in this year’s Lilith Fair revival, but this piece in Rolling Stone shows she’s not waiting for Sarah McLachlan’s say-so to bring her new record to North America. Less than a week after the record’s release, Nash is embarking on a small club tour across the continent, starting on April 26 in Toronto at the Mod Club – tickets $22.50. I missed both of Nash’s previous local shows back in 2008, so I’m pretty excited about the opportunity to finally see her live, and in cozy environs no less. And hopefully it will go better than her recent Glasgow show.
The Daily Record and Contact Music have interviews with Nash.
MP3: Kate Nash – “I Just Love You More”
Video: Kate Nash – “Do Wah Doo”
Spin finds out why Victoria Hesketh calls herself Little Boots while NYLON and Metro also have interviews. It seems that it’s not just the Toronto date of her North American tour that’s been scotched – none of her east coast, post-Coachella dates are listed on her website anymore.
Pitchfork has details on the forthcoming album from the all-new. all-different Pipettes – Earth vs. the Pipettes will be out on June 28 in the UK and if the band believes that it’s the planet Earth that is conspiring to have all their members quit… they may be on to something.
Magnet has an interview with former Delgados frontwoman Emma Pollock, who has been playing guest editor on their site all week. Her second solo record The Law Of Large Numbers came out last week.
MP3: Emma Pollock – “Hug The Harbour”
If the questions posed in these following Spinner quickie SxSW preview interviews look familiar… well, they are. Thankfully the answers are different.
Spinner talks to Frightened Rabbit, whose Winter Of Mixed Drinks finally began this week. They are at the Opera House on May 4.
Fanfarlo chats with Spinner and The Daily Texan. They’re in town with a show at Lee’s Palace on April 9, and Clash reports the band are planning to give away a free live EP in conjunction with this (or some other upcoming) tour.
This Spinner interview with The xx strays from the script a little bit. They’re at the Phoenix on April 4 and the Kool Haus on April 20.
Let’s Wrestle grapples with some questions from Spinner. They’re at the Horseshoe on April 18.
NYC Taper is sharing a recording of a recent show from We Were Promised Jetpacks and oh yeah, there’s one of those Spinner interviews too.
The Line Of Best Fit chats with Field Music. They’re at the Horseshoe next Friday night with The Clientele, with whom 77 Square and City Pages have chats.
The Tripwire has a feature piece on The Big Pink. They play The Mod Club on March 24.
JAM and The Montreal Gazette interview Muse.
The High Wire, heartily endorsed late last year, have made the title track of their new album The Sleep Tape available to download. It starts out small, but quickly becomes a pretty compelling argument for this as one of the best dream-pop records of the year. Which, as of this moment, it is.
MP3: The High Wire – “The Sleep Tape”
Exclaim reports that Belle & Sebastian are off hiatus and headed back into the studio to record album number eight. EIGHT. Goodness.
Daytrotter has a session with Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen. They are at The Phoenix on April 23.
Rumoured a little while ago but now official – first-wave shoegazers Chapterhouse have slated a North American tour for this Spring and will kick it off on May 1 at the Horseshoe in Toronto.
Video: Chapterhouse – “Pearl”
Billboard wonders what David Bowie is up to – apparently, not much.
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Bloggers congregate in Austin, throw a party
Araba FilmsIf there’s one thing Austin, Texas needs during Spring Break, it’s some live music. Particularly in the form of a day party. The past few years I’ve been very lucky to have been able to help put on some fantastic parties with some of my favourite blogger buds. And while the Hot Freaks marque has been put to bed for the time being, I’m very happy to be able to announce that You Ain’t No Picasso, My Old Kentucky Blog, Ultra 8201, Yours Truly and, uh, yours truly, will be presenting Eastbound & Found, a one-day, two-stage to-do that will be held on Thursday, March 18 at 1001 East 6th St – a location that’s a parking lot for 51 weeks of the year but on this occasion will be an epicenter of awesome.
What I like most about these blogger-assembled shows is how random the final results end up being. Without teaming up with a specific label, PR company or booking agency and just pursuing acts based on little more than a “what we like” mandate, we get shows that can veer from the sunny indie-pop of Freelance Whales to the insane guitar heroics of Austin’s own Ume, from the electro-glam of Diamond Rings (Toronto represent!) to giddy Anglo-folk duo Slow Club, right through to our headliner – GZA of the motherflipping Wu-Tang Clan. Eclectic? Yeah, a little.
This party is free and all-ages, though you do have to RSVP – information on that at the Sweet Leaf blog. Many many thanks go out to our sponsors Sweet Leaf Tea, Ziegenbock, Dos Lunas Tequila, Knuckle Rumbler and Car Toys for helping make this happen. And despite what the attached image from Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee & Cigarettes might imply, Bill Murray will NOT be making an appearance at the show. Unless he wants to. If any of you know Bill Murray, do let him know he’s invited?
The (almost) full lineup and set times are as follows:
Stage one:
12:15PM Ragen Fykes
1:10PM Freelance Whales
2:05PM Ume
3:00PM Warpaint
3:55PM The Morning Benders
4:50PM Here We Go Magic
5:45PM Maluca
7:00PM GZA
Stage two:
12:30PM Burnt Ones
1:25PM Diamond Rings
2:20PM Kid Sister
3:15PM Slow Club
4:10PM Danielson
5:05PM Delorean
6:00PM White Denim
MP3: Danielson – “Animal In Every Corner”
MP3: Diamond Rings – “All Yr Songs”
MP3: Freelance Whales – “Generator 2nd Floor”
MP3: The Morning Benders – “Promises”
MP3: Slow Club – “It Doesn’t Have To Be Beautiful”
MP3: Ume – “The Conductor”
MP3: Warpaint – “Elephants”
Video: GZA – “Liquid Swords”
Video: Here We Go Magic – “Fangela”
Video: Kid Sister – “Right Hand Hi”
And some concert news for Toronto folk NOT heading down to Texas next week – not content with playing two nights at The Horseshoe, The Black Lips have added a third local appearance during their visit. They’ll be doing an in-store at Sonic Boom on March 28 at 4PM; admission free with a canned good.
MP3: Black Lips – “Short Fuse”
Jakob Dylan has put together a new band to help perform his new solo record Women & Country, out April 10. They’re called Three Legs and you might know them better as a couple of women in country – Neko Case and Kelly Hogan. That got your attention, eh? Jacob Dylan & Three Legs will be at the Phoenix on April 25.
She & Him – yes, Zooey and Matt – will be hitting the road in support of Volume Two and are going to be at The Phoenix in Toronto on June 9. Tickets are $26.50, the album is out March 23 and the new video is just about the most adorable thing ever.
Video: She & Him – “In The Sun”
Stars have announced they will release their fifth studio album The Five Ghosts on June 22 – details at Chart.
Spinner talks to Metric in advance of their appearance at SxSW where they’ll be opening up for Muse at Stubb’s on the Friday night.
Broken Social Scene also talk to Spinner; they’re doing a couple of shows at SxSW and of course have that Toronto Islands show on June 19. Their new album Forgiveness Rock Record is out May 4.
Continuing on with the Spinner-SxSW interviews (there’s lots of them) – they chat with Venice Is Sinking, whose new album Sand & Lines will be out June 15.
Kunstlicher, The Georgia Straight, The Huffington Post and Spinner have interviews with Midlake. They’re at the Mod Club on May 25.
Spinner talks to The Uglysuit. They’re playing Lee’s Palace at 2AM on Friday night as part of Canadian Musicfest and their MySpace implies they’re making the most of their visit to Toronto with a bunch of other unofficial performances.
Spinner asks some pretty banal questions of Nicole Atkins & The Black Sea.
NPR has a World Cafe session with Holly Miranda.
Filter takes all of the fun out of The Bird & The Bee’s internet scavenger hunt for streams of their new Hall & Oates tribute album Guiltless Pleasures Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates , out March 23.
Spinner and NME have collected a number of tributes from musicians for the fallen Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse. And a couple of worthy reads and listens from the Boston area – Buffalo Tom frontman Bill Janovitz has an essay and Sparklehorse cover at his blog Part-Time Man Of Rock while Bradley’s Almanac is sharing some thoughts and a recording of Sparklehorse’s last show in Boston from 2007.
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “Gold Day”
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