Monday, February 1st, 2010
Frightened Rabbit to flee in terror across North America
Jannica HoneyIt’s probably over-pedantic to point out that by the time Frightened Rabbit’s third album, the marvelously-titled The Winter Of Mixed Drinks, is released on March 9, there’ll be only 12 days left in Winter. Certainly enough time for a a righteous bender or four with it as a soundtrack, but before you know it we’ll be into a Springtime of body shots and that just doesn’t sound quite as epically melancholic, though possibly more fun.
Even so, the Scottish quintet will be doing their best to make it a season to remember for North American fans, first with a commando strike trip to SxSW in March and then a massive cross-continental tour that will start at Coachella and go from west to east then west again, including a May 4 stop at the Opera House in Toronto – tickets are $15 and go on sale this Thursday. I had to miss their July 2009 show at the Horseshoe because of an unfortunate incidence of real life, so this show – a week prior to my birthday – is ranking pretty highly on things I’m looking forward to in the next few months. And the album, too – Frightened Rabbit just released a second video from the album, this confirming that at least two songs from the record will be nigh-on brilliant.
Quarter-Life Crisis has an interview with drummer Grant Hutchinson while Spin questions frontman Scott Hutchinson about the origins of the band’s name.
Video: Frightened Rabbit – “Nothing Like You”
Video: Frightened Rabbit – “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”
Tom Campesinos! takes point on press duties for Los Campesinos!, talking to The AV Club and MusicOmh while giving The Line Of Best Fit a list of 12 albums that influenced their latest Romance Is Boring. Metro talks to frontman Gareth Campesinios! and Drowned In Sound chats with the other members of the band about a myriad other topics. Los Campesinos! have a date at the Phoenix on April 20.
MP3: Los Campesinos! – “There Are Listed Buildings”
Spin checks in with Kate Nash on the status of her second album, recorded with Bernard Butler. The record is due out sometime this Spring, and she’s one of the artists supposed to appear on this year’s Lilith Fair.
Muse bassist Chris Wolstenholme tells BBC6 the trio are hoping to put together a live documentary film covering life on the road in addition to performance footage in the near future. They’re at the Air Canada Centre on March 8.
MusicOmh interviews David Brewis of Field Music. Their new record (Measure) is out February 16 and they’re at the Horseshoe on March 19.
There’s a new video from Mumford & Sons’ debut Sigh No More, filmed during their recent tour of India. The album gets a North American release on February 16 – one day after their Toronto show at Lee’s Palace. The Sydney Morning Herald talks to Marcus Johnstone, aka Marcus Mumford.
Video: Mumford & Sons – “The Cave”
Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard talks to Spinner about the possibility of the band putting out a live album while Al Doyle chats with The Yorkshire Evening Post and The Times talks to Alexis Taylor and solicits a list of his favourite things. Their new studio album One Life Stand is out February 9 and is currently streaming at the band’s MySpace. They’re at the Kool Haus on April 20.
Stream: Hot Chip / One Life Stand
Tindersticks’ new album Falling Down A Mountain isn’t out until February 16 but is currently available to stream. There’s also a new video to go with the first available MP3.
MP3: Tindersticks – “Black Smoke”
Video: Tindersticks – “Black Smoke”
Stream: Tindersticks / Falling Down A Mountain
They Shoot Music has an acoustic video session with Editors frontman Tom Smith, wherein he reinterprets “Papillon” from the In This Light And On This Evening on acoustic guitar.
Ladytron’s Reuben Wu talks to Clash about his love of photography – ironic, considering his outfit seems to take extra care to make life hell for photographers…
Never Enough Notes talks to Tim Crompton of The High Wire. Their debut The Sleep Tape is out in March.
NME reports that Liam Gallagher and the other refugees from the wreck of Oasis hope to have a new record out by July.
And rather out of left field comes the news that first-generation shoegazers Chapterhouse will be reuniting for a North American tour this Spring. I can’t imagine anyone has been waiting for this to happen, but if the tour comes around this way I’ll certainly check it out – Whirlpool was a pretty good record. But really, of all the original shoegaze bands to get back together and cross the Atlantic… Chapterhouse?
Video: Chapterhouse – “Pearl”
Sunday, January 31st, 2010
Woodpigeon covers The Magnetic Fields
Lindsey BakerIn last week’s selection, I mentioned that The Magnetic Fields were one the most-covered bands around (a completely arbitrary statement I can’t back up with hard facts), a fact that surely causes Stephin Merritt no small amount of distress, considering he’s on record as not being a fan of having his compositions reinterpreted by others.
Even so, I would hope he couldn’t find much to complain about in these renditions of 3% of 69 Love Songs by Calgary’s Woodpigeon. Recorded last Fall whilst in Ottawa on tour and posted on their website for free, the recordings are as simple as simple gets – just Mark Hamilton, an acoustic guitar and a little help from some friends – but serve the heartfelt sentiments of the songs perfectly.
In addition to having both released new albums this month – The Magnetic Fields with Realism and Woodpigeon with Die Stadt Muzikanten – both are coming to town in a couple weeks – the former at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on February 8 and the latter at the Drake Underground on February 11. Woodpigeon also play an in-store at Soundscapes at 5PM on, fittingly enough, Valentine’s Day. Perhaps a love song or 69 would be in order.
MP3: Woodpigeon – “Asleep And Dreaming”
MP3: Woodpigeon – “You’re My Only Home”
Stream:The Magnetic Fields – “Asleep And Dreaming”
Stream:The Magnetic Fields – “You’re My Only Home”
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Frank YangI did a double-take when English folkie Laura Marling’s upcoming show in Toronto was announced back in December because a) besides being due for a new album, there had been no official news about a release, so I certainly wasn’t expecting any North American touring so soon, and b) the venue announced – the Drake Underground – seemed awfully small. Granted, Marling isn’t an act of the stature of, say, Duffy or Adele, but she is a highly-regarded artist and Mercury Prize finalist who’d almost filled the not-much-smaller Rivoli on her first visit to town back in October 2008. Best I could figure was that they were deliberately doing smaller rooms as part of a pre-release junket to build interest in the new record, and this stop would sell out right fast.
The first part seems to have been on the money – Marling’s North American tour comes a couple months before the April 6 release of her sophomore record I Speak Because I Can and comprises just eight dates on both coasts, mostly in cozier rooms. I was also right about the selling out, as ducats for the show went pretty quickly and as such, it’s been moved to the decidedly larger Lee’s Palace – not as intimate a setting as The Drake, perhaps, but one that should be able to accommodate all her Toronto-based fans.
And if you’re one of those fans, you’re in luck. Tickets for the show are $13.50 in advance but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away to the show – to enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I enter the Laura Marling contest because I can” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest will close at midnight, February 3.
Video: Laura Marling – “Devil’s Spoke”
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
MySpaceI never played Street Fighter 2. I was all about Mortal Kombat 2, on account of it coming out for the PC when I was in first-year university and it’s effectiveness as a time-waster. I would generally play Raiden, partly as a tribute to the thespian skills of Christopher Lambert, and partly because his torpedo move was by far the easiest to remember. Back-back-forward. I could also teleport fairly consistently but only shoot lightning by accident and never actually knew any of the finishing moves so more often than not, my opponent would just fall down on his own.
The kids of British electro-rap-rock outfit Hadouken! were clearly Street Fighter disciples, having named their band after one of Ryu’s special moves, and it’s probably for the best since naming yourself after Raiden’s nonsensical battle cry would probably limit career prospects. A career which, given the interest surrounding the upcoming release of their frantic, dancey and party-friendly second album For The Masses next Tuesday, February 2, is coming along quite nicely.
They’re playing the El Mocambo on February 9, one of just three North American dates along with New York and Los Angeles to promote the new record before they return in April for Coachella and, presumably, more dates. Tickets are $12 in advance but courtesy of Live Nation, I have three pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to HADOUKEN!” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Get that in to me before midnight, February 3.
There’s interviews with the band at The Daily Record, MTV UK and NME.
MP3: Hadouken! – “M.A.D.”
Video: Hadouken! – “Turn The Lights Out”
Video: Hadouken! – “M.A.D.”
Friday, January 29th, 2010
Woodhands at The Smiling Buddha in Toronto
Frank YangSomething of a cold snap hit Toronto yesterday, so I was fortunate to have an invite to what was promised to be a hot and sweaty dance party at the Smiling Buddha bar, soundtracked by Woodhands showcasing their just-released second album Remorsecapade. Granted, it’d have probably been just as warm if I’d just stayed home, but experience has taught me that the odds of dance parties breaking out in my living room tend to be close to nil.
I think there’s a temptation to not take Woodhands entirely seriously – I mean, the image of Dan Werb shrieking himself hoarse whilst rocking out with a keytar will tend to elicit double-takes. But perhaps the visuals are meant to disarm, because you dismiss Woodhands at your peril – the energy and intensity of their aural experience is deadly serious… or at least as serious as synth-rock that intends to grab you by the lapels and scream, “ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD TIME?” in your face can be. It was something I experienced first in September when the duo were a last-minute addition to Toronto stop of the ill-fated Perez Hilton tour, but this setting was much better suited for them as far as atmosphere went.
With drummer Paul Banwatt behind his kit and Werb manning a massive bank of synths and mixers to go with his keytar, Woodhands takes up almost as much room on stage as a conventional rock band and were about as loud. Their set drew from both their debut Heart Attack and the new record, with this being the first time some of the new material had been translated live. Any hiccups were lost on the packed bar, though, whom I think were attempting to dance though it was hard to tell past the wall of photographers up front – myself included – trying in vain to shoot in the near-darkness of the room. There was definitely swaying and bobbing, at least, and a Rockwell nod from Banwatt. The high point of the set came at the finale when guest vocalist Maylee Todd joined them to reprise her vocals on “Dissembler” and “Dancer”, easily my favourite cuts off of Remorsecode and Heart Attack, respectively. Werb and Banwatt are great on their own but the addition of the female element really puts them over the top.
Evil Monito talks to Dan Werb about their past touring experiences. Their future touring experiences will include a free show at MTV Canada on February 2 (hit them up for tickets) and a cross-Canada tour that includes a March 11 show at the Opera House opening up for k-os.
Photos: Woodhands @ The Smiling Buddha – January 28, 2010
MP3: Woodhands – “Pockets”
MP3: Woodhands – “Dancer”
MP3: Woodhands – “I Wasn’t Made For Fighting”
Video: Woodhands – “CP24”
Video: Woodhands – “I Wasn’t Made For Fighting”
MySpace: Woodhands
The Vancouver Sun, The Calgary Herald and The Georgia Straight talk to Joel Plaskett. In addition to those Thrush Hermit reunion shows at Lee’s on March 26 and 27, it appears Plaskett is making a Canadian Musicfest appearance at the Mod Club on March 13 as part of the Sirius Songwriter’s Cafe, so think acoustic-y and talk-y. And Jeff Martin from the Tea Party is there too, so ask your self how much you like Joel Plaskett.
And speaking of Canadian Musicfest, the list of confirmed performers has gotten bigger, more hyperlinked (that’s right, I said “hyperlink”. In 2010. Deal with it) and a very preliminary schedule is up.
Pitchfork solicits a list of his current favourite things from Owen Pallett. He plays the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 8.
Spinner has premiered the new video from Zeus’ full-length debut Say Us, due out February 23. They’re playing Lee’s Palace on March 10.
Video: Zeus – “Marching Through Your Head”
Daytrotter has posted up a downloadable session with The Dears.
RCRDLBL is giving away an acoustic Metric track.
A few more-specific-than-previously-known-but-still-vague album release dates… look for a new record from Land Of Talk this Spring, the next effort from The Acorn come May, which is approximately when Born Ruffians’ Say It should be out. The Acorn are at Lee’s Palace on March 12 and Born Ruffians at The Phoenix on March 14.
BBC6, The List and The Times talk to White Rabbits.
Ear Farm has a short interview with Sharon Van Etten, in town twice in the next while – opening up for Great Lake Swimmers at Trinity-St. Paul’s on February 6 and then at the Horseshoe on April 5 with Megafaun.
The Bird & The Bee have announced they’ll release the self-explanatory Guiltless Pleasures Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates on March 23, which I personally find quite exciting because having grown up in the ’80s I have a distinctly unironic appreciation for the works of Hall & Oates, and having seen The Bird & The Bee do “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” at SxSW last year, I know they’ll do a fantastic job with them. Yep.
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