Friday, June 27th, 2008
I gave up on Ladytron a long time ago. Way back in 2000 I was coerced by a blend of UK hype and the promise of cute girls and picked up their Play Girl single, which subsequently failed to impress for reasons I can’t even recall at this point – probably too cold and mechanical for my tastes at the time – and I didn’t pay much heed to them over the next eight years and three albums. But when album number four, Velocifero, showed up on my doorstep, I figured that everyone deserves a second chance and here’s to rewarding my magnanimous nature.
They’re still fashionably icy and sexily synthetic but there’s an organic urgency underneath it all that either wasn’t there or I didn’t detect all those years ago that has really drawn me into the album. It’s like the ghost in the machine is trying to get out. Vocalists Mira Aroyo and Helen Marnie offer two distinct personalities to the more uniform musical accompaniment of analog synths and programmed beats, the former emphasizing the more distant, mechanical aspects of their sound and the latter offering a more melodic, human dimension. The balance is a blend of synth and pop that hits a musical sweet spot for me in a way that hasn’t happened since I discovered Dubstar many moons ago, though they’re obviously much darker in mood. I’m still soaking in the new album but suspect that a trip to The Witching Hour isn’t far off.
But first there’ll be a visit to Harbourfront next Friday – their current tour wraps up this week with a string of Canadian dates including a free show at on the lakefront on July 4 as part of the Beats, Breaks & Culture festival. I’ve read some complaints about their live show about how they just stand there and play/sing, but in their case I think that’s entirely the point. If they jumped around or ambulated more than absolutely necessary, it’d just ruin the mood.
The Denver Post and The Sunday Mail have interviews with the band, and courtesy of Nettwerk, I’ve got two prize packs consisting of a copy of Velocifero on CD and a Ladytron tote bag. If you want, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want the Ladytron stuff” in the subject line and your mailing address in the body. Contest open to whomever, wherever, and will close at midnight July 5 to coincide with the end of the North American leg of their tour.
MP3: Ladytron – “Black Cat”
Video: Ladytron – “Ghosts”
MySpace: Ladytron
Drowned In Sound points to the new video from Primal Scream’s hopefully comeback album Beautiful Future, out July 22. And contrary to the song’s title, Bobby Gillespie’s old band – The Jesus & Mary Chain – are hoping you CAN go back as they’re releasing a four-CD box set of b-sides and rarities entitled The Power of Negative Thinking on September 30. Full details at Billboard.
Video: Primal Scream – “Can’t Go Back”
National Geographic will be webcasting tomorrow night’s Bjork/Sigur Ros concert from Reykjavik starting at 7PM GMT, which is 2PM EDT actually I’m not sure, you do the math… And a reminder that tickets for Sigur Ros’ Toronto show at Massey Hall September 22 go on sale at 10AM EDT today. Update: For future reference – the Massey Hall website does NOT like Firefox. My Firefox, anyways. IE was lickety split… after I spent like 10 minutes waiting for FF to load. Anyway, I got row O, seat 15, floors.
MTV talks to Anthony Gonzalez of M83.
The National Post talks to Jose Gonzalez. Congrats to Jonathan and Garrett who won the passes to see him in Halifax and Saskatoon, respectively – everyone else, the contest for Winnipeg passes and CDs is still open.
Minnesota Public Radio welcome Shearwater to their studios for an interview and session.
Everyone’s talking to Lykke Li. The Swedish singer, who releases her debut Youth Novels in North America on August 19 and play the Mod Club in Toronto on October 24, is the subject of features and interviews at Spin, This Is Fake DIY, Blurt and The Independent.
JAM talks to The Ting Tings.
Thick Specs offers up a positive review of You May Need A Murdere, the Low documentary currently screening over at Pitchfork.tv. Deaf Indie Elephants has gone to the trouble of ripping a Bee-Gees cover bonus track from the DVD of the film.
JAM and The Georgia Straight talk to Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers.
Pitchfork points us to a new video from Stars.
Video: Stars – “Bitches In Tokyo”
A reminder that tonight marks A Northern Chorus’ final Toronto show ever, and tomorrow night at the Casbah is their final show period. Stop by and thank them for their years of service to the dreampop cause. Chart, The Spec and View salute the Steeltown crew.
Drowned In Sound ask the artists who released their favourite albums of 2008 so far to name their favourite albums of 2008 so far.
Thursday, June 26th, 2008
Photo via
MySpaceIf the coming of December traditionally means the season of year-end lists amongst the music geekery, it seems more and more that the coming of July means the season of mid-year lists is at hand. While it’s not a practice I’m especially fond of, I admit they can make for interesting reading for perhaps catching on to something before the “press/touring cycle” for a particular record is over. And while I’m not going to offer up a list of my own, I will present the undisputed album of the year for me so far – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!.
For well on eight years, my Nick Cave needs have been satiated by the decade-old The Best Of, which got considerably heavier rotation than many other best-ofs that played token representatives of storied careers in my CD collection, but didn’t quite compel me to start seeking out the individual albums. I had assumed, correctly or not, that Cave had settled into a dignified middle age, favouring piano ballads and orchestration and leaving the rough and raw rock leanings of his early days far behind – in other words, I figured I missed out on his good stuff.
But after the amped-up blast of lechery that was last year’s Grinderman , all my preconceptions were put on notice. This was not the sound of a man who was getting old gracefully, or perhaps more accurately, it was the sound of a man who was getting old gracefully but then changed his mind. I liked the album a lot, but it was more a sort of respect than genuine affection – this I know, because it’s honest to god love I feel for Lazarus. Taking some of the abrasiveness of Grinderman and blending it with the more grandiose sonics and songwriting of the Bad Seeds has yielded what, for my relatively limited frame of reference, is everything I would imagine and hope Nick Cave could be. Ranging from the darkly hilarious storytelling of the title track through the sinister drone of “Night Of The Lotus Eaters” to the guitar-shredding fury of “Lay Down Here (And Be My Girl)”, Lazarus is grim, gleeful and glorious.
Their Fall North American tour and the October 1 show at the Kool Haus in particular is currently circled on my calendar (figuratively speaking) as the single event this year I’m most looking forward to – there’s not many acts that I’ve not yet seen live yet, let alone ones that I’m as enthused about as I am about Cave, currently. In the interim, I’m getting better acquainted with his back catalog – I picked up Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus whilst in London and it’s as stunning as everyone said, and I’ve also gotten No More Shall We Part which, while also good, is exactly the mellowed-out Cave that I expected before this whole discovery process got underway. Anyone want to make more suggestions for essential Cave? I want – nay, NEED – more.
MP3: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!”
Video: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!”
Video: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Night Of The Lotus Eaters”
Video: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “More News From Nowhere”
MySpace: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
We were talking about mid-year lists, weren’t we? Drowned In Sound picked a dozen records from the first half of the year, listed in three parts with a tally of the best songs of the year to follow today. No Nick Cave, unbelievably, though The Chicago Sun-Times and Michigan Live make no such oversight. The AV Club also offers up their picks for the best songs of the year so far. AllMusic Guide takes a slightly different tact, compiling a list of their indie pop Summer crushes for the year.
Junkmedia, Billboard, An Aquarium Drunkard and Paste talk to David Berman of Silver Jews and Pitchfork has the full dates of their Fall tour to go along the already-announced September 2 Toronto date at Lee’s Palace.
Liz Phair’s reissued Exile In Guyville is currently spinning on Spinner. New York Magazine talks to Phair about the power of a topless photo.
Stream: Liz Phair / Exile In Guyville
Muzzle Of Bees asks five questions of Maria Taylor, who is at the El Mocambo tonight. Congrats to Jordan, Kelly and Hok who won the passes to the show.
NOW chats with Alex Maas of The Black Angels, who’re playing Lee’s Palace tonight. Congrats to Thierry, Matt and Stuart who won the passes to the show.
Spin, The Arizona Daily Star and The New Zealand Herald get acquainted with Fleet Foxes, in town at the Phoenix on July 16.
Billboard Q&As Neil Young about the forthcoming CSNY: Deja Vu documentary coming out July 10.
Trailer: CSNY: Deja Vu
Exclaim! and The Globe & Mail profile Wolf Parade, who will bring their new record At Mount Zoomer to the Kool Haus on August 9.
Reuters examines the Feist-powered boom for Arts & Crafts. Spinner talks to Brendan Canning, whose Something For All Of Us… will be the label’s next release on July 22.
Some more local stuff worthy of note – the July 26 show at Sneaky Dee’s featuring Miracle Fortress and Think About Life now features a couple of bands with a significant amount of chatter around them – Adam & The Amethysts and Ruby Coast. Tickets are $12 in advance.
MP3: Adam & The Amethysts – “Stupid Ocean”
MP3: Adam & The Amethysts – “The Return”
SummerWorks is a staple of the Toronto theatre scene every Summer, but this year they’ve added a music component to things. Running August 8 to 16 at the Theatre Centre – aka The Great Hall – it will feature a host of local talent including Gentleman Reg, The Diableros, Rock Plaza Central and The Rural Alberta Advantage in double-bills each night. Full details and schedule at their website.
Speaking of the RAA, they’ll be at Rancho Relaxo on July 10 and tonight, said venue will play host to Oh No Forest Fires and Hot Panda. Both shows definitely worth your time.
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Photo via
MatadorYes, I know I’ve been going a little giveaway-crazy this week. Sorry, but it can’t be helped – either it’s this, or I don’t give stuff away and that just seems like a waste of free stuff.
Next up are Times New Viking who are coming all the way up from Columbus, Ohio to celebrate Canada Day with us at the Horseshoe. Now that’s neighbourly. They’ll be playing selections from their new record Rip It Off which sounds not unlike a Guided By Voices record played through a broken transistor radio turned up to 10, recorded on a broken tape recorder, played back through that same broken transistor radio turned up to 10, again recorded on a broken tape recorder, etc. It’s about a thousand times more abrasive and distorted than I can really take, but even so I can tell that underneath it all are some terrific pop songs. I just wish I could hear them.
If you’re interested in hitting this show up, courtesy of Against The Grain I’ve got three pairs of passes to see them at the ‘Shoe on July 1. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to spend Canada Day with Times New Viking” in the subject line and your full name in the body and fire that off to me by 5PM tomorrow, June 26. And while you wait to find out if you’ve won, read this brief interview at The Weekly Dig.
MP3: Times New Viking – “DROP-OUT”
MP3: Times New Viking – “(My Head)/RIP Allegory “
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Mogwai has been somewhat quiet – not something you can often say – since the release of Mr Beast in early 2006 and the ensuing tour, excepting the soundtrack to the Zidane film, but they’re getting back into (rock) action. First, there’s just-released tenth anniversary reissue of their debut Young Team, in remastered and double-disc form and come this Fall, they’ll release their new studio album The Hawk Is Howling on September 22, preceded by the Batcat EP on September 9.
So with the band currently standing with one foot in the past and one in the future, it’s reasonable to expect the unexpected in their set list when they play the Phoenix on Monday night, June 30. Courtesy of Against The Grain, I’ve got one pair of passes to give away for the show so if you want to spend Canada Day eve getting your ears pummeled by some irascible Scots, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I will not feed Mogwai after midnight” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Get that in to me by 5PM tomorrow, June 26.
MP3: Mogwai – “Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home”
MP3: Mogwai – “Tracy”
MP3: Mogwai – “7:25”
MP3: Mogwai – “Folk Death 95”
MySpace: Mogwai
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