Saturday, September 29th, 2007
Welcome to part the third of my Bleating Heart Shows previews for Pop Montreal next week. Already haven taken their turns on the hot seat were Danielle Duval and My Dad Vs Yours. Today we talk to David Lush of The Airfields and we’ll wrap up tomorrow with The Brother Kite.
1) Inspect your official Pop Montreal bio below and respond. How accurately do you think they capture the essence of your band?
The Airfields somehow manage to simultaneously sound like Fleetwood Mac and Belle and Sebastian without coming off as completely schizophrenic. This five-piece’s self-described “forlorn pop music” grounds atmospheric riffs and multidimensional vocals in rock beats that seem specifically designed for hipster head bobbing – definitely a show not to be missed.
Fleetwood Mac? Okay, maybe we borrowed the ending bit from “the Chain”, but we don’t use nearly enough drugs and there have been no divorces in our band (yet). I would love to fill a room with hipster-looking bobble head dolls as our audience for the show. They look more friendly than real humans.
2) Given the same approximate amount of space to write your own bio, what would it be?
We are drowning in the labour-based music economy of this brave new digital era. Be a revolutionary and come to our rescue. Come to the show, buy our new 3-song e.p. and everything else we have to sell you (pretty please). We’ll have a new album later this autumn and you should buy that too. For better or for worse, it sounds nothing like Belle & Sebastian. Our van broke down last night and we need all of your money. (ed note – you can stream a couple of the songs from the EP on their MySpace right now)
3) Besides playing the best showcase of the festival, what else do you plan to do with your time in Montreal?
Probably checking out Film Pop. Our friend Vitalyi Bulychev made a video for a song of ours called “Red Fox” and, incredibly, that will be showcased at Film Pop! I’d be a really inconsiderate friend if I didn’t show up. I’d also be out of a place to stay whilst in Montreal.
4) Why should festival-goers come see your show over all others going on at the same time?
It’s too confusing to think about all of the other shows. Just come to ours and spare yourself the trouble of trying to drunkenly navigate the Metro in a desperate search for Pere Ubu.
MP3: The Airfields – “Lonely Halls”
MP3: The Airfields – “Nowhere Left To Go”
Video: The Airfields – “Red Fox” (YouTube)
MySpace: The Airfields
The Airfields play on October 4 at 10PM at the Green Room (5390 St-Laurent) le Gymanse (4177 rue St-Denis), admission is $8 at the door or free with a Pop Montreal bracelet.
Show poster by Cheryl Cheung
Saturday, September 29th, 2007
We should all be thankful that Patrick Wolf is full of shit. If he was a man of his word and made good on his promise to retire from music then we would have his Fall tour, stopping in at Lee’s Palace on October 6, to look forward to. As wonderful as his show back in May was, it was curfew-shortened and you know that given a proper-length set to work with show would be even more outrageous.
So while I’ll have to miss the Lee’s show – but will be catching him at the elegant Cabaret du Musee Juste Pour Rire in Montreal the night previous – I do have a two pairs of passes to give away to the show courtesy of REMG as well as a copy of Wolf’s latest CD The Magic Position. To enter, send me an email at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I’m hungry for the Wolf” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, October 1.
MP3: Patrick Wolf – “The Magic Position”
Video: Patrick Wolf – “Accident And Emergency” (YouTube)
Video: Patrick Wolf – “The Magic Position” (YouTube)
Video: Patrick Wolf – “Bluebells” (YouTube)
MySpace: Patrick Wolf
Saturday, September 29th, 2007
By rights, Nicole Atkins’ debut full-length Neptune City should have been in heavy rotation in my CD player for well over a month now – except it got pushed back from its original release date of August 20 to its new street date of October 30 and so I’ve had to make do with the Bleeding Diamonds EP and the various album tracks that’ve crept out via her MySpace or videos or what have you – until now.
Check out the link below for a full album stream of Neptune City which, I’m happy to report, confirms that the album is every bit as good as I’d hoped. The production is ultra-lush – some might complain too much so, but I think with a voice as powerful as Atkins the arrangements need that extra bit of goosing to keep up. It’s also stylistically broader than the Bleeding Diamonds EP, less torch and more rock. I’ve been reserving a place in my year-end list for this record – looks like it wasn’t jumping the gun.
Upstage has an expansive interview with Atkins in which she talks about her clothes, her dreams, her music and the series of American Express ads she and her band are currently appearing in. She’s in town on October 14 with The Raveonettes at Lee’s Palace.
Stream: Nicole Atkins & The Sea / Neptune City
Commercial: Nicole Atkins for American Express
MP3: Nicole Atkins – “Bleeding Diamonds”
MP3: Nicole Atkins – “Carouselle”
Video: Nicole Atkins & The Sea – “The Way It Is” (MySpace)
Video: Nicole Atkins – “Neptune City” (YouTube)
MySpace: Nicole Atkins
I had hoped to find the time to talk about Jens Lekman’s new album Night Falls On Kortedala before its October 9 release date, but looking ahead over the next week and change, it’s doubtful I will. So I’ll just say that it’s wonderful in the same way that his earlier work so if you like that… there you go. The Guardian has an interview and there’s a bit of an embarrassment of riches in the way of AV from the album to dive into.
MP3: Jens Lekman – “The Opposite Of Hallelujah”
MP3: Jens Lekman – “Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo”
Video: Jens Lekman – “Sipping On The Sweet Nectar” (MOV)
Pitchfork reports that Cat Power will release her second covers record on January 22 of next year.
Dave’s Live Music Blog has some audio from Great Lake Swimmers’ instore at Criminal Records in Toronto earlier this week. They’re playing the Phoenix tonight and will be opening up for Feist on February 18 at the Sony Centre For The Performing Arts. NPR has an interview and session with her and Chart has a conversation with her boyfriend, Kevin Drew about the possible return of Broken Social Scene in a non-“presents” capacity next year.
Okkervil River does press with The Philadelphia Daily News, The Daily Tar Heel and AM New York.
Billboard gets an update on that recording of Mates Of State’s fifth album, due out early next year.
John Vanderslice, in town at the El Mocambo on Monday, is the subject of features from ArtVoice, Washington Square News, The Boston Herald and WikiNews.
The San Jose Mercury talks to Matt Berninger of The National. They’re at the Phoenix on October 8 for a show that may well be sold out by the time you finish reading this sentence. Or maybe this one.
NME reports that Liam Gallagher of Oasis no longer hates Blur. In other news, no one cares.
And tangentially, Drowned In Sound reports that all four members of Blur are meeting for the first time in five years to discuss reunion plans. Will NME be sending paparazzi and reporting back on who had what for lunch? Of course they will.
Friday, September 28th, 2007
Welcome to part two of my Bleating Heart Shows preview for Pop Montreal next week. I started things off yesterday with a mini-interview with Danielle Duval and continue today with Tom Herbert of Ottawa’s My Dad Vs Yours. Still to come, The Brother Kite and The Airfields.
1) Inspect your official Pop Montreal bio below and respond. How accurately do you think they capture the essence of your band?
I love this band, I love this band, I love this band. In this biographer’s humble opinion, this is the best music in Canada these days. My Dad vs. Yours isn’t afraid of a great pop melody here and there and a little hand-clapping between their instrumental post-rock experimentation. Honestly, can you think of anything better?
Yeah it was a pretty nice review! We’re not used to such flattery. At first we thought it was sarcasm. Actually we’re still a little suspicious. Above all it was nice for somebody to finally appreciate the hard work that went into our hand claps.
2) Given the same approximate amount of space to write your own bio, what would it be?
My Dad vs Yours force down post-rock barricades to a state where pop melodies take precedence over orchestral crescendos; where electronic beats, slide guitar and shoegaze co-exist in vibrant harmony; where instrumentals can incite sing-alongs.
3) Besides playing the best showcase of the festival, what else do you plan to do with your time in Montreal?
Unfortunately, we won’t be spending too much time in Montreal since we have to drive straight back to Ottawa as we have a show on Friday. We may come back Saturday to take advantage of the free passes and see some shows. Also, whenever I’m in Montreal I always try to go to the Biodome and look at the penguins.
4) Why should festival-goers come see your show over all others going on at the same time?
This is our first show with our new keyboardist / violinist who will really add to our live sound. Also for one night only there will be a 5% discount on all mydadvsyours merchandise!
MP3: My Dad Vs Yours – “Bellicose”
Video: My Dad Vs Yours – “No Farm No Food No Future” (YouTube)
MySpace: My Dad Vs Yours
My Dad Vs Yours plays on October 4 at 9PM at the Green Room (5390 St-Laurent) le Gymanse (4177 rue St-Denis), admission is $8 at the door or free with a Pop Montreal bracelet.
Show poster by Cheryl Cheung
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