Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
Yo La Tengo are coming to town and this photo is hilarious
TwitterYo La Tengo haven’t quite spilled the beans on their thirteenth studio album, besides to acknowledge it exists, that recent single “Stupid Things” will appear on it albeit in a different version, that it was produced by Tortoise’s John McEntire, that it’ll be out in late January – the smart money is on the 29th, since the last week of the month is typically when the year’s first big releases are slated – and that a North American tour – of which only a few dates have been revealed – would follow. And while a tweet yesterday implied that today was the day for revelations, details on the Toronto show came yesterday – and so here they are: Hoboken’s finest will be at The Phoenix on February 9 – their first visit since October 2009, not counting their “Sounds Of Science” performance here in April. Tickets for that are $25 in advance and go on sale Friday.
While on the topic, I just finished reading Big Day Coning: Yo La Tengo and The Rise of Indie Rock. You might wonder how interesting a bio of a band that has been rather resolutely drama-free over its career could be, but it’s the understatedness of their story – plus the greatness of their music – and how it intertwines with the transformation of the underground to college to alternative to indie rock scene that makes it an interesting read.
I had hoped to get up this morning and find all the salient new album info conveniently collected in a press release in my inbox, but instead there was an email from the library telling me that the aforementioned book was a week overdue. Not quite the same thing. So I’ll update this post with specifics about the tour and release when they surface today – assuming they do – but in the meantime, marvel at the photo up above, picked up via Matablog, of Yo La Tengo with a trio of Japanese lookalikes. Don’t ask why or how, just marvel.
Update: And Matablog has it: Fade, out January 15, and tour starts the 23rd.
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Stupid Things”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Nuclear War”
Keeping with the New Jersey theme, Titus Andronicus are interviewed by Beatroute, Boise Weekly, and Pitchfork and a couple more tracks from their latest Local Business are available to download. They’re at Lee’s Palace on November 27.
MP3: Titus Andronicus – “In A Big City”
MP3: Titus Andronicus – “Ecce Homo”
And if you were wondering what former Titus guitarist Amy Klein was up to, know that in addition to playing in Leda, she’s got a drum-and-guitar duo called Hilly Eye. Exclaim has some details on their debut album Reasons To Live, due January 22, and a couple of songs are available to stream.
Stream: Hilly Eye – “Jacob’s Ladder”
Stream: Hilly Eye – “Amnesia”
The Village Voice, Red Eye, and Seven Days have interviews with Sharon Van Etten.
Interview talks to Paul Banks about balancing the solo work with Interpol.
Nada Surf have released a video from their latest, The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy.
Video: Nada Surf – “Jules & Jim”
Some feel it’s still to early for Christmas music, but Sufjan Stevens is hoping that doesn’t apply to him. He’s made the whole of his six-EP Silver & Gold box set – that’s 58 tracks worth – available to stream and also released a couple more videos for good measure. It’s available to buy as of yesterday.
MP3: Sufjan Stevens – “Ding-A-Ling-A-Ring-A-Ling”
Video: Sufjan Stevens – “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
Video: Sufjan Stevens – “Silver & Gold”
Stream: Sufjan Stevens / Silver & Gold
Pitchfork has details on the second album from Brooklyn’s Widowspeak; Almanac will be out on January 22 and the first MP3 from it is available to download.
MP3: Widowspeak – “Ballad Of The Golden Hour”
School Of Seven Bells are streaming the whole of their new EP Put Your Sad Down, released this week.
MP3: School Of Seven Bells – “Secret Days”
Stream: School Of Seven Bells / Put Your Sad Down
Filter talks to Grizzly Bear.
Ra Ra Riot are streaming the first track from their new record Beta Love, out January 22. They bring it to Lee’s Palace on March 6. There’s also a feature on the band at syracuse.com.
Stream: Ra Ra Riot – “Beta Love”
Head over to RecordStoreDay.com to stream the whole of Chocomel Daze, the You’re Living All Over Me-vintage Dinosaur Jr live record being released on vinyl-only next week.
Stream: Dinoaur Jr / Chocomel Daze
SF Weekly talks to Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs.
Jim James is done hiding behind bands and pseudonyms; he’ll release his solo debut Regions of Light and Sound of God on February 5 – details at Pitchfork and the first taste is streamable below.
Stream: Jim James – “Know Til Now”
The Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and Newsday talk to Aimee Mann, who has released a new video from her latest Charmer.
Video: Aimee Mann – “Soon Enough”
DIY interviews Benjamin Gibbard.
Tuesday, November 13th, 2012
Veronica Falls not Waiting to drop second album
FacebookEveryone has heard the old saw about bands having “a lifetime to write the first album, a year to write the second”. Similarly, most people can think of an instance or two of “sophomore slump” being more than just a clever bit of alliteration. London’s Veronica Falls seem set on not letting the former be any kind of obstacle and sidestepping the latter entirely. Their self-titled debut came out just over a year ago, but they’ve just announced the follow-up.
Waiting For Something To Happen will be out on February 12 of next year and the first teaser track from it has been made available to stream, and as expected/hoped it’s another slice of deliciously retro, garage-punk-jangle-pop that might sound a bit sunnier with more major key wistfulness than you would have found on the debut, but it’s only one song of thirteen – there’s surely at least some of their trademark darkness still lurking in the corners. Exclaim has the full tracklisting, album art, and other bits and bobs announced about the record.
Stream: Veronica Falls – “Teenage”
A Music Blog, Yea runs some questions by guitarist Paul Rains of Allo Darlin’.
The Joy Formidable have released a new video from their own sophomore effort, Wolf’s Law. It’s out January 23 and they’re at The Sound Academy on November 25 supporting The Gaslight Anthem.
Video: The Joy Formidable – “The Ladder Is Ours”
Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes talks about her experience in the music industry with Exclaim. A new track from The Haunted Man has also been made available to download.
MP3: Bat For Lashes – “Oh Yeah”
MXDWN and Los Angeles Magazine talk to Laura Marling.
NPR welcomes Neil Halstead for a World Cafe session.
Johnny Marr has released a video for the title track from his solo debut The Messenger, due out February 26. Hear that, son? That’s the jangle.
Video: Johnny Marr – “The Messenger”
DIY has some updates on the next album from Primal Scream, targeted for release in Summer of next year.
Atlanta Music Guide has a short interview with Ash; they’re at Lee’s Palace this Saturday night, November 17.
The Fly interviews Trailer Trash Tracys.
One of the tracks from Charli XCX’s new Super Ultra Mixtape has been made available for download, if you prefer things in sub-three minute chunks.
MP3: Charli XCX – “Glow”
Rolling Stone talks to Richard Thompson about his new album Electricity – due out February 5 – and also have a stream of one of the new songs on it.
Stream: Richard Thompson – “Good Things Happen To Bad People”
Blurt reports that Dutch indie-rock veterans Bettie Serveert have targeted a February release for their new album Oh, Mayhem! and released a first video from it. Here’s hoping they take this opportunity to make up that 2010 Toronto show canceled at the eleventh hour due to visa issues.
Video: Bettie Serveert – “Had2Byou”
Sambassadeur have made the flipside of their forthcoming single “Memories”/”Hours Away” available to stream, helping to tide you over until the single is out November 20 and the new album is out sometime next year.
Stream: Sambassadeur – “Hours Away”
Under The Radar talks to Carl and Adam of Shout Out Louds about how work is progressing on their fourth album. They hope to release it near the end of February 2013.
Much Sigur Rós to report; they’ve premiered another video from the Valtari Mystery Film Experient over at Nowness, this one set to four of the songs from Valtari. Maybe it will be one of those screened at The Bloor on December 8. Further, the band have announced another North American tour for next Spring. The band made a total triumph of their last visit to Echo Beach in August, but instead of returning to their former home of Massey Hall for indoor digs, they’ll be setting up at the Air Canada Centre on March 30, albeit in the more-intimate theatre configuration. And lest you worry that arenas in any configuration are acoustic nightmares, know that The National made the same setup sound amazing last December and the magical elves that work sound for Sigur Rós did wonders with Echo Beach’s PA, so I have full confidence that this will sound incredible. Ticket details still forthcoming but public on-sale is this Saturday, so they’ll be available soon. And on top of all that, they will release a new EP to go with the tour on March 22. Hoo-rah.
MP3: Sigur Rós – “Hoppípolla”
Video: Sigur Rós – “Valtari”
Björk has also rolled out a new video from last year’s Biophilia.
Video: Björk – “Mutual Core”
Tame Impala have released a new video from Lonerism; The Chicago Tribune also has an interview.
Video: Tame Impala – “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”
Sunday, November 11th, 2012
Luna covers Led Zeppelin
WikipediaTrue story – I was letting my iTunes run on random a couple weeks ago, and when the opening guitar riff to this week’s selection rang out, I sat up and thought, “why do I have Stone Temple Pilots in my music library?”. Because, you see, I never listened to Led Zeppelin as a young’n – like really never – and only knew “Dancing Days” because it was released as a single from 1995’s Encomium, a Zep tribute album.
But no, it was my beloved Luna and the track was one that I had forgotten existed, one of the bonuses that came with the late-era Luna digital reissues from earlier this year – their final two studio albums Rendezvous and Romantica, and the Close Cover Before Striking EP, to which this track was appended. It’s pretty faithful in structure – that riff must be lots of fun to play – but is so very Luna from top to bottom. The drums are bigger than you’d usually expect, but Dean Wareham’s slightly detached and deadpan vocals and the swirling, fuzzy guitar tones makes me miss the band so very much.
Celebration Day, the live document of the 2007 Led Zeppelin reunion show, is out on CD and DVD on November 19. If and when we have a Luna reunion, it will probably be a little smaller in scale… but until then, we have Wareham’s first solo record – currently being recorded – to look forward to.
MP3: Luna – “Dancing Days”
Stream: Led Zeppelin – “Dancing Days”
Friday, November 9th, 2012
This Crystal Castles album stream was brought to you by the letter “C” and the number (III)
Marc PannozzoIt’s true that Crystal Castles had to push the release of their third album (III) back a week from this past Tuesday to next, but they only barely needed the extra time. The record went up as an advance stream earlier this week at MuchMusic, offering further evidence that the Toronto duo of Alice Glass and Ethan Kath have come a long way since the glitchy, more spectacle than songcraft hype of their 2008 self-titled debut. (III) is still built on bent beats, shrieked vocals, and chopped-up synths, but is far less confrontational, far more melodic and sophisticated, and is arguably more about something – talking points around the record are decidedly social-political – than just acting out. And you can still dance to it like a spaz.
Pitchfork has an interview with the duo. It went better than The Village Voice’s.
MP3: Crystal Castles – “Wrath Of God”
MP3: Crystal Castles – “Plague”
Stream: Crystal Castles / (III)
The 405 meets Japandroids, back in town at The Phoenix on December 11.
Blurt and The Georgia Straight meet METZ.
PS I Love You have released a new video from Death Dreams, and CBC Music has both an interview and video featurette on the making of the clip.
Video: PS I Love You – “Saskatoon”
The Alternate Side has a session, and Beatroute and The Santa Cruz Sentinel interviews with Diamond Rings, back home for a show at The Mod Club on November 29.
The Province, The Globe & Mail, Beatroute talks Metric, headlining the Air Canada Centre on November 24.
Billboard and Beatroute have features on Stars, who are opening up that Metric show at the ACC.
Evening Hymns are giving away an EP of live recordings made on their recent European tour via Facebook; warning – you may have to “like” them. Forewarned. They play The Church Of The Redeemer on December 15.
Daphni have released a video from Jiaolong.
Video: Daphni – “Ahora”
DIY talks to Chains Of Love.
Brasstronaut have released a new video from their latest record Mean Sun.
Video: Brasstronaut – “Mean Sun”
Poster boys for, “never believe us when we say we’re breaking up again”, The Lowest Of the Low are the latest Canadian institutions who’ll be helping The Horseshoe turn 65, setting up shop at the bar for two nights, December 19 and 20, tickets $26.50 in advance.
MP3: The Lowest Of The Low – “Bleed A Little While Tonight”
DIY talked to Damian, Jonah, and Sandy of Fucked Up prior to this year’s Polaris Prize gala, while CBC Music gets Mike Haliechuk to talk about his writing process for the band. They play The Great Hall tonight for the first installment of Long Winter.
The Vancouver Sun, Georgia Straight, Beatroute chats with A.C. Newman.
DIY has a video session with Patrick Watson. He plays Massey Hall on December 6.
Beatroute and The Vancouver Sun chat with Rose Cousins.
DIY has an interview with Kathleen Edwards.
Exclaim have got a stream of Have Not Been The Same, the compilation of Canadian indie rock rarities from the likes of Sloan, Weeping Tile, and Doughboys, and companion to Have Not Been The Same: The CanRock Renaissance 1985-1995, due out next week.
Stream: various artists / Have Not Been The Same
Thursday, November 8th, 2012
My Bloody Valentine’s new album is– no wait, come back.
FacebookI don’t think that anyone out there would suggest that Kevin Shields is not a man of his word; it’s just his punctuality that people take issue with. After all – those remastered reissues of My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless, Isn’t Anything, and their collected EPs did eventually see the light of day this Spring – it just happened that they were about four years later than they’d originally been promised.
So when NME came out yesterday and quoted Shields as saying that the new My Bloody Valentine album – the proper follow-up to 1991’s Loveless, which they’ve ostensibly been working on off and on (but mostly off) for the past 20 years – will be out before the end of the calendar year, with a companion EP due out in 2013, it’s hard to figure out if that churning feeling in the stomach is due to excitement, skepticism, or burrito. But wait – he offers details, including the band’s intention to play Tokyo’s Ajinomoto Stadium next Spring, and the fact that it will be released independently via the MBV website. Which, if we dig a little, is what was told to Billboard… in 2007. Well he’s consistent, if nothing else.
More information as it becomes available – if he’s going to be good to his word, there’s not a lot of time left to get this sucker out – but in the meantime, perhaps reflect on the last time MBV were in town, or glance over at that new Godspeed You! Black Emperor record and remind yourself that anything is possible.
Video: My Bloody Valentine – “Soon”
Much more certain is the second album from Amor de Dìas, the project from The Clientele’s Alisdair Maclean and Pipas’ Lupe Núñez-Fernández. They’ll release The House at Sea, the follow up to 2011’s Street Of The Love Of Days, on January 29. Details on the release can be had at Exclaim. And as nice as this will be, it’s with sadness that I note the press materials are now referring to The Clientele in the past tense.
Also locked in for the new year is the new record from Frightened Rabbit. Their first full-length for Atlantic Records will be called Pedestrian Verse and be released on February 5. Details and some words on the record from frontman Scott Hutchison are over at DIY.
English electronic duo Bondax clearly don’t think that December is too late to slate a North American tour; they’ll be at The Drake Underground on December 8.
MP3: Bondax – “All Inside”
When English glam-metal revivalists The Darkness rolled through town back in February, they were still six months off from releasing their comeback record Hot Cakes. Now that it’s out, they’re coming back – look for them again at The Phoenix on January 21, tickets $35, though we all know you’re only going to hear “Street Spirit” and “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”. Who’s kidding who.
Video: The Darkness – “Nothing’s Going To Stop Us”
Charli XCX has made good on her promise to release a new mixtape – Super Ultra Mixtape is available to either stream or download.
Stream: Charli XCX / Super Ultra Mixtape
NPR welcomes Bloc Party for a World Cafe session.
The Quietus and This Is Essex talk to Darren Hayman about his new witch trial-themed album The Violence. The whole thing is available to stream, and a video was recently released.
Video: Darren Hayman & The Long Parliament – “Impossible Times”
Stream: Darren Hayman & The Long Parliament / The Violence
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