Monday, July 4th, 2005
Where I come from (and where I went to university for engineering), a band that called themselves “Engineers” would probably be a couple guys with acoustic guitars who, in between covers of The Tragically Hip (or cover, singular, because they only ever bothered to learn “50 Mission Cap”) would slip in inspired originals extolling the virtues of boat racing and Labatt 50. I guess in Britain, from whence Engineers come, the word is not loaded down with such baggage. Instead, if the London four-piece has anything to say about it, the word will henceforth connotate immense cathedrals of sound – stately, solemn and beautiful. Not a backwards baseball cap in sight.
Temptations to lump them in with whatever nu-gaze movement is going on at the moment should be avoided, though. While they would certainly appeal to the same sort of eye-contact avoidant fanbase, Engineers draw more from a more atmospheric wellspring of inspiration – more Mark Hollis than Kevin Shields. In fact, sonically their self-titled debut is almost crystalline in its cleanliness. Those seeking walls of fuzz would do well to keep walking. Simon Phipps’ voocals are suitably hushed and dreamy but are mixed well in front so as to still have enough have more weight than you might expect. Only album closer “One In Seven” reaches for any level of bombast, and it’s done quite well – I hope they aspire to produce a more dynamic set with future records. As it is, however, the steady pace and consistent mood feel like a deliberate statement rather than an inability to rock out.
The album was released in the UK in March and in North America at the end of June. Reviews have been quite positive. You can check out some samples at their MySpace page or grab this mp3, courtesy of Insound.
MP3: Engineers – “Come In Out Of The Rain”
You also get an mp3 of a b-side if you sign up for their mailing list.
The New York Daily News talks to Jay Farrar about the road to and influences informing the new Son Volt record Okemah And The Melody Of Riot, out next week. Link via Largehearted Boy.
Happy Fourth of July to Fourth-Of-July-celebrating people. And happy first- day- back- at- work- after- a- long- weekend to Canadians. Gawd. Since everyone is on holiday, there is pretty much no news to report on. So… go back to sleep. I am.
np – Spoon / Gimme Fiction
Sunday, July 3rd, 2005
With 2005 officially half over, I’m going to do the music blogger clip-episode equivalent and get on the “favourite albums of 2005 so far” bandwagon. Will these albums necessarily be on the year-end list? Maybe, maybe not. There could end up being ten spectacular records that come out between now and December that push these ones into runner-up position, or I could just get really sick of these. Who really knows? But for now, these are the five records released this year that have worked themselves into my playlist and cranium the most. I’m keeping it brief, though. Alphabetical order, not ranked.
The Decemberists / Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars) – Like a new work from a favourite author, Picaresque doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the Decemberists’ table, but more of the same from Meloy & co. will suit me just fine.
Doves / Some Cities (EMI) – If this list were ranked, this would be number five. Not as consistent top to bottom as I’d like, but when it hits, it’s magnificent. Songs like “Black & White Town”, “Snowden” and “Ambition”, for starters, are enough to elevate any album to at least some degree of greatness.
Low / The Great Destroyer (SubPop) – A change of scenery does Duluth’s finest some good. A new label, a new producer, and a new direction that revitalizes the band without abandoning any of the traits that made them special in the first place.
The Mountain Goats / The Sunset Tree (4AD) – (Too) much has been written about the autobiographicalness of John Darneille’s latest opus. All that matters is that whether it’s informed by memory or imagination, he makes you feel it. Truly a heartbreaking work of staggering genius (what, is that phrase played out?) and maybe his best work yet. And that’s saying something.
The Wedding Present / Take Fountain (Manifesto) – Dave Gedge has always been at his best writing tales of lovers jilted, jilting or just getting randy, so how does he find inspiration for the first album under the Wedding Present moniker in some eight years? By drawing on the dissolution of his relationship with longtime girlfriend Sally Murrell to create one of the Weddoes’ best records of any era, and certainly the most personal and heartfelt.
And since I’ve only had it a few days, it’s not really fair to include it in the list proper, but Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois will almost certainly be a shoo-in for the final list in December (check out You Ain’t No Picasso’s interview with Sufjan). I’m sure there’s other stuff that came out in the past six months that would have made the list if I’d only gotten around to getting a copy before now, I will try to have a reasonably comprehensive sample group by year’s end, which usually means a shopping frenzy of some sort in late November/early December.
Hall Monitor is the new hangout of Paul from The Rub, and his inaugural post is his half-year review of 2005.
Being There also plays the list game with their 10 best music movies ever. We’re talking non-fiction, so there is no This Is Spinal Tap, much to Liam Gallagher’s confusion.
So Live 8 was a success? Everyone happy? Awareness heightened? Good, I’m glad for you. Really I am. I somehow managed to sleep through the whole thing. All 20 hours of it. Yeah. Okay, I actually saw the very very end with everyone onstage singing “Oh Canada” – please tell me Motley Crue took part. Please please please.
Thanks to everyone who entered my Doves contest – I will try to contact the winners in the next day or two, as soon as I figure out how to randomly select winners. Things learned from this contest – next time, database the entrants so that it’s easier to sort through.
np – Brakes / Give Blood
Saturday, July 2nd, 2005
Some of Canada hoariest music veterans will be gathering in Barrie today to represent the grizzled, craggy, pockmarked face (hi Bryan!) of Canadian rock for the Live 8 shindigs. Last night, however, my nominee for the best new face of Canadian music – one Ms Leslie Feist, born in the Alberta, based in Toronto and inspired by the French – took the stage at Harbourfront Centre in front of upwards of 2000 people (my totally unfounded estimates) to celebrate Canada’s birthday.
Backed by a full band and a variety of guest performers including Broken Social Scene co-conspirator and opener on this evening, Andrew Whiteman from Apostle Of Hustle, Feist’s set blended slower, torchy ballads with uptempo, groove-heavy numbers and a healthy dollop of good-humoured banter and storytelling. Even in a big outdoor venue, Feist had the charisma to make it feel like an intimate club gig and actually managed to make Canada Day sexy. Performing her slow-burning “Intuition” while the fireworks went off across the lake at Ontario Place, it felt like the explosions were going off in slow motion. Magnificent.
I was waaaaay way way in back for this one so I’m surprised I got the photos I did. I’m sure there will be far, far better ones circulating soon enough. Or check out my past ones.
Laura Cantrell tells Being There about the making of Humming By The Flowered Vine.
Chart talks to The Futureheads. I appear to be incapable of coming up with an interesting lead-in sentence to Futureheads links.
Franz Ferdinand have announced the dates of their North American tour in support of their second eponymous album, out October 4. It includes a stop at the Ricoh Colisseum in Toront on October 18. Goodness, was it just a couple years ago that I saw them in the Horseshoe? They grow up so fast. More tour dates at Dreams Of Horses and Billboard gets the low-down from Alex Kapranos on what to expect on the new album (besides the same artwork as the first one).
Anyone who’s already got copies of Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois would do well to hang onto them… they’ve had to recall all copies from retailers just before its scheduled release date this Tuesday. Apparently someone wasn’t real happy with their use of a certain “Man Of Metropolis” on the cover art and got all lawyer-y on Sufjan’s label. Here’s the revised artwork – I can’t seem to find a pic of the original art online, man those lawyers move fast. I unexpectedly got a promo copy of the album on Thursday in addition to the one I preordered and which is in the mail, meaning I will have an extra copy of the original artwork editions. Naturally, I will sell it to the highest bidder. No offers under five figures, please.
Oh, and the album is fantastic. Hopefully it won’t be delayed for long.
np – Sufjan Stevens / Illinois
Friday, July 1st, 2005
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – BRMC to their friends – have put together their Fall tour in support of their third album Howl, which is out August 23. It includes a date at the Phoenix in Toronto on September 24. Ex-Ride leader Mark Gardener supports on all tour dates. Toronto has always been very very fond of BRMC so expect this one to sell out lickity-split. Info from More Cowbell.
BRMC are one of those acts you’d think I’d be more into than I am, which isn’t much at all (but I don’t like The Jesus And Mary Chain as much as logic would dictate either…). I had their first album but found it kind of slow and samey, and I’m pretty sure I fell asleep at their first Toronto show back in 2002. I never even heard their second album, Take Them On, On Your Own, though I heard it mixed things up a little more and was a better record all around. What’s the word on Howl? Should I give them another chance to impress?
The musical acts participating in this year’s inaugural Ear To The Ground have been announced, and while I’m still sorry I’m missing the whole thing, I feel a little better about it since I’ve seen or will no doubt have the opportunity to see the bands who are performing. $40 will get you admission for all three days of the festival, taking place at Exhibition Place, and into performances by Death From Above 1979, Kid Koala, The Hidden Cameras, Tricky Woo and others, not to mention all the film, art, theatre, etc.
Prefix talks to The Futureheads.
Carl Newman tells Chart he’d like The New Pornographers lineup to be a little more modular. He’s already started, getting his neice Kathryn Calder (from Fall tour openers Immaculate Machine) to spot for Neko Case at some recent shows in New York. Both Neko and Kathryn will be onboard for the Fall tour which includes an October 9 date at what is viciously rumoured to be The Docks.
Good news and bad news courtesy of Bradley’s Almanac. The good news is that Matt Pond PA has finished their follow-up to Emblems and are eyeing a Fall relese. The bad news – cellist Eve Miller has left the band. The band is looking for a cellist/keyboardist to replace her. Must be willing to sign up for scads of touring.
The Stars video for “Reunion”, which was up and then not, is back up. Thanks to Pop (All Love) for the pointer.
Happy Canada Day!
np – Magnolia Electric Co / What Comes After The Blues
Thursday, June 30th, 2005
Cheers to Toronto’s own Arts & Crafts doing their part to strengthen relations with our neighbours to the south by giving Austin’s American Analog Set a much-deserved record deal. According to Pitchfork, A&C will release AmAnSet’s Set Free in North America on September 20 (Morr Music handles distro duties in Europe and release the album there on September 6). I hope this means that the Set will have good reason to come up north and play some shows – like picking up their paycheques. The current plan has the band traversing the globe in support of the new album through the Fall, with east coast North American dates in Novermber/December. Photo from Twinhorse.
You can read an interview with AmAnSet mainman Andrew Kenney from Comes With A Smile here, and check out their tour journal for logs of their recent jaunt to Taiwan. And here’s a track from the new album:
MP3: The American Analog Set – “Immaculate Heart i”
Death Cab For Cutie’s major-label debut Plans has been bumped up a couple weeks from its original September 20 street date and will now be out on August 30. Pitchfork has details.
Chart scored some time with Keren Ann between her Jazz Festival and Olympic Island shows in Toronto this past weekend.
Some shows – A couple of UK buzz bands are coming to town: Manchester’s Nine Black Alps are at the El Mocambo on July 14, and Clash devotees Hard-Fi are at the Mod Club on July 21. Sweden’s Shout Out Louds continue to tour their debut album Howl Howl Gaff Gaff with a headlining show at Lee’s Palace on August 4. Chicago’s Redwalls support. And Neva Dinova have cancelled their July 18 show at the Horseshoe in favour of opening up for Jason Lowenstein at Lee’s Palace on the 19th. That Nine Black Alps gig is going on my calendar – I got one of their 7″s a while back, and now that I can listen to it (see below), it’s pretty damn good. Check out their MySpace for samples.
The upcoming week in shows at Torontoist, courtesy of me.
Google Earth freaks me out with its awesomeness. I zoomed right in on my parents’ house and could see the deck and the new cobblestone driveway. And their disapproving looks. Sigh. Yes mom, I’ll do the dishes.
Oh, and speaking of analog, my vinyl journey appears over. I scored a really really good deal on a used Rega Planar 2 turntable and it arrived yesterday. It’s maybe 25 years old but is in immaculate shape. It took me a little bit to get the tonearm set up properly (assuming I’ve done it properly) but it works and sounds great – and most importantly, the Saturday Looks Good To Me LP doesn’t skip! Huzzah. So now I’ll be doubly easy to find – if I’m not rooting through the used CD bins, I’ll be digging through old vinyl (or maybe I should just buy this guy’s collection). Sweetness. But it’s weird… after long last, my stereo setup is done. Finis. At least until my income goes up an order of magnitude, anyway. But what am I supposed to do now… LISTEN to music? What fun is that?
np – British Sea Power / Open Season
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