Frank YangIt struck me about mid-way through Basia Bulat’s concert at Trinity-St. Paul’s on Saturday night that though it was an album release show for her eagerly-anticipated new album in Heart Of My Own, the album wasn’t going to be released for another couple of weeks yet – January 26, to be exact – and as such, many/most of the just under 800 people in the sell-out crowd had never heard the new songs. An obvious point, certainly, but one that I had overlooked since I’d been secretly nursing a copy of the record since early last Fall and so the new songs were almost as familiar to my ears as those from her 2007 debut, Oh, My Darling.

And that’s why it was even more remarkable that, contrary to typical concert etiquette which dictates that you sit politely through the new material while waiting for the familiar gems, people were responding to the Heart material almost as enthusiastically as they did the selections from Darling. I’m sure this was as much pent-up enthusiasm for Bulat’s return to her hometown stages, what with her having only played one show in the past year and a half, but also a testament to the quality and immediacy of the new material – it’s worth noting that the folks I was with, at least, were quite genuinely excited about several of the new songs, and continued talking about them after the show was done.

Of course, the delivery of the songs surely had something to do with the impression they made. Trinity-St. Paul’s may well be second only to Massey Hall as far as perfect musical venues in Toronto go, and you couldn’t have asked for a better setting to get re-acquainted with Bulat. She certainly couldn’t, mentioning several times through the night how excited she was to be performing in the space. Fronting a 6-piece band that had a couple of new faces since the last time I saw them, Bulat’s set featured much of the big, harmony-laden orchestral folk-pop that I’d missed the past year and a half, but also a few surprises.

Early on, she took to a grand piano set off to the side of the stage and almost completely out of sight, played “Run” from the new record and “Snakes And Ladders” from Darling, neither of which I’d ever heard on piano. I didn’t even know she could play piano. Similarly, “If Only You”, a jaunty, horn-inflected full-band number on the record, was performed solo with no loss of energy. The performance wasn’t without its stumbles; apparently an autoharp broke on the second song of the evening, a song had to be stopped and re-started because Bulat’s guitar was capo-ed into the wrong key and there were a couple of missed cues. But these minor missteps were handled with such grace and humour that it really became a case of the imperfections that helped make an evening perfect.

As far as show-stoppers went, there were two – the solemn, hammered harp-led “The Shore” was as much a highlight live as on the album, and at the end of the encore which again found Bulat alone onstage, clapping and stomping her feet as she sang the folk standard “Death Come Creeping” unamplified into the church for a stirring finale. I usually find that standing ovations are given out a little too freely at seated shows – they seem almost mandatory – but this one was justly and wholly deserved.

Opening up for the night was Montreal’s The Luyas, whom I’d seen last February and seemed at the time to be a work in progress, trying to find a balance between pop and experimentalism. Well it seems they’ve spent the last year entrenching themselves in that place between styles and their set was an interesting, and sometimes odd, demonstration of trying to make it work. On the plus side, the band – now expanded to a five-piece with violin and keys augmenting the french horn, guitar and drums – sounded quite polished, in an orchestral/post-rock sort of way. On the downside, the musical sophistication made the wavery, childlike vocals of frontwoman Jessie Stein seem much rougher than they were probably intended. Net result? Ambivalence, but not nearly enough to keep the night as a whole from being pure gold.

Narratives and BlogTO also have reviews of the show and Metro and Chart interviews. Also just announced was Bulat’s next show – a free in-store at Soundscapes on February 16 at 7PM. It goes without saying that you should be there and and be there early.

Photos: Basia Bulat, The Luyas @ Trinity-St. Paul’s – January 16, 2010
MP3: Basia Bulat – “Go On”
MP3: Basia Bulat – “Gold Rush”
MP3: Basia Bulat – “In The Night”
MP3: Basia Bulat – “Snakes & Ladders”
Video: Basia Bulat – “In The Night”
MySpace: Basia Bulat

The National Post, Dose, Kelowna.com and The Indie Files have interviews with Mark Hamilton of Woodpigeon. They have a show at the Drake Underground on February 11 and an in-store at Soundscapes on February 14 at 5PM.

The Guardian, Spinner, Clash and Chart have features on Owen Pallett, who offers a track-by-track walkthrough of Heartland to Drowned In Sound. He has a show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 8 with a pretty excellent guest if rumours are to be believed.

What We See Is What You Get has an on-location video session with The Wilderness Of Manitoba, who are at the Garrison this Thursday evening.

Chart has details on a forthcoming covers compilation that brings together artists like Stars, Dean & Britta and Tanya Donelly to reinterpret songs that are, well, quiet. Kind of a dubious theme but if it offers the opportunity to hear Neil Halstead do Kate Bush’s “Cloudbusting”, I’ll take it. Sing Me To Sleep is due out May 18.

And speaking of Neil Halstead, he quietly released a new video from 2008’s Oh! Mighty Engine late last year.

Video: Neil Halstead – “Witless Or Wise”

Also with a new video is Laura Marling, whose I Speak Because I Can is out March 22 and who plays Lee’s Palace on February 9. For Folk’s Sake has a bit of information on album number two and reveals that album number three is also planned for release this year, targeted for September 2010.

Video: Laura Marling – “Devil’s Spoke”

I mentioned last week how it seemed that Tuesday posts should be set aside for just concert announcements – well there wasn’t nearly the volume of news this week as last, but what there was was quality.

Like the fact that before their sold-out show at the Phoenix on Thursday night, Dinosaur Jr would be playing an in-store at Sonic Boom at 6:30PM. Did I say “.”? I meant, “!!!!!!!”. Dinosaur Jr. In-store. Sonic Boom. January 21. 6:30. Yes. Queen’s Journal has a chat with drummer Murph.

And to follow up last Thursday’s post, Ms Joanna Newsom will indeed be driving through the city, but also pulling off the highway and stopping in for a show at the Phoenix on March 13. Tickets are $22.50 and go on sale Thursday, and though it doesn’t appear to be a Canadian Musicfest-affiliated show, it’s also not in conflict as it’s an early gig – doors at 6, show at 6:30. Her new album Have One On Me is out February 23. Clash has an interview with Newsom about the new record.

And it’s a good thing that Newsom’s show isn’t overlapping the CMF stuff because The Brother Kite announced last week that they’d be playing the festival on Saturday, and I didn’t want to have to choose one or the other. Their new album Isolation is done and awaiting release – Popdose had them in for a living room interview and session last year. Even in such a casual setting, it’s absurd how good they sound.

I’d also mentioned that the April 1Black Rebel Motorcycle Club show had been moved from The Phoenix to the Sound Academy – well it’s now moved back to the Phoenix. To handle the additional demand, a second show has been added a week and a half later on April 11, also at The Phoenix. Their new record Beat The Devil’s Tattoo is out March 29.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre have set a February 23 release date for their new record Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? and will be at The Phoenix on June 2 to support.

Paul O’ValleBefore the passing of Jay Reatard on Wednesday – condolences to his friends, family and fans – the topic du jour in the indie nation was what was up with Joanna Newsom. Everyone’s favourite harpist hadn’t released any new music since 2007’s Joanna Newsom & The Ys Street Band EP, itself a chaser for the epic Ys, and while anyone is entitled to a break after putting something like that together, fans were certainly getting anxious for some new material, or even news of new material.

Which finally came this week, first in the form of a cryptic comic strip at her North American label Drag City and then as a confirmation from her Australian handlers at Spunk Records which has since been removed, but too late – the word was out that Newsom’s third album will be entitled Have One On Me and be released on February 23 in North America.

And that timing makes sense, considering the previously-announced tour dates that will take her around North America in March. And while I had previously suggested that the days off between her Grand Rapids date on the 12th and Montreal’s on the 15th were enough that a Toronto show would be a virtual certainty, that window of opportunity has since gotten smaller with the addition of a second Montreal date on the 14th. Which essentially means that if there is going to be a local date for Ms Newsom, it’s going to have to be on March 13 – which happens to be the final day of Canadian Musicfest. So one theory is that the announcement of the show is being held back to coincide with a festival press release. Another is the show is happening independently of the festival and the announcement is just being delayed for one reason or another. Or it’s possible that she’s skipping us entirely and any Torontonians hoping to get a glimpse of her first visit to the 416 since October 2006 will have to do so from a 401 overpass, assuming she travels by car and not on the back of a flying unicorn.

I’ll obviously keep you posted if anything further emerges about either the album or tour. Until then, enjoy the one available piece of official media available online – a video from her 2004 debut The Milk-Eyed Mender.

Video: Joanna Newsom – “The Sprout & The Bean”

Dirty Projectors are giving away both sides of a new 7″ as free MP3 downloads from their website right now.

Muzzle Of Bees asks five questions of Sharon Van Etten, in town on February 6 at Trinity-St. Paul’s opening up for Great Lake Swimmers.

Black Cab Sessions has a session in a cab with Alela Diane, circa SxSW 2009.

Department For Sound interviews Dean & Britta on the occasion of their playing the WOMAD festival in Australia in March.

The Dumbing Of America talks to Lauren Larson of Ume while declaring them, “your new favourite band”.

Check out the first MP3 from The Morning Benders’ new album Big Echo, due out March 9. They play the Drake Underground on April 14. The Fader has an interview.

MP3: The Morning Benders – “Promises”

Magnet solicits an interview from Centro-Matic’s Will Johnson, who is playing guest editor on their site this week.

ABC News has a video interview with Richard Balayut and Fontaine Toups of Versus, who are back together and working on a new record.

Pitchfork reports that Okkervil River’s next recorded appearance will be as psych-rock legend Roky Erickson’s band on his new record True Love Cast Out All Evil,, out April 20.

Stereogum has the first taste of Miles Kurosky’s solo debut The Desert Of Shallow Effects, out March 9. There’s also some tour dates set, though nothing up this way. Hope that’s rectified soon – as I recall, Beulah’s final show here at Lee’s Palace in October 2003 was epic.

Soundproof talks to Dinosaur Jr drummer Murph as the trio finally makes it to Toronto, with a date at the Phoenix next Thursday night, January 21.

Baeble Music has a full concert video from Thao with The Get Down Stay Down at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia.

Luxury Wafers has a video and downloadable session and aux.tv an interview with The Dutchess & The Duke.

Record Store Day (which is April 17 this year write it down) has an interview with Britt Daniel of Spoon. Transference is out on Tuesday and they play the Sound Academy on March 29.

Vivian Girls have set a North American tour this Spring in support of last year’s Everything Goes Wrong. The Toronto date is at Wrongbar on March 10, tickets $14.

Video: Vivian Girls – “When I’m Gone”

Dr. Dog’s new record Shame, Shame is out April 6 and they will kick off their North American tour at Lee’s Palace on April 14.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s April 1 show at the Phoenix has been moved from the Phoenix to the Sound Academy.

Dose reports that the Blur documentary No Distance Left To Run will be getting a one-day engagement across Canada next Thursday, January 21. The Toronto showing will be at 7PM at the Scotiabank Theatre – advance tickets go on sale Friday. Since the reunion is apparently done for the foreseeable future, this is as close to Blur in 2010 as we’re going to get. I’ll have to wait for the DVD, though, since that evening is reserved for another reunion – Dinosaur Jr.

Trailer: Blur: No Distance Left To Run

Lilja BirgisdottirWhen it was revealed that Jon Thor Birgisson was going to be working on a project separate from Sigur Ros, many – well me, at least – assumed that the instrumental Riceboy Sleeps record which came out earlier this year was it. But in fact, it was credited to Jonsi & Alex, the titular Alex being Alex Somers of Parachutes and Birgisson’s boyfriend and the project being something else completely. Which is just as well because while it was a pretty piece of atmosphere, Riceboy Sleeps didn’t really engage as a piece of music and didn’t do much to tide one over while waiting for the new Sigur Ros record.

When flying solo as just Jonsi, however, the results are more satisfying. Details on Birgisson’s debut album entitled Go were revealed last week alongside the first MP3 – “Boy Lilikoi” – and it’s definitely not lacking in substance. Big and colourful, it finds Birgisson singing in English overtop buoyant and burbling pop arrangements, courtesy of Bjork arranger Nico Muchly and The National producer Peter Katis. This track and the extra audio samples available on the Jonsi website seem to ensure that Go will be enough like Sigur Ros to entice and satisfy fans of Sigur Ros, but different enough to justify not being Sigur Ros.

The album will be out on March 23 of next year, and a world tour to support will follow. Which basically ensures that the new Sigur Ros record won’t be out until Fall at the earliest.

MP3: Jonsi – “Boy Lilikoi”
MP3: Riceboy Sleeps – “Boy 1904”
MySpace: Jonsi

Rolling Stone talks to Ted Leo about his new album The Brutalist Bricks, available March 9. For a sneak preview of the new material, check out this downloadable live show from last week courtesy of NYC Taper.

Magnet does the over/under thing with Built To Spill’s oeuvre.

BrooklynVegan reports that The Antlers will be opening up for Editors on their upcoming North American tour, including the February 16 date at the Phoenix in Toronto. The Irish Times interviews Peter Silberman.

The Fader has posted their recent cover story on Bon Iver online while NME reports that a charity album entitled A Decade With Duke, pairing Justin Vernon with his Eau Claire, Wisconsin high school’s jazz band in performing Duke Ellington songs, Bon Iver songs and a few standards. NPR has a feature piece on the collaboration.

Though they just announced details of their next studio album, entitled Beat The Devil’s Tattoo and out on March 9, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club don’t want folks to forget they also just released a live album – they’ve released a video of four live performances and are offering up one of the tracks to download. Their two worlds collide when they play songs from the new studio album in a live setting on April 1 at the Phoenix.

MP3: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll (Punk Song)” (live)
Video: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club / Live

Paste kicks off their new “Moog Sessions” – featuring videos of performances recorded at the Moog factory in Asheville, North Carolina – with Yo La Tengo.

The Skeleton Crew Quarterly interviews Venice Is Sinking.

For Folk’s Sake interviews Jenn Wasser of Wye Oak.

Drive-By Truckers will release their new studio album The Big To-Do on March 16 – details at Muzzle Of Bees.

This week, PitchforkTV is streaming the 2004 Superchunk documentary, Quest For Sleep.

Video: Superchunk: Quest For Sleep

The Thermals’ Hutch Harris talks lyrics with Paste. Their next album is out September 7, 2010.

The Line Of Best Fit interviews Beach House about their new album Teen Dream, out January 26.

The Independent has an extensive interview with Wilco.

Austinst has information on The Golden Dossier component of Shearwater’s new album The Golden Archipelago, which they are hoping to finance via Kickstarter. The album is out February 23.

Christmas has come early for fans of over-the-top British arena rock and those with nostalgic memories of the ’90s-era Canadian indie rock. Different gifts, though they could well be the same fans. To the former, word that Muse have added a March 8 date at the Air Canada Centre to their Spring 2010 North American tour in support of this year’s The Resistance. Support on the tour will come from Silversun Pickups.

Video: Muse – “Uprising”

And to the latter, the long-rumoured Thrush Hermit reunion appears to be a go. Official confirmation and full dates are still forthcoming, but an eastern leg of the tour appeared on last week and puts the reunited Haligonians at Lee’s Palace in Toronto for two nights, March 26 and 27. Once and future Thrush Hermit frontman Joel Plaskett also just released a new video from Three. Update: Plaskett has confirmed the reunion in an interview with Exclaim.

Video: Joel Plaskett – “You Let Me Down”

Frank YangIf you had told me that everyone piled into Lee’s Palace on Sunday night wasn’t, in fact, specifically a fan of The Big Pink but of British music from the ’90s in general, I’d have believed it. For much/most/all of the appeal of the London-based duo and their debut A Brief History Of Love centers around how effectively they combine the best bits of shoegaze, Britpop and Madchester into new tunes that are instantly familiar to those who’ve dog-eared a copy or two of Select in their day, but updated to be sleek and danceable by today’s standards.

In being such effective mimics, however, has cost The Big Pink something in the way of their own personality. Perhaps that’s the way it should be, the attention paid to the songs and not the musicians; certainly logical considering that Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell come from a more electronic background, less predisposed to rock star braggadocio. Combine that with the fact that for all it’s rock reference points, the record feels very much like a studio (lab?) project and a kick-ass live show certainly wasn’t a foregone conclusion.

Local openers Revolvers, on the other hand, had no problem establishing their rock credentials. The five-piece certainly shared some musical DNA with the headliners, but you’d have to go back to the blues and rock influences that informed the likes of Spiritualized into something akin to a less drug-addled Brian Jonestown Massacre or groovier (and less droney) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. With two very capable lead vocalists and some hot guitar work, they made a good first impression and though they might do well to play it a little less traditional and stretch out a bit, there’s a very solid foundation to build something great on.

Sounding too traditional was not a problem for Long Beach, California’s Crystal Antlers. Their debut Tentacles was notable as the final new release from the venerable Touch And Go label and their set was a dizzying collision of sounds, bursts of noise butting up against bursts of melody, all propelled by intense percussion, urgent Farfisa organ and strained vocals. On paper, it wasn’t the sort of thing I’d like but to my surprise, I rather enjoyed it. It helped that percussionist Damian Edwards was tremendously entertaining to watch, working his bongos and crash cymbal like man possessed. With dancing.

When a band’s stage setup consists of multiple banks of strobe lights and smoke machines, they’re either intending to deliver a massive rock show or hope that the effects provide the visual stimulation that they can’t. In the case of The Big Pink, it felt like a little of both. For the duration of their set, the stage was enveloped in smoke, strobe and darkness, but perhaps feeling freed by the fact that no one could really see them, singer/guitarist Furze actually showed off no shortage of rock star moves in bounding around the stage, playing dueling axes with bassist Leopold Ross (who himself engaged in some hair-whipping) and generally acting like a kid playing a tennis racket with the stereo turned up.

With Cordell on keys/synths/samples and Akiko Matsuura – who also played on the record – on drums, The Big Pink live had an organic dimension which you didn’t necessarily feel was lacking on the album, but provided an extra and welcome bit of dynamicism in performance. That said, the songs were rendered pretty closely to their studio versions. Not necessarily a problem, though I maintain that some of the backing tracks could have been played live by Cordell rather than just triggered. Slightly more of a problem was the brevity of the set – after a 25-minute delay from the scheduled start time, they clocked in at just 45 minutes and there was no encore. Matsuura came back out after the final song, but it was to wave the expectant crowd off and send us home, not play one final number. Granted, they don’t have a wealth of material to draw from but it’d have been nice to hear the album’s title track. No, I don’t know who would/could have covered Joanne Robertson’s parts. Maybe they could have used a taped track. Okay, maybe it’s better that they didn’t play it.

Panic Manual has a review of the show. OC Weekly has an interview with The Big Pink and MPR a streamable session. Hour.ca talks to Crystal Antlers.

Photos: The Big Pink, Crystal Antlers, Revolvers @ Lee’s Palace – November 29, 2009
MP3: The Big Pink – “Dominos”
MP3: The Big Pink – “Velvet”
MP3: Crystal Antlers – “Andrew”
MP3: Crystal Antlers – “Tentacles”
MP3: Crystal Antlers – “A Thousand Eyes”
Video: The Big Pink – “Dominos”
Video: The Big Pink – “Velvet”
Video: The Big Pink – “Too Young To Love”
Video: Crystal Antlers – “Andrew”
Video: Revolvers – “Rock y Roll”
MySpace: The Big Pink
MySpace: Crystal Antlers

The Quietus has posted the whole of their interview with Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce, a portion of which was run last week. Clash has followed suit, posting an excerpt of an interview with Pierce, the complete version of which will be available in the coming days/weeks. The 10th anniversary edition of Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space is out next week. Update: Part one of the Clash interview is now up. And part two.

Former Cocteau Twins singer Elizabeth Fraser gives a rare interview to Elizabeth Fraser about her new single “Moses” and possible plans for a new album.

Matador has all the details on the new album from Ted Leo & The Pharmacists but all you really need to know is it’s called The Brutalist Bricks, it’s out March 9 and it sounds like this.

MP3: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – “Even Heroes Have To Die”

A number of shows to look forward to in 2010 were announced yesterday. The Retribution Gospel Choir, rock-oriented project of the 2/3 of Low who are not Mimi Parker, will be at the Drake Underground on January 25, one day before their second album 2 is released. Tickets are $10 in advance.

Editors are following up the North American release of In This Light And On This Evening on January 19 with a North American tour – full date haven’t been announced yet but the Toronto date goes February 16 at the Phoenix. I don’t dislike Evening nearly as much as some, but I suspect I didn’t like the first two records as much as some so perhaps it all evens out. Prague Post has an interview with Editors frontman Tom Smith.

Video: Editors – “Papillon”

Tortoise will be at Lee’s Palace on February 18 in support of this year’s Beacons Of Ancestorship, tickets $18.50.

MP3: Tortoise – “Prepare Your Coffin”
Video: Tortoise – “Prepare Your Coffin”

Finally coming to town for her own headlining show rather than supporting others, El Perro Del Mar will be at hte Mod Club on February 21, tickets $15. Her latest Love Is Not Pop came out in October and Express Night Out has an interview with Sarah Assbring.

MP3: El Perro Del Mar – “Change Of Heart”
Video: El Perro Del Mar – “Change Of Heart”

Their live album having done the job of keeping fans satiated/distracted, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have announced details of a new studio album. Beat The Devil’s Tattoo will be out on March 9 and will be accompanied by a fairly massive world tour – the Toronto stop comes April 1 at The Phoenix.

FacebookThere’s a good run of albums, there’s career consistency and then there’s Yo La Tengo. The New Jersey outfit has been turning out full-length gems for almost a quarter-century now, and while some are held in higher regard than others, their consistently high standard has been nothing short of astonishing. And this isn’t a case of a band finding a style they excel in and working on variations of that theme, at least not unless you consider “restless creativity and experimentation in the realms of pop music” to be a single theme. So in sitting down with their twelfth proper album Popular Songs, you would have an excuse to not be surprised by what they have to offer, but none to not be delighted.

2006’s I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass was a welcome dose of energy for those afraid that the two preceding records were finding the band settling into a comfortable, somnambulant zone, bringing back not only the band’s noisier side but also their genre-hopping aesthetic. It wasn’t as many individually sublime moments as their previous highwater mark I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One, but as a collection it was a more than worthy addition to their discography. If this was as good as Yo La Tengo could be 20 years in, then we should consider ourselves lucky. But if Ass was the luck equivalent of finding a $20 bill in the street Popular Songs is like winning the lottery.

Okay, that’s probably overstating it but Songs has a certain something that you didn’t even realize Ass lacked. It’s hard to articulate exactly what that is, but it’s the ineffable quality that distinguishes a classic Yo La record from just a great one. I’ll put it down as a sense of fun. Ass had the sense of the band exploring terrain that they hadn’t visited in a while (and tinged with the sense of looking for a way to stay interested) and that sense of curiosity yielded its own rewards, but now it sounds like they’re comfortable again and are having fun with it. Everything that makes Yo La Tengo wonderful is present in abundance – the quiet, extended meditations (“The Fireside”), the skronky garage pop (“Nothing To Hide”), the gentle folk of “When It’s Dark”, the jazzy grooves (“Periodically Double Or Triple”) – and all points in between. For most bands, it’s probably too much to expect them to turn in one of the best albums of their career after the 20-year mark. Once again Yo La Tengo have defied expectations.

Spinner talks to the band about the secret of their longevity as well as the secrets of their songwriting. Paste also has a feature peice and also gets Ira Kaplan to offer up a recommended listening list.

Yo La Tengo are at the Opera House in Toronto on October 3.

MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Here To Fall”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Periodically Double Or Triple”
Video: Yo La Tengo – “When It’s Dark”
Video: Yo La Tengo – “Nothing To Hide”
Video: Yo La Tengo – “Avalon Or Someone Very Similar”
Video: Yo La Tengo – “Periodically Double Or Triple”
Video: Yo La Tengo – “Here To Fall”
MySpace: Yo La Tengo

DCist salutes Velocity Girl’s wonderful Simpatico! record, talking to most of the band about the making of the album. I loved that record. Must put it back into rotation this weekend.

Video: Velocity Girl – “Sorry Again”
Video: Velocity Girl – “I Can’t Stop Smiling”

Decider talks to The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

Wye Oak have released a new video from their excellent second album The Knot.

Video: Wye Oak – “Sight, Flight”

Billboard talks to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Robert Been about the live CD/DVD set – creatively titled Live – due out November 10. Their new studio album is targeted for a Spring 2010 release.

The upcoming tour that pairs like-it-loud Asobi Seksu with like-it-low Loney Dear and Anna Ternheim was a bit of a head-scratcher until it was announced that Asobi would be releasing an acoustic album entitled Rewolf November 10, recasting old songs originally done loud in a quieter setting. The Village Voice confirms that the band is taking this setup live, so expect to see them as you’ve never seen them before when they play the Horseshoe on October 14 – no bad thing if you’ve already seen them many times before.

The Flaming Lips’ continues to talk smack about Arcade Fire to The Independent. Embryonic is due out October 13.

The Times Daily checks in with Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers. They just released a rarities and b-sides comp entitled The Fine Print last week and will have a new studio album out in February.

Under The Radar mind-melds with Telekinesis.

New Grizzly Bear video.

Video: Grizzly Bear – “While You Wait For The Others”

The endlessly prolific The Fiery Furnaces, whose latest album at the time of this writing is I’m Going Away but may well be something new by the time you read this, will be at the El Mocambo on November 7, tickets $20.

MP3: The Fiery Furnaces – “The End Is Near”

Obviously not ones for verbosity, San Francisco’s buzzy, fuzzy poppy Girls have set a September 22 release date for their debut album Album and Fall touring bring them to the El Mocambo on November 10.

MP3: Girls – “Lust For Life”
Video: Girls – “Lust For Life”

The Quietus talks to Warren Ellis about the second Grinderman album, which should be out sometime next year.

Doves have rolled out a new video from Kingdom Of Rust

Video: Doves – “Winter Hill”

Little Boots recorded a Black Cab Session in Austin during SxSW in March. So THAT’S what the Tenori-On does! And technically, Austin cabs are not uniformly black but that’s neither here nor there. Little Boots plays Wrongbar on Monday night.

Video: Little Boots – “Stuck On Repeat” (live on Black Cab Sessions)

BeatRoute talks to Arctic Monkeys. They’re at the Kool Haus on September 29.

Shanghaiist chats with Handsome Furs.

Blare grabbed an interview with Jay Ferguson of Sloan a couple weeks back at V Fest, where he revealed there were plans to release a new digital EP this Fall and that he’s done with making CDs. Not albums, just CDs. The band also just announced they’ll be playing a free show outside the Air Canada Centre next Wednesday night, September 16, before the Leafs-Bruins pre-season game. This may well be the highlight of the season for Leafs fans.

And speaking of free public shows, that Neil Young performance that was supposed to happen at Yonge-Dundas Square on Monday is off. You can stop lining up now. Why? The Toronto Star, who reported the event in the first place, got a hold of Young and he says he had no idea he was supposed to perform in the first place and was never going to be in town. Hmm. The Jonathan Demme concert film Neil Young Trunk Show is still coming to the Film Festival though, so you can try an line up for that.

Trailer: Neil Young Trunk Show

Pitchfork invites an array of indie-rock luminaries to make “best of” lists for the century so far.