FacebookThere was some sad news last week announcement last week that local stalwarts Ohbijou were going on an indefinite hiatus. Sad because not only was the city losing one of its finest orch-folk bands after three lovely albums – 2006’s Swift Feet For Troubling Times, 2009’s Beacons, and 2011’s Metal Meets – but it felt like the closing of a chapter in the story of Toronto’s independent music scene, one of particular resonance for me.

After making their acquaintance when they opened the very first V Fest in September 2006, I went on to see the band many many many many times over the years and delighted in seeing them grow in leaps and bounds as a live band. Further, their debut Swift Feet topped my 2007 Polaris ballot and I felt Beacons was even better; I don’t recall why it didn’t make my 2010 Polaris ballot though coming out on the very first day of the eligibility period may have caused to get lost in the shuffle. All of which is to say that Ohbijou have been a very rewarding band to be a fan of over the years.

Further, it’s not without significance that they were the very first band to open that inaugural V Fest as Broken Social Scene closed the fest the next night; that was about the time that the initial Can-indie rock explosion was beginning to settle and if you were to draw a rough circle around the artists that represented Toronto across Canada and abroad in the post-Broken era, it could well be the Bellwoods musical community led largely and hosted literally by Ohbijou. You can’t look at the lineup of artists that they drew together for the two Friends In Bellwoods compilations in support of the Daily Bread Food Bank and not be impressed by the names involved: The Acorn, Basia Bulat, The Rural Alberta Advantage, the Diamond Rings-begetting D’Urbervilles, Forest City Lovers, Bruce Peninsula, Evening Hymns, Hooded Fang, the pre-Austra Katie Stelmanis, Snowblink, Timber Timbre, and The Wooden Sky, to name but a few. These are many of the bands that over the run of this blog, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing arise from playing tiny clubs or gallery spaces to much larger stages and acclaim, and have been proud to share an area code with.

And so even with so many of those acts soldiering on, with Ohbijou hanging it up for the foreseeable future it really does feel like the end of an era. But going out on a down note just wouldn’t be their style, so with this lovely video message from frontwoman Casey Mecija as an invitation, the band have announced a final show – with many of the aforementioned Bellwoods artists as guests – on September 7 at The Great Hall; tickets for the show are $20 in advance. I know everyone looked at the Arts & Crafts Field Trip fest as the year’s big celebration of Toronto’s emergence as a musical heavyweight; in its way, I think this matters as much.

MP3: Ohbijou – “Anser”
MP3: Ohbijou – “Mossy Lungs”
Video: Ohbijou – “Niagara”
Video: Ohbijou – “New Years”
Video: Ohbijou – “The Woods”

Braids have premiered a new video from their forthcoming Flourish//Perish; it’s out August 20.

Video: Braids – “In Kind”

The Weeknd appears to be totally over his camera-shyness, as evidenced by Abel Tesfaye plastering his face on the cover of the forthcoming Kiss Land, which can be seen at The Line Of Best Fit. And more relevantly, the release date for said record appears to be August 27 September 10; well ahead of his three-night stand at Massey Hall on October 17, 19, and 20.

Exclaim talks to Colin Stetson about getting another Polaris nod for his New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light and his contributions to the forthcoming Arcade Fire record. Stetson plays The Great Hall on September 5 as part of the Constellation Records touring caravan.

Lightning Dust have released another video from their latest Fantasy. They play The Drake Underground on September 10.

Video: Lightning Dust – “Loaded Gun”

Kathleen Edwards talks festival life from the artist’s perspective with CBC Music.

Loud & Quiet has an interview with METZ.

Indie88 talks with Young Galaxy.

Colin MedleyThe prevailing trend that I saw amongst Polaris Music Prize-spotters as yesterday’s short list announcement drew close was that there was hardly any consensus as to which of the 40 long list albums would make the cut. This wasn’t especially surprising since as I observed last month when the long list was revealed, the nominees were all over the place without a lot of big names or obvious picks; with absolutely nothing to back this up, I would speculate that this year’s ballots were the most diverse in the history of the prize.

But whether one point or a thousand separate first place from last, the math is the math and we now have the 2013 Polaris Prize short list. And it looks like this:

A Tribe Called Red / Nation II Nation (Pirate’s Blend)
Video: A Tribe Called Red – “Electric Pow Wow Drum”

Godspeed You! Black Emperor / ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! (Constellation)
Stream: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – “Mladic”

Zaki Ibrahim / Every Opposite (Motif)
Video: Zaki Ibrahim – “Go Widdit”

Metric / Synthetica (Metric Music International)
MP3: Metric – “Clone”

METZ / METZ (Sub Pop)
MP3: METZ – “Wet Blanket”

Purity Ring / Shrines (Last Gang)
MP3: Purity Ring – “Obedear”

Colin Stetson / New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light (Constellation)
MP3: Colin Stetson – “High Above A Grey Green Sea”

Tegan and Sara / Heartthrob (Warner Music)
Video: Tegan & Sara – “Closer”

Whitehorse / The Fate of the World Depends On This Kiss (Six Shooter)
Video: Whitehorse – “Achilles’ Desire”

Young Galaxy / Ultramarine (Paper Bag)
Video: Young Galaxy – “New Summer”

Even though three of my five picks made the short list, I’m personally disappointed that my numbers one and two, Evening Hymns and Jim Guthrie, didn’t make the cut. I genuinely thought they’d make it and in my more fanciful moments, could even envision a win if the stars aligned. Shows how much I know. Well, I know enough to not speculate on who’ll win come September 23 at The Carlu in Toronto. Even in a year with strong/obvious frontrunners, the prize has been predictably unpredictable and while at the moment I’d like to see METZ, whom I swapped for Rachel Zeffira on my second ballot, take it, I’m also really curious if and how Godspeed would respond to a win. What I do know that with two two-time almost-winners in Shad and Kathleen Edwards hosting the gala – did Susan Lucci ever host the Daytime Emmys? Martin Scorcese ever hand out the Best Director Oscar? – it’ll be entertaining. And for the first time, they’ll be selling tickets to the gala, if you want to see it in person – they’ll be $50 and go on sale July 22.

The Fly talks to Raphaelle Standel-Preston of Braids, whose new full-length Flourish//Perish is out August 20.

The Line Of Best Fit talks to Diana drummer Kieran Adams about their debut album their debut album Perpetual Surrender, out August 20. They play The Great Hall on September 26.

Beatroute talks to Lightning Dust about their new album Fantasy. They play The Drake Underground on September 10.

Dazed & Confused has an interview with Daniel Woodhead of Moon King, who’ve announced their series of Obsession EPs will be released in the UK as a single volume on September 16. I would hope that a similar edition is made available domestically, for those of us who’re a little more space-conscious with their record collections.

Austra have released the second video from their second album, Olympia. They play The Phoenix on September 27.

Video: Austra – “Painful Like”

Arcade Fire have announced, via Twitter, that their fourth album will be out October 29. I like to think that somewhere in Montreal, as soon as they hit the send button on that tweet, quietly said, “boom”.

Complex has posted a cover story interview with Abel Tesfaye of The Weeknd, whose album Kiss Land is due out this Fall, probably around the time he plays three nights at Massey Hall – October 17, 19, and 20. He also released a new video from the album, the sample of which was not cleared by Portishead, and Geoff Barrow’s not happy about it.

Video: The Weeknd – “Belong To The World”

KEXP welcomes METZ for a video session.

Beatroute talks briefly with Al Spx of Cold Specks.

CBC Music asks the likes of The National’s Matt Berninger, amongst others, why On The Beach is their favourite Neil Young album. It’s mine as well, but no one asked me why.

Danielle St. LaurentI suspect that I will be one of the only people in any way related to the Toronto music scene not on hand at Garrison Common tomorrow for Field Trip, the day-long festival marking the 10th anniversary of the Arts & Crafts label, headlined by the “reunited” (having only been inactive for less than two years, they get the air quotes) Broken Social Scene playing in full their watershed 2002 album You Forgot It In People.

It’s not that I wasn’t tempted. This blog was in existence barely a month before People was released, and there’s no denying that it – and the emergence of Toronto and Canada on the indie rock world stage in its wake – made the 416 beat an infinitely more interesting place to cover. But you know, you see a band as many times as I did in those early years and you can get a bit burnt out – their headlining slot to close out the first Virgin Fest in 2006 was pretty much the last time I would make any kind of effort to see the band, and with Amy, Emily, and Leslie all singing “Anthems For A Seventeen-Year-Old Girl” together, it was really the right note to go out on. Not that our paths wouldn’t cross again – there was one stop of their 2010 in-store tour and then again that December – mainly to see Superchunk, but also to affirm that hey, we had some good times but I think we’re done. There’s just not enough nostalgia in my tank to spend a day seeing a lineup of bands I’ve seen a million times already. So everyone else in the city, have a great time tomorrow, happy anniversary Arts & Crafts, have a great show Broken Social Scene. I’ll be at home installing some blinds.

But if you’re in the spirit of the occasion, do read this piece in Rolling Stone about the BSS “reunion” and A&C anniversary, another in Huffington Post, as well as this one in Interview with Brendan Canning about those same topics as well as what he’s up to at the moment. And also this week’s cover story in The Grid about the evolution of the independent music scene in Toronto over the past decades – not just post-BSS – and the companion piece by author Michael Barclay at his own Radio Free Canuckistan. And you can watch last night’s “reunion” warm-up performances of “Almost Crimes” and “7/4 Shoreline” on Jimmy Fallon at Pitchfork. Update: A full transcript of the interview with Kevin Drew that went into the Rolling Stone piece is up courtesy of the author.

MP3: Broken Social Scene – “Deathcock”
MP3: Broken Social Scene – “World Sick”

The Music Nerd Chronicles and The Independent talk to Hayden, who’s also playing Field Trip and got in touch with his crafty side in a video feature for Etsy.

Pitchfork are streaming the new Braids EP “In Kind//Amends”, out June 11. They play The Comfort Zone for NXNE on June 15 and the new full-length Flourish//Perish is out August 20.

Stream: Braids / In Kind//Amends

DIY gets to know Diana; they’re at The Horseshoe on June 13 for NXNE, opening for Tegan & Sara and fun. at Downsview Park on July 6, and will release their debut full-length Perpetual Surrender on August 20.

Exclaim gets a bit of context to that Halifax-heavy showcase happening at The Great Hall on the Friday night of NXNE, June 14; it’s to mark the 21st anniversary of Murderrecords, and will feature Sloan performing their debut Peppermint EP in its entirety (plus some other songs because the EP is only like 23 minutes long), and will also have the first-ever vinyl pressing of The Super Friendz’s debut Mock Up, Scale Down available for sale – I may prevail upon someone to grab me a copy since I probably won’t make it to the show – and the release of a commemorative book about the label. For those not rocking NXNE wristbands, advance tickets are $23 and available now.

Nylon has a feature piece on Majical Cloudz, doing the NXNE thing on June 15 at BLK BOX.

Lightning Dust are streaming another new song from their forthcoming Fantasy, out June 25.

Stream: Lightning Dust – “Loaded Gun”

Exclaim is streaming another new song from Louise Burns’ forthcoming solo record The Midnight Mass, out July 9.

Stream: Louise Burns – “Jasper”

The Grid and Huffington Post check in with Tokyo Police Club about the status of their next album, possibly/probably due out in the Fall.

Muso’s Guide interviews Hooded Fang.

Victoria MastersSo I’m sitting here with a handful of bits and bobs to string together into a blog post, and find that most of the artists have already been featured hereabouts in recent months. So what’s that mean? Braids, you’re up.

I’m not a tremendous fan of the Montreal-based trio, the things I liked about their 2011 debut Native Speaker outweighed by the things I didn’t – that a frequent reference point for the band is Animal Collective is really all you need to know about that. But that it garnered them a sizeable fanbase, as well as a place on that year’s Polaris shortlist, is not up for debate so when they finally announce details of their sophomore album, it’s newsworthy.

First, there’s the new stream of the flipside of their new 12″ “In Kind//Amends” due out June 11, both songs of which will be appearing on the full-length Flourish//Perish. Exclaim has all the specifics of the new record, which will be coming out August 20 and finds the band trading their guitars for keyboards for an electronically-driven sound. And while it’s hardly a ringing endorsement, I will say these new songs aren’t annoying me. Whether that’ll still hold over a complete album remains to be seen, but it’s a positive step.

It remains to be seen if they’ll be rearranging all the old material to work guitar-less live, or if they’ll just travel with a whole lot of gear. People who attend their NXNE showcase at The Comfort Zone on June 15 will be able to report back on that.

Stream: Braids – “In Kind”
Stream: Braids – “Amends”

NOW and Exclaim talk to Hooded Fang, who are holding the record release party for their new album Gravez at The Horseshoe tonight.

NOW also previews Young Galaxy’s show at Lee’s Palace tonight.

Get your Murderrecords t-shirts out of storage! The Great Hall will turn warp both time and space to become Halifax in the mid-’90s for NXNE, proffering a lineup of Sloan, The Super Friendz, and former Inbred Mike O’Neill on June 14. Admission by festival wristband only.

MP3: Sloan – “The Answer Was You”
Video: The Super Friendz – “Up And Running”
Stream: Mike O’Neill – “This Is Who I Am”

Aritzia has an interview, Pitchfork a guest list and Le Blogotheque a Takeaway Show with Majical Cloudz, whose NXNE showcase goes June 15 at BLK BOX.

Though he probably could have just called it a Dears record and no one would have thought anything of it, Under The Radar reports that Murray Lightburn will release his first solo record Mass:Light on June 16, and that it’ll be available on vinyl only via mail order. And there’s also a new Dears record in the works.

Austra is streaming a second – and arguably more characteristic – sample from Olympia, due out June 18.

Stream: Austra – “Painful Like”

I Like Music has an interview with Born Ruffians, who’re streaming a new track not found on their latest Birthmarks, just because. They play a free show at Harbourfront Centre on July 13.

Stream: Born Ruffians – “With An Ax”

Beatroute talks to Nils Edenloff of The Rural Alberta Advantage.

Loud & Quiet interviews Suuns.

John WrightThe last time that Pet Shop Boys were in town, it was for V Fest 2009 and while I was excited for their performance, it was more because I wanted to see their audience intersect with the Nine Inch Nails fans who were there to see Trent and company, who were playing immediately afterwards, than out of any real sort of fandom. Their show, however, blew me away with its technicolour visuals, elaborate choreography, and top-notch pop songcraft that they were easily the highlight of the weekend and, having since gotten to know their discography much better, I’ve been patiently waiting for them to return.

It didn’t happen for last year’s electro-orchestric Elysium, but apparently the duo decided to head back into the studio rather than stay on the road and record their just-announced new dance-centric album Electric, due out July 15, behind which they WILL be touring North America. Slicing Up Eyeballs has their full, worldwide, 2013 itinerary but Toronto can circle September 25 on their calendars as the date messrs Tennant and Lowe will be at The Sony Centre For The Performing ARts. Tickets will run $49.50, $69.50, or $99.50 and go on sale this Friday, May 3, at 10AM.

Stereogum has an interview with the band about the new record, and they’ve released a video for the album’s opening track (though it’s not an official single).

Video: Pet Shop Boys – “Axis”

Lovelife – whom you may remember in a previous incarnation as Brit-rock also-rans Brother/Viva Brother though they’d prefer you didn’t – will bring their new synth-powered sound to The Mod Club on May 13, tickets $16. They’re interviewed by Noisey and will release the Stateless EP on June 11.

Stream: Lovelife – “Dying To Start Again”

Under The Radar has the first North American dates in support of Laura Marling’s new album Once I Was An Eagle, coming May 28. She’ll be in Toronto on May 25 at 99 Sudbury, which is indeed a venue.

MP3: Laura Marling – “Sophia”

With their second album Limits Of Desire set for a May 14 release, Brooklyn electro-pop purveyors Small Black will be at Wrongbar on May 31, tickets $13.50.

MP3: Small Black – “Free At Dawn”
Video: Small Black – “Free At Dawn”

The Uncluded may not have much name recognition but their component parts of Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson rather do. They’ve got a show at The Black Box Theatre in The Great Hall on June 2, tickets $20, as part of a tour in support of their debut Hokey Fright which comes out May 7 but is streaming now at The Current.

Video: The Uncluded – “Delicate Cycle”
Stream: The Uncluded / Hokey Fright

Alaska’s Portugal. The Man are readying a new album in Evil Friends for June 4 and will be at The Phoenix shortly thereafter – June 11 – to promote it; tickets for the show are $18.50 in advance. Jambands.com has an interview and The Fader has premiered a video from the new record.

Video: Portugal. The Man – “Purple Yellow Red & Blue”

Montreal’s Braids talk to Exclaim about their new, more electronic direction which will be previewed on the “In Kinds/Amends” 12″ when it comes out June 11 as prep for the release of their second full-length album in the Fall. They’re streaming one of the new tracks and will be playing NXNE on June 13.

Stream: Braids – “Amends”

Oakland’s Soft Moon have also been confirmed for NXNE; their showcase will be at The Garrison on June 14. Their last release was 2012’s Zeros.

MP3: The Soft Moon – “Breathe The Fire”

Florida’s garage-pop-making Beach Day are another NXNE confirmation, previewing the June 18 release of their full-length debut Trip Track Attack with festival appearances on June 14 and 15.

Video: Beach Day – “Beach Day”

Ireland’s Villagers will also be NXNE-ing it up behind their new record {Awayland}, anchoring the June 15 lineup at The Great Hall.

Video: Villagers – “Passing A Message”

San Diego’s Crocodiles will be supporting Japandroids at Adelaide Hall on June 17, just in case you needed a little more rock in the linuep; presumably they’ll be previewing material from the follow-up to last year’s Endless Flowers. Tickets for that are $25.

MP3: Crocodiles – “Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)”

It might be the Toronto Jazz Festival, but things will get Motown-awesome on June 21 when Smokey Robinson and Martha Reeves & The Vandellas play Nathan Phillips Square – for free. You won’t find a better legend-to-dollar value than that.

Video: Smokey Robinson – “Tracks Of My Tears”
Video: Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – “Nowhere To Run”

Australian up-and-comers Atlas Genius have put their geographic know-how to work and booked a North American tour behind their debut When It Was Now; they’ll be at The Opera House on June 23. The Daily Cougar and Tonedeaf have interview with the band.

Video: Atlas Genius – “Centered On You”

Though quiet for the last few years, Atlanta’s Snowden are back with a new album – their first in seven years – in No One In Control coming out May 14 and an accompanying tour which brings them to The Drake Underground on June 25.

Stream: Snowden – “So Red”
Stream: Snowden – “The Beat Comes”

Indiana’s not especially southern, but Houndmouth have got some pretty convincing twang to them; with their debut From The Hills Below The City coming June 4, they’ll be swinging through town a couple times shortly thereafter – on June 20 supporting Alabama Shakes at Echo Beach, and just a week later for a headlining show at The Garrison on June 28. Their session for The AV Club Undercover is also now up, featuring their take on Billy Bragg, Wilco, and Woody Guthrie.

Video: Houndmouth – “On The Road”
Video: Houndmouth – “Penitentiary”

California Wives – who are not, in fact, wives from California but indie rocker types from Chicago – will bring their carnival of lies and deception to The Drake on June 30, tickets $12. Their debut Art History came out last year.

MP3: California Wives – “Blood Red Youth”
MP3: California Wives – “Purple”

Cayucas, on the other hand, do hail from California – Santa Monica to be precise – but their hearts lie in New York, specifically Brooklyn or wherever Vampire Weekend are hanging out. Their debut Bigfoot just came out – you can stream it at Stereogum – and their tour itinerary brings them to The Drake on July 1.

MP3: Cayucas – “East Coast Girl”
Stream: Cayucas / Bigfoot

With their debut Tradition Ritual Habit finally out, Vancouver’s Belle Game will come east for some shows including a free show at Harbourfront Centre on July 12, part of the Soundclash festival thing that Born Ruffians are also playing. Green Couch Sessions have also posted a video session with the band and The Georgia Straight an interview.

MP3: The Belle Game – “Blame Fiction”

Chicago soul saviours JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound are back for a gig at the Horseshoe on July 12 in support of their new album Howl, out May 21. Tickets are $12.50 in advance, and MTV Hive has a quick band chat as well as a stream of a new song.

Stream: JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – “Howl”
Stream: JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – “Rouse Yourself”

Cleveland punk rock pioneers Pere Ubu will be at Lee’s Palace on September 18 behind their new album Lady From Shanghai, released back in January. Tickets for the show are $20 in advance.

MP3: Pere Ubu – “Free White”

Though just here in March, New Zealand/American psych-rock outfit Unknown Mortal Orchestra will be at Lee’s Palace on October 16 as part of a tour still in support of II. So if you’re into making plans half a year off, tickets are $15 in advance.

MP3: Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “So Good At Being In Trouble”