Cameron WittigAnother day, another example of my wanton disregard for traditional press cycles. In this case, it’s Chicago’s Andrew Bird and his 2007 release Armchair Apocrypha. There’s no good reason why I never wrote it up – it’s a fine record – but in my defense, the cardboard sleeve was really tough to get off the jewel case… However I’m not going to bother with a review now, if you want some endorsements head over to Metacritic. Instead, I’m going to look to the future.

In particular, January 20. That’s the date that his new album Noble Beast will be released, a week earlier than originally announced. It’ll be available in both a standard single-CD/double-LP form as well as a fancy pants deluxe edition that will include a second CD of instrumental compositions entitled Useless Creatures as well as an assortment of deluxe edition-worthy liner note goodies.

And another date – or set of dates – of note are those of his North American tour. The original February leg ran from the east coast of the US, through the south and up the west coast but those have now been augmented by a second batch covering the middle of American and extending into Canada, including an April 3 date at Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

If you’re not familiar with Bird, imagine an individual who seems to be a virtuoso at every instrument he touches but is most noted for his violin and whistling skills. Oh, and who’s just as good as a singer and songwriter. And he’s a mesmerizing live performer. He’s probably also kind to animals and small children. It’s really kind of disgusting, if you think about it. Check out a track from his last album and his Live In Montreal record, also released last year.

MP3: Andrew Bird – “Heretics”
MP3: Andrew Bird – “Skin Is, My” (live)
MP3: Andrew Bird – “Why?” (live)
Video: Andrew Bird – “Imitosis”
MySpace: Andrew Bird

NOW and The Guelph Mercury talk to D’Urbervilles frontman John O’Regan. Congrats to Stephanie and Meghan who won the passes to the band’s two-night Rock Em Sock Em shows at the Tiger Bar on Friday and Saturday night.

Emily Haines of Metric talks to The Globe & Mail and JAM about the Jingle Bell Rock tour that brings them to the Sound Academy tomorrow and Saturday night – and congratulations to Michael and Greg, who won the passes to the Toronto shows. Vancouver ones are still up for grabs!

NPR talks to Parts & Labor.

Editors frontman Tom Smith uses reference points like “Terminator” and “Blade Runner” in describing their new album to BBC.

Billboard talks to Adele about where she wants to go with album number two. The Telegraph talks to her about finding success in America.

PJ Harvey will release a new album – another collaboration with John Parish – on March 30. The Quietus has details on the record, entitled A Woman A Man Walked By.

NME reports that Patrick Wolf is looking for investors to help finance his next album Battle. He’s hoping fans will buy 10-quid shares via bandstocks.com and allow him to fulfill his vision of releasing a double album for next Spring.

Kele Okereke of Bloc Party reflects on the band’s eventful 2008 with BBC.

Bradley’s Almanac is sharing a recording of The Wedding Present’s show in Cambridge, Massachusetts this past October.

The Skinny talks to Frightened Rabbit siblings Scott and Grant Hutchison, Tourdates.co.uk gets some questions answered by Scott.

4AD is closing out 2008 by offering a downloadable MP3 mix featuring songs from all their releases this year.

Some of you may recall my gushing about Phonogram back in January 2007, it being a thoroughly enjoyable blend of Britpop nostalgia and comic book fantasy. Well the second series, Phonogram: The Singles Club, went on sale this week and there’s a 6-page preview available over at Comic Book Resources. It looks great – I’m not waiting for the trade on this one.

Frank YangIt seems like holding holiday-themed live throw-downs with fun names is all the rage these days, and this upcoming edition hosted by The D’Urbervilles is no exception. They’re closing out a year in which they released their excellent debut full-length We Are The Hunters by holding a two-night soiree they’ve dubbed “Rock’Em Sock’Em” at the Tiger Bar this coming weekend, Friday December 12 and Saturday December 13. And because it’s not a party without having friends along, they’ve invited along Katie Stelmanis and Mantler to come out and play on the first night, and Bocce and Slow Hand Mortem on the second.

Courtesy of No Shame, I’ve got a pair of passes to give away for each night so if you’re looking for a little hot basement rock action this weekend, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to Rock Em Sock Em on Friday” for night one or “I want to Rock Em Sock Em on Saturday” in the subject line, and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, this Wednesday – December 10.

MP3: The D’Urbervilles – “Dragnet”
MP3: The D’Urbervilles – “Hot Tips”
MP3: The D’Urbervilles – “National Flowers”
MySpace: The D’Urbervilles

listentofeist.comThis past Friday, I (Heart) Music posted the results of his fourth annual, “Hottest Bands In Canada” poll – the ultra-unscientific survey of online Canadian music types wherein we submit a ranked list of the Canadian acts that we deem the “hottest” by whatever definition of the word we wish to use.

Though I managed to get my list in just under the wire, on account of being ultra-busy and distracted the last few weeks, I don’t know if I gave it the utmost amount of thought that I might have otherwise. But going over my picks again, I’m fairly comfortable with the my blend of realistic and idealistic though after seeing the final list, I’m reminded of a lot of acts that I perhaps should have given more consideration. But what can you do. Listed below are my 10 picks along with the blurbs that I submitted alongside. The bracketed number is the artist’s actual ranking on the final list.

Obviously I’m not as in touch with the Canuck zeitgeist as perhaps I should be. I was a little more in sync with the top ten last year, whereas this year I seem to be pretty firmly ensconced in the bottom half of the list or so. I realize that if I were a little more objective about things, then acts like Fucked Up and Crystal Castles should have been given credit for making waves around the world, but whatever.

1. Feist (15) – We’re a long way removed from The Reminder but anything Feist does, including her first arena tour, still makes headlines. Objectively and quantitatively speaking, she remains the hottest musical thing with a Canadian passport.

Video: Feist – “1 2 3 4”

2. Basia Bulat (13) – 2007 was very good to Basia Bulat with Oh My Darling receiving critical acclaim in Europe and Canada – 2008 was just as good, as the record did just as well in the US and garnered a Polaris nomination. The fairy tale just keeps on going.

MP3: Basia Bulat – “In The Night”

3. Woodpigeon (-) – This Calgary collective probably falls more under the category of “ought to be hot but aren’t”, releasing record after record of gleaming folk-pop that is making small, but definite waves in Europe and landing the band tours with the likes of Calexico and Iron & Wine. Big things coming. I hope.

MP3: Woodpigeon – “Knock Knock”

4. Caribou (3) – Even though it’s technically an off-year for Caribou with no touring and no new record, winning the Polaris Prize for last year’s Andorra makes Dan Snaith’s project a shoo-in

MP3: Caribou – “Melody Day”

5. The Rural Alberta Advantage (19) – This Toronto trio’s Hometowns record is an absolute jewel, and yet almost no one has heard it. But I am, just for a moment, pretend it’s a just world and include them anyways.

MP3: The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Don’t Haunt This Place”

6. Shad (9) – Though he didn’t win the Polaris, it can be argued that Shad – helped out by his spot-on, ultra-viral video for “The Old Prince Still Lives At Home” – benefitted the most from the exposure gained by the nomination. Hell, he got me listening to hip-hop – that is no mean feat.

MP3: Shad – “The Old Prince Still Lives At Home”

7. Land Of Talk (21) – Finally, after long last, released their debut full-length and while it’s not the kick upside the head that Applause Cheer Boo Hiss was, it’s still a worthy effort. But factor in that Liz Powell is the newest Broken Social Scene chanteuse and that Land Of Talk is opening up for BSS on their North American tour…

MP3: Land Of Talk – “Corner Phone”

8. Two Hours Traffic (18) – Utterly relentless touring machines and purveyors of note-perfect power pop. It’s amazing that a band from such a wintry country can so perfectly capture the spirit of Summer.

MP3: Two Hours Traffic – “Stuck For The Summer”

9. Bruce Peninsula (5) – The first recorded fruits of this Toronto collective have shown that the otherworldy power of their live shows can indeed be captured on tape, which means that soon they’ll no longer be just the secret of those who’ve seen them perform.

MySpace: Bruce Peninsula

10. The Acorn (25) – Glory Hope Mountain has been garnering praise everywhere its been released and… well, it’s a terrific album and they’re nice folk.

MP3: The Acorn – “Crooked Legs”

I’m sure some would like to use this poll as a mid-year barometer for next year’s Polaris Music Prize noms but considering the sample group for this was a lot smaller and narrower, that’s probably reaching a bit. And speaking of the Polaris, the gala ceremony from September will be broadcast on CityTV across the country this Saturday night, November 8, at 7PM local time. Considering I missed out on most of the show, I’d like to see this… but I don’t have cable. So I will miss it again. But at least I know how it ends.

Feist – my number one but the list’s number fifteen – has been making the most of her return to Toronto this past week. There was a pair of secret club shows , one at the Rivoli and one at the Cameron House, a relatively intimate gig at Massey Hall on Saturday night and tonight, her big show at the Air Canada Centre. And it was just announced that November 25 will bring a deluxe edition of The Reminder, featuring a bonus disc of remixes, all the album’s videos (The Toronto Star has an interview with the director of them all) and the cover of Kenny and Dolly’s “Islands In The Stream” with Constantines – and for everyone who bought the album a year and a half ago when it was released, the bonus goods will be available for sale digitally on their own.

Wired has an interview with Murray Lightburn, frontman of the 27th hottest band in Canada, The Dears’. They’re playing the Sound Academy on December 13.

Hour.ca talks to Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene, who hang in at #20 on the list despite being on fake hiatus the last couple years. They’re at the Sound Academy on November 27 and 28.

The D’Urbervilles, who come in at #17 on the list, have announced a two-night stand at the Tiger Bar that they’ve playfully named “Rock Em Sock Em 1 and 2” on December 12 and 13th. Night one will feature The D’Urbs along with Katie Stelmanis (also of band #5, Bruce Peninsula) and Mantler while on night two, they’ll welcome Bocce and Slow Hand Mortem as their guests.

Woodpigeon rated highly on my list, but evidently not many others’. I prefer to think of myself as simply being that much ahead of the curve instead of being out of touch. Just wait. Noize Makes Enemies talked to frontman Mark Hamilton about the origins of their first album Songbook, which was just released in the UK.

Environmentalist and car junkie Neil Young talks to The New York Times about his efforts to win the Progressive Automotive X-Prize. He’s at the Air Canada Centre on December 4 and 5.

The Bicycles will release their new album Oh No It’s Love on Tuesday, the same day they play a release party at Lee’s Palace and an in-store at Soundscapes at 7PM the instore at Soundscapes is on Tuesday at 7PM, the Lee’s gig is on Saturday. Sorry for the confusion, which appears to have been mostly mine.

Whilst on the topic of hottest things in a respective geographical area, I was pleased to see that NOW named this site as “Best Music Website” in this year’s “Best Of Toronto” issue – not just for the kudos, but because in the six-plus years I’ve been doing this, I think this is just the second time the magazine has acknowledged my existence. Not that I’m keeping score or anything.

NPR enumerates their musical love of Canada.