Salmon PauloGetting this year’s best-of post out of the way yesterday, was a big relief, no question, but I can’t pretend the final list was exactly what I’d intended. You see, for most of this year, I’d been holding a spot for Swedish duo The Deer Tracks, who had promised a Fall 2012 release for the final part of their fantastically epic synth-pop opus, The Archer Trilogy. The first two installments had been released in 2011 and while I didn’t discover them until this year, both releases – an EP and album respectively – went into heavy rotation and their live show was pretty much the highlight of NXNE. They were easily one of my acts of the year but since I don’t tabulate such things, I had intended that The Archer Trilogy Pt. 3 would allow me to give them their due. After all, there was no way it wouldn’t be up to the level of its predecessors. It would not be X-Men 3.

Alas, as the Fall came and went it became pretty clear that the Archer would miss the Autumn target, what with the band Tweeting and Instagramming photos from the studio well past any reasonable deadline for a release this calendar year. But I can officially shunt my high expectations to 2013 because they yesterday announced that The Archer Trilogy Pt. 3 would be getting a release on February 12 of next year. Too late to make this year, obviously, but certainly early enough to set the bar for everything else that might seek to impress my ears next year. All we need are some live dates and we’re in business.

They released one song from the album, “W”, last Summer when they expected to have the album out soon after, and have also released a b-side from these latest sessions at Black Book, and if this is a taste of what didn’t make the cut, I can’t wait to hear the songs that did pass muster. There’s also an acoustic video session with the duo at Triggerfish.

MP3: The Deer Tracks – “W”
MP3: The Deer Tracks – “Okta Crash”

The Amazing, who share more than a few members with Swedish psych-folk heroes Dungen and spent part of this year opening up for Tame Impala if you need reference points, will be at The Horseshoe on January 21 in support of their second album Gentle Stream. Tickets for that are $11.50 in advance.

Video: The Amazing – “Gone”

Though I never thought they seemed particularly interested in trying to replicate their UK success stateside, London’s Maccabees will be seeing if their being Mercury shortlisted for their excellent latest album Given To The Wild has generated any buzz. They’re staging a North American tour this Winter that hits The Mod Club on February 11.

MP3: The Maccabees – “Go”

Coming all the way from New Zealand with new album Christopher in tow are psych-popsters The Ruby Suns. The record is out January 29 and the show is at The Garrison on February 26.

MP3: The Ruby Suns – “Kingfisher Call Me”

Their show at The Mod Club in October rather deliberately undersized to keep things cozy, Frightened Rabbit have announced a Spring tour that hits venues more appropriately sized to match the interest that will surely greet their new record Pedestrian Verse when it comes out on February 5. They’ll be at The Phoenix on March 31, tickets $20 in advance. MTV recently interviewed the band about the new record.

MP3: Frightened Rabbit – “Scottish Winds”

We officially live in a world where Muse is big enough to play two arena dates in North America. They’ve added a second show at the Air Canada Centre in support of The 2nd Law for April 10, tickets $39.50, $59.50, and $65.00.

Video: Muse – “Survival”

The Alternate Side has a session with Daughter, who will be releasing their debut album in the new year.

The Quietus solicits a list of The House Of Love frontman Guy Chadwick’s favourite albums. It’s all well and good that the House Of Love’s seminal debut album is being reissued for like the third or fourth time this week, but they can go ahead and reveal specifics about their new studio album any time now…

TOY have rolled out a new video from TOY.

Video: TOY – “Make It Mine”

The Village Voice and Billboard profile Jessie Ware as she prepares to conquer America. No really, she will. Just watch.

The Creators Project interviews Anthony Gonzalez of M83.

And if laying odds on next year’s next big thing is your bag, BBX has announced the longlist for their Sound Of 2013 thing. A little local flavour there in the form of The Weeknd, but I’m mostly interested in the likes of Chvrches, Palma Violets (here at The Horseshoe on January 24), and Savages.

I’ve always said when compiling my year-end list that I don’t choose my favourite albums of the year so much as they declare themselves to me. If it requires too much thought, it’s probably more a case of trying to justify adding something that I know probably doesn’t belong. But those albums that do pass muster are not, as you might think, necessarily the albums that I can’t stop listening to. Rather, they’re often the ones that I try to listen to the least, or at least sparingly, lest that intangible magic that I feel within its notes should evaporate with growing familiarity and what I thought was special turns out to be more ordinary. This happens more often than I’d like, but then there are those that don’t only sparkle on the surface, that offer up more the further you delve into them, the records that contain multitudes.

These are not ten of those records. Some of them are, but to expect more than a handful of those a year to cross my path and get the attention they demand/deserve would be asking too much. The rest are simply albums that, be they challenging or comforting, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this year. Which ones are which is for me to know and you to guess – as always, they’re ordered alphabetically rather than by rank – but were the world to indeed end in a couple of weeks like the gullible and lunatic among us believe, they’d comprise ten records that I’d be content clutching as the skies rained down fire upon us.

And I tried to do something more ambitious with the graphic treatment of this year’s list, but as it turns out my Photoshop skills – which have always kind of sucked – are actually getting worse. So alas, this is all we get.

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Temporary ResidenceNot many record producers manage to achieve the sort of household name status as the artists they work with, but Nigel Godrich has done as well as anyone in the recent memory. Partly because of his work on high-profile records from the likes of Beck, Pavement, and Paul McCartney, but mainly because he’s the unofficial sixth member of Radiohead, having been behind the boards for every one of their records from OK Computer onwards.

He’s been getting out of the studio and onto the stage of late, though. He’s one third of Ultraista, along with Joey Waronker – best known as R.E.M.’s first post-Bill Berry drummer circa Up and Reveal, and singer/artist Laura Bettinson. They released their self-titled debut in October, and while it’s obviously its own thing separate from what Godrich has worked on in the past, his signature is clearly evident in the beats and electronic textures contained therein. A full North American tour itinerary has yet to be revealed, they will definitely be at Lee’s Palace in Toronto on January 26, tickets $15.

Rolling Stone talks to Godrich about the project while The Dumbing Of America chats with Bettinson.

MP3: Ultraista – “Small Talk”
Video: Ultraista – “Bad Insect”
Video: Ultraista – “Gold Dayzz”
Video: Ultraista – “Our Song”
Video: Ultraista – “Static Light”
Video: Ultraista – “Small Talk”

Godrich and Waronker are both also part of Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke’s sideproject Atoms For Peace – along with Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers and percussionist Mauro Refosco – and they just announced the February 25 release of their debut full-length, Amok. Consequence Of Sound has specifics on the record and Yorke talked to Rolling Stone about how the band evolved out of his 2006 solo record The Eraser. They’ve just given away a b-side as download on their website and released a video for a lead single earlier this year. At least some touring is presumed to be planned for 2013 so everyone waiting for that make-up Toronto Radiohead date? Don’t.

MP3: Atoms For Peace – “What The Eyeballs Did”
Video: Atoms For Peace – “Default”

So what does winning the Mercury Prize get you, in concrete terms? For Alt-J, a venue upgrade from Wrongbar – where they made their local debut in September – to The Phoenix, where they’ll headline on March 27. Tickets are $17.50 and the full North American itinerary can be seen at Exclaim.

MP3: Alt-J – “Tessalate”

Chickfactor has premiered the first sample of the new Amor de Días album The House at Sea, due out January 29.

MP3: Amor de Días – “Jean’s Waving”

The National Student interviews Frightened Rabbit. Their new album Pedestrian Verse us out February 5.

DIY and The Guardian sit down with Jessie Ware to discuss her whirlwind 2012.

Deb Googe of My Bloody Valentine talks to Drowned In Sound about joining Primal Scream this Summer and the return of MBV.

Pitchfork reports that Lost Sirens, that compilation of New Order outtakes circa Waiting For The Sirens’ Call that absolutely no one has been clamouring for, will be released on January 22.

Rolling Stone has another live clip taken from the Blur live set Parklive, and naturally it’s the song that North American audiences would know best. And speaking of North America, Blur have confirmed their first live appearance on the continent in who knows how long for next Spring – but it’s not where you’d expect.

Video: Blur – “Song 2” (live at Hyde Park)

The Line Of Best Fit reports that Suede have slated a live show for London next Spring, expected to coincide with the release of a new album. Which, in a perfect world, would be produced by Bernard Butler who would secretly replace all of Richard Oakes’ guitar parts with his own.

Rolling Stone is streaming another song from Johnny Marr’s solo debut The Messenger, out February 26.

Stream: Johnny Marr – “The Right Thing Right”

Slicing Up Eyeballs reports that The House Of Love – who have only barely been active enough to qualify as not dead since their 2005 reunion album Days Run Away – have in fact finished a new record and will presumably actually be releasing it.

The Quietus talks to all three members of Saint Etienne while Artvinyl talks to the design shop who put together the wonderful album art for their latest, Words & Music By Saint Etienne.

Charles Watson of Slow Club gets political with Under The Radar.

Loud & Quiet and This Is Cornwall have interviews with Patrick Wolf.

Frank YangIf there’s any lessons a band can take from Ash, first and foremost would be a) to never mind fashion and stick to what you do well, and b) to get started young. The benefits of both of these points were on display Saturday night when the Northern Irish trio rolled into Lee’s Palace for their first Toronto show in seven years. To the former, they had a massive and impressive repertoire of high-energy, ultra-melodic punk/metal-laced pop to draw from and to the former, well if you’re so fortunate to be celebrating your twentieth anniversary as a band then you would probably want to be has as young and spry as the 35-year old Tim Wheeler, even with the flecks of grey in his beard.

While I can think of some acts I’d have rather seen open for Ash – former guitarist Charlotte Hatherley, say, or Wheeler’s girlfriend Emmy The Great – Halifax’s Kestrels were more than fine as well. As I wrote in July, their debut A Ghost History has more than enough ’90s-vintage college rock/shoegaze DNA in it to be a good fit, and there was even a formal connection what with Wheeler making a guest guitar appearance on the record. As is not unusual for bands of their ilk, their live show was exceedingly loud, and many of the pop-friendly nuances on the record were smothered with distortion and volume. The rhythm section, with its thick, fuzzy bass chords and nimble, 16th-note drumming, was an effective balance of heavy and agile and Chad Peck’s guitar leads were less melodic lines than bursts of noise run through a wah pedal. They probably could have done themselves a favour by turning down just a bit, but their enthusiasm was warranted – it was their last show of the year after touring heavily in support of their album and as Peck noted, Ash was his favourite band since forever so getting to open for them – and then take over Wheeler’s guitar roadie duties later – made for a pretty unique experience. If ever there was a night to leave it all on stage, it was this. And they did. Loudly.

Though chronologically, Ash fit right into the first wave of Britpop, I never really thought of them as such – and not just because Northern Ireland isn’t technically part of Britain, so the genre was a misnomer anyways. No, it was more their youthful energy and punkier inclinations didn’t really fit with the sort of Anglo sophistication that I wanted from the likes of Blur or Pulp, and so while I appreciated the singles I heard over the years, I didn’t start making up the lost time until recently. Definitely in time to thoroughly enjoy their show, though. Obviously feeling no inclination to be difficult, the set was wall-to-wall hits – both actual and should have beens – drawn from throughout their career but focusing largely on their 1996 debut 1977 with appropriate consideration given to 2001’s Free All Angels and 2004’s Meltdown, and ranging from the relatively gentle “Shining Light” to the positively raging “Clones”. And while not sold out, the show was well-attended with no small number of Irish fans and not singing along with anthems such as “Goldfinger” or “Girl From Mars” was simply not an option. They also drew heavily from their recent ambitious A-Z singles series – the triple vinyl North American release ostensibly the reason for the tour – and tracks like “Arcadia” and “Binary” proving that even after twenty years, their simple formula of riff and melody – and recently, the occasional electronic flourish – still pays tremendous dividends.

As you would expect a band with as many years and miles under their belts as Ash, they were unbelievably polished and powerful, bassist Mark Hamilton not missing a not while striking body-contorting rock poses through the whole night and Wheeler, when not singing, was bounding around the stage and confirming that the road case oddly placed front and centre stage was indeed for jumping on and rocking out. And after nineteen songs and 90 minutes, it was also the place for the trio to stand up and take a well-earned bow.

Oh, one more lesson bands can take from Ash? Flying Vs rawk.

Exclaim also has a review of the show and A Music Blog, Yea has an interview with Tim Wheeler.

Photos: Ash, Kestrels @ Lee’s Palace – November 17, 2012
MP3: Ash – “Return Of White Rabbit”
MP3: Ash – “Burn Baby Burn”
Video: Ash – “Carnal Love”
Video: Ash – “Binary”
Video: Ash – “Kamakura”
Video: Ash – “The Creeps”
Video: Ash – “War With Me”
Video: Ash – “Neon”
Video: Ash – “Ichiban”
Video: Ash – “Space Shot”
Video: Ash – “Pripyat”
Video: Ash – “Tracers”
Video: Ash – “Arcadia”
Video: Ash – “Joy Kicks Darkness”
Video: Ash – “True Love 1980”
Video: Ash – “Return Of White “
Video: Ash – “End Of The World”
Video: Ash – “Polaris”
Video: Ash – “You Can’t Have It All”
Video: Ash – “I Started A Fire”
Video: Ash – “Renegade Cavalcade”
Video: Ash – “Starcrossed”
Video: Ash – “Orpheus”
Video: Ash – “Clones”
Video: Ash – “There’s A Star”
Video: Ash – “Candy”
Video: Ash – “Sometimes”
Video: Ash – “Burn Baby Burn”
Video: Ash – “Shining Light”
Video: Ash – “Warmer Than Fire”
Video: Ash – “Wildsurf”
Video: Ash – “A Life Less Ordinary”
Video: Ash – “Oh Yeah”
Video: Ash – “Goldfinger”
Video: Ash – “Angel Interceptor”
Video: Ash – “Girl From Mars” (US)
Video: Ash – “Girl From Mars” (UK)
Video: Ash – “Kung Fu”
Video: Ash – “Uncle Pat”
Video: Kestrels – “The Past Rests”
Video: Kestrels – “There All The Time Without You”

Here’s one to file under “happy coincidences”. Just yesterday morning, I was listening to The Joy Formidable and thinking that it had been too long since I saw them live, having skipped their show in April and also planning to give next Sunday night’s support slot for The Gaslight Anthem a pass. And then, lo and behold, they announce a last-minute headline gig at The Mod Club for next Monday, November 26. It’s a free show as part of CFNY’s holiday concert series, so head to theedge.ca for details on how to win tickets. Expect to hear material from their new album Wolf’s Law, out January 22.

MP3: The Joy Formidable – “Wolf’s Law”

Kate Nash has announced her Death Proof EP will indeed be out this Fall as promised – as of right now, in fact. DIY has details on the release, which will be out on November 19, and Consequence Of Sound has some specifics on Nash’s third studio album, entitled Girl Talk and targeted for a March 2013 release. Spin talks to her about her new video for the title track of the new EP.

Video: Kate Nash – “Death Proof”

Florence & The Machine have squeezed another video out of Ceremonials and premiered it over at Nowness.

Video: Florence & The Machine – “Lover To Lover”

Played the new Veronica Falls track to death already? Head over to They Shoot Music where the band play a live version for a video session in addition to an old song. The new album Waiting For Something To Happen is out February 12.

4AD has details on the second album from Stornoway, to be entitled Tales From Terra Firma and due out on March 11.

Pitchfork has a Takeaway Show with Jessie Ware, filmed last month in Paris.

Blurt talks to Beth Orton.

The first track from Foals’ new album Holy Fire, out February 12, is now available to download.

MP3: Foals – “Inhaler”

Esben & The Witch are also giving away the first teaser of their second album Wash The Sins Not Only The Face, out January 21.

MP3: Esben & The Witch – “Deathwaltz”

For Folks Sake and The Stool Pigeon talk to Neil Halstead.

The Guardian asks the question so many have wondered – how did Mumford & Sons get so damn big?

Wales Online reports that Manic Street Preachers have gotten to work on a new album, though it won’t be out until 2014 at least.

Blur have released a clip from their not-farewell Hyde Park concert, documented on the forthcoming CD/DVD Parklive set. It’s out December 3.

Video: Blur – “Under The Westway” (live at Hyde Park)

Wired reports that Beautiful Noise, the documentary film on the shoegazing movement featuring interviews with many principals of the scene that has seemingly been in production forever, is finally finished and turning to Kickstarter to fund its distribution. $25 gets you a copy of the DVD… and you know you want it.

Trailer: Beautiful Noise

Kate MorossIn all honesty, I intended to write up Jessie Ware’s debut Devotion today whether or not it took the Mercury Prize last night or not – it went, as expected, to the heavily-favoured and bewilderingly dull Alt-J – I don’t need the validation of a shadowy cabal of British music industry types to tell me what the best British (or Irish) album of the past year is. Not to say that I’m bestowing that title on Devotion myself, but with each successive listen, it certainly makes a stronger case for itself.

Initially, the temptation is to classify her as a soul singer and indeed, her voice is a rich, emotive instrument with the perfect balance of breathy, brassy, and husky and if Ware had opted to follow a more traditional or throwback path, accolades would still surely be coming her way. But instead, the production on Devotion – courtesy of Dave Okumu of The Invisible – bounces from electronic, sample-happy beats (fitting, since she first attracted attention via her guest vocals on a SBTRKT song) to slick conventional band arrangements to inventive intersections of the two, generally refusing to hew to any specific musical dogma and emerging all the better for it.

And yet for all the musical ear candy permeating Devotion, it’s Ware’s songs and vocals that make it a remarkable record. It yearns and aches where it should without ever getting overwrought. Where lesser songwriters would turn to vocal tricks to grab the listener’s attention, Ware offers up gorgeous melodies, emotive lyrics, and rock-solid hooks. It’s a record that immediately announces itself as noteworthy, yet thanks to its smouldering pace, takes its time to reveal itself and grows stronger and more impressive each time out. It may not have won the Mercury, but Devotion is a stunning, can’t-lose debut.

Devotion has yet to receive a North American release, but that’s coming in 2013. She’s signed a deal with Cherrytree that will first yield a sampler EP in 110% by December to be followed by a brief US tour in the new year. Presumably more extensive touring will follow the proper release of the record, or at least it better.

The Telegraph and Grazia have interviews with Ware.

Video: Jessie Ware – “Night Light”
Video: Jessie Ware – “Wildest Moments”
Video: Jessie Ware – “110%”
Video: Jessie Ware – “Running”

Kate Nash loves her some Hallowe’en. Not only did she release a spooky-themed video for a song that will appear on an upcoming EP – you can also download it from her website in exchange for an e-mail – she also teamed up with Emmy The Great for a Buffy-themed Hallowe’en party wherein they recreated the musical episode, “Once More With Feeling”, on stage, though trainspotters may point out that Emmy is dressed as Willow and Willow didn’t really participate in the musical episode because Alyson Hannigan can’t sing worth a lick… But I digress. You can watch videos from the show at Bleeding Cool. And I won’t lie – I would buy a recording of this show.

Video: Kate Nash – “Fri-End?”

Polly Scattergood is putting the finishing touches on her promising and intermittently inspired 2009 self-titled debut and has made a track from it available to stream. The album, still untitled, is due out next Spring.

Stream: Polly Scattergood – “Disco Damaged Kid”

Charli XCX is streaming a new song taken from her new Super Ultra mixtape that’s scheduled to become available next Wednesday.

Stream: Charli XCX featuring Brooke Candy – “Cloud Aura”

NPR and Stereogum have interviews with Beth Orton.

Exclaim interviews Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes.

Billboard talks to Pete Wiggs and Bob Stanley of Saint Etienne about undertaking their first North American tour in a decade without a label behind them. The San Francisco Examiner, meanwhile, talks to Sarah Cracknell.

The Line Of Best Fit report that Brighton’s Esben & The Witch will release their second album – Wash The Sins Not Only The Face – on January 21. A first taste is available to stream now.

Stream: Esben & The Witch – “Deathwaltz”

Allo Darlin’ have compiled a bunch of covers – all wonderful, like the Darren Hayman/The French track below – on a limited edition 10″ they’ve called Covers. It’s out November 28.

Stream: Allo Darlin’ – “Wu Tang Clan”

Japan Times talks to Guy Connelly of Clock Opera.

Jason Pierce of Spiritualized chats with Drowned In Sound and The Yorkshire Evening Post.

The Quietus and The Independent talk to Nicky Wire about the 20th anniversary of Manic Street Preachers’ debut Generation Terrorists, the mandatory deluxe edition of which is out on Monday.

Exclaim has collected some information on Johnny Marr’s first proper solo record – apparently we’re not counting when he fronted the disappointingly bland Healers – which will be called The Messenger and be due out in or around February.