Frank YangIt was the sort of pairing that seemed so perfect, that the reality almost seemed fated to disappoint. Two nights of Neko Case at Trinty-St Paul’s church, arguably the city’s best combination of intimacy and acoustics, in support of her new record Middle Cyclone – her first shows in Toronto in over three years. And to sweeten the deal, if that were at all possible, the support act would be Crooked Fingers. Was there any way it could meet these loftiest of expectations? In a word, yes. In two words, hell yes.

This was Eric Bachmann and company’s second visit to town in the past little while, following their October 2008 support slot for Okkervil River, and while I obviously have no shortage of love for the artists who bring Crooked Fingers on the road with them, there’s a small voice in the back of my head that cries out at the unfairness of an artist of the calibre and longevity as Bachmann still having to open up for others. In a just world, he would be playing his songs of gorgeous, wistful gruffness in beautiful church venues to rapt audiences… which, I guess, he just did.

I’d commented in my review of the Phoenix show that their set suffered from poor mixing – this show more than made up for that, being acoustically sublime and with songs perfectly selected from the entire Crooked Fingers discography (as well as Bachmann’s 2006 solo record To The Races) to suit the setting. Put simply, they delivered a set of staggering beauty, and one that didn’t go unappreciated by the audience who, presumably, were not nearly all as huge fans coming in as I was. Each song finished to enthusiastic applause that was far from just polite, but more akin to the sound of hearts simultaneously melting, breaking and being won over. It’s difficult to pick a high point from a set so flawless, but “Sleep All Summer” would have to be it, with Bachmann and Miranda Brown dueting over weepy steel lines contributed by guesting Neko guitarist Jon Rauhouse. Tears would not have been out of place.

And this was just the opener.

In all the times I’ve seen Neko Case live, she’s taken a decidedly dressed-down approach to stage attire so a double-take was in order when she strode onstage in a stunning red gown. As if we needed another indication that this show was an occasion. But even glammed up, Neko was still Neko, yukking it up with backing singer/comic foil Kelly Hogan and, oh yes, singing like an absolute force of nature.

Having debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts, Middle Cyclone is unquestionably a breakout record for Neko Case. But artistically, it’s not the huge leap forward that Fox Confessor was – that record took Case, the alt.country torch singer, and reinvented her as a superb and restlessly creative songwriter whom you could certainly still classify as country if you had to file her somewhere, but whose reach and vision went far beyond just the genre. Cyclone reaffirms this while delivering some of Case’s purest pop moments outside The New Pornographers and while it hasn’t supplanted Fox Confessor‘s special place in my heart, it’s still a superb record in its own right.

And damn, does it sound glorious live. If you’ve never heard Neko Case sing live, then you haven’t experienced one of the seven musical wonders of the world (a list I just made up and whose other six spots are open to nomination). I had thought that experiencing it from a couple feet away in a tiny club like the Rivoli would be an unbeatable experience, but seated in the gallery at Trinity whilst being enveloped by her voice wins. Backed by the stellar band with whom she recorded Middle Cyclone and in front of a screen displaying projected films matched to each song, Case was spellbinding in delivering songs old and new to the packed house, some of whom – like myself – I’m willing to bet hadn’t set foot in a church in many years in any religious context but on this evening, when faced with a talent as unearthly as Case’s, were finding God.

Following an hour-long set, Case returned for an extended encore that, had the fans had their way would have never ended but as it was, ran the show to a good 90 minutes. And as undeniably special as the whole performance was, they managed to take it just that little bit further when Garth Hudson joined them on accordion for the final two songs. A fitting finale to an unbelievable night of music. And if you were one of the many who weren’t able to get tickets to the show, take heart – Neko announced during the show that they’d be returning in July for another show at Massey Hall. No, the Old Lady of Shuter Street isn’t as intimate as Trinity, but it’s hosted a good show or two in its time. Expect even more magic.

Acoustic Guitar and Chart have interviews with Neko. Her North American tour continues through this week. I think it goes without saying that you should go if you can.

Photos: Neko Case, Crooked Fingers @ Trinity-St. Paul’s – April 18, 2009
MP3: Neko Case – “Middle Cyclone”
MP3: Neko Case – “People Got A Lotta Nerve”
MP3: Neko Case – “Hold On, Hold On”
MP3: Neko Case – “Star Witness”
MP3: Neko Case – “If You Knew”
MP3: Crooked Fingers – “Phony Revolutions”
MP3: Crooked Fingers – “Call To Love”
MP3: Crooked Fingers – “Big Darkness”
MP3: Crooked Fingers – “Devil’s Train”
MP3: Crooked Fingers – “New Drink For The Old Drunk”
MP3: Eric Bachmann – “Lonesome Warrior”
MP3: Eric Bachmann – “Carrboro Woman”
Video: Neko Case – “People Got A Lotta Nerve”
Video: Neko Case – “Maybe Sparrow”
Video: Neko Case – “Furnace Room Lullabye”
Video: Crooked Fingers – “Let’s Not Pretend (To Be New Men)”
Video: Crooked Fingers – “New Drink For The Old Drunk”
Video: Eric Bachmann – “Man O’War”
Video: Eric Bachmann – “Lonesome Warrior”
MySpace: Neko Case
MySpace: Crooked Fingers

Toronto has been waiting some time for Fleet Foxes to come back to town. Their only appearance so far was a year ago at the El Mocambo as support for Blitzen Trapper, just before their buzz meter went through the roof, and while well-attended it wasn’t nearly a sell-out. They were supposed to return as support for Stephen Malkmus at the Phoenix in July but cancelled due to exhaustion and haven’t made up the date, being far too busy topping almost every critic’s year-end list for 2008. The point of this ramble being that I’ve been playing a little game with myself trying to guess what size room they’ll play if/when they finally did return and, well, let’s just say the winning venue had never even crossed my mind. Fleet Foxes at Massey Hall in August. Yeah, seriously. Details still forthcoming, but wrap your head around that. There’s interviews with the band at The Times-Standard and The Times.

MP3: Fleet Foxes – “Mykonos”
MP3: Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal”

Spin talks to Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy about their new album – still title-less and release date-less – and Washington City Paper talks to the folks who put out the just-released Ashes Of American Flags DVD. Locals may note that there’s no Toronto on their just-announced Summer tour, but note that the July 19 date at Lewiston, New York is barely 90 minutes away if you’re one of those speed limit-observing types, just across the border north of Niagara Falls. So you can go, like, outlet shopping and then Wilco watching on the same day. Something to consider.

There’s a track up from Sonic Youth’s next album The Eternal, set for release June 9.

MP3: Sonic Youth – “Sacred Trickster”

Iron & Wine will release their double-disc compilation of rarities Around The Well, on May 19 and SubPop has wisely chosen “The Trapeze Swinger” as the MP3 to provide gratis to generate interest. Wisely, because this song which originally appeared on the soundtrack for the 2004 Topher Grace vehicle (you’ll not likely ever hear THOSE words again), In Good Company is one of Sam Beam’s greatest musical creations and really, one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard in the past, well, maybe ever.

MP3: Iron & Wine – “The Trapeze Swinger”

Pitchfork has info on how to get a copy of the long-awaited, previously tour-only The Mountain Goats/John Vanderslice collaborative vinyl-only EP Moon Colony Bloodbath.

I think I’m all out of adjectives for the day.

Leonie PurchasWith her 2006 debut album Fur & Gold, Natasha Khan – she who is essentially Bat For Lashes – crafted a mysterious and fantastical world with a foundation made up of a lot of Kate Bush and a little Bjork but still felt distinct and fresh and most importantly, was wholly beguiling thanks to the richness of both her creative vision and her remarkable voice.

Three years hence, she’s returned with Two Suns. It’s a record with much to live up to considering its Mercury Prize-nominated predecessor, and whether she’s succeeded depends on which direction you were hoping Khan would tilt her creative balancing act of accessibility and eccentricity. Of course, even that answer isn’t entirely straightforward. Fur & Gold was eclectic in mood and texture, like a wander through Khan’s imagination, but also featured immediate pop gems in “What’s A Girl To Do” and “Prescilla”.

Two Suns is more focused and consistent in feel, but with the exception of Karate Kid-invoking lead single “Daniel”, is less overtly hooky. It is, however, more dramatically executed – the power behind her vocals on “Glass” is chilling – and feels much more personal. Whereas Fur carried with it a fictional darkness, this time out it comes across as hauntingly autobiographical. The imagery used still draws on mythical influences, but the emotions behind them feel much more intense and direct than before. The production is also richer and deeper, more beat-driven and with a faint but distinct synthetic sheen – it’s subtle, but effective, and gleams when necessary. It may take a bit more time and effort for it to permeate the consciousness, but Two Suns manages to be a marked improvement on a debut that didn’t really have anything wrong with it in the first place. Remarkable.

Drowned In Sound has a print interview with Khan, Nylon a video one and XFM an aural one. Bat For Lashes kick of their North American tour on April 25 at the Mod Club in Toronto.

MP3: Bat For Lashes – “Glass” (live)
Video: Bat For Lashes – “Daniel”
MySpace: Bat For Lashes

The Tripwire asks five questions of La Roux’s Elly Jackson. Their self-titled debut is out June 29.

White Lies talk to Spinner about their upcoming gig in a London cemetery.

Black Cab Sessions coaxes Doves into their backseat for a song, while The Yorkshire Post and The Daily Star have interviews. Doves are at the Kool Haus on June 1.

Kevin Shields messes with Texas, giving interviews to The Austin Chronicle and Dallas Observer about My Bloody Valentine’s hiatus, reunion and the state of their old old (reissues) and new old (unreleased) albums.

A winner has been selected for the contest to create a video for M83. Check out the winning visuals for “We Own The Sky”.

Video: M83 – “We Own The Sky”

School Of Seven Bells heads down under, with Claudia Dehaza talking to The Age and sister Alejandra to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Newsweek interviews The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart and coaxes them to play a new song for them on video. The Pains are at Lee’s Palace on April 28.

Baltimore dream-pop duo Wye Oak will release their second album The Knot on July 21. The first song sounds a little – well, exactly – like this. Beautiful.

MP3: Wye Oak – “Take It In”

Time Out New York talks to Holly Miranda. Her solo record is still presumably forthcoming.

ABC News has a video interview with Bob Mould, Express Night Out sticks with text.

Superchunk’s Jim Wilbur talks to Spinner about the band’s slow return from hiatus-land.

Filter has a three–part interview with John Vanderslice, whose new album Romanian Names is out May 19.

Third time’s the charm? After two cancelled shows, it looks like Passion Pit are trying to play Toronto one more time. According to the Harlem Shakes, with whom they’re touring this Summer, they’re going to be in town on June 16 at a venue to be determined. Good luck to ya. Passion Pit’s debut Manners is out May 19 while Harlem Shakes’ debut Technicolor Health is out now.

MP3: Harlem Shakes – “Strictly Game”

Sunset Rubdown have a new album coming out on June 24 called Dragonslayer and they’ve already booked a tour (dates down the left side of their website) to promote. Toronto show goes down July 11 at Lee’s Palace. Pitchfork has the first taste of the album.

MP3: Sunset Rubdown – “Idiot Heart”

The Rural Alberta Advantage’s session with WOXY has been broken up into downloadable MP3s, which means that I no longer have to procrastinate doing it myself.

eye‘s cover feature this week is on Neko Case, and her two sold-out shows at Trinity-St Paul’s tonight and tomorrow.

M Ward has rolled out a new video from Hold Time, this one for his cover of Buddy Holly’s “Rave On”. The Press-Enterprise has an interview. Ward plays the Phoenix on April 27.

Video: M Ward – “Rave On”

NPR has an interview with Elvis Perkins In Dearland, who have a show at the Horseshoe on April 29.

There’s a track available from the forthcoming Steve Earle album Townes, due out May 12.

MP3: Steve Earle – “To Live Is To Fly”

Pitchfork reports that Patterson Hood’s second solo record Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs) will be released on June 23. There’s a couple tracks streaming at his MySpace.

City Pages has an interview and NPR a session with Jason Isbell.

And finally, QTV has an extensive – 42 minutes extensive – interview with Leonard Cohen. It’ll take kinda forever to load, but worth it. Cohen plays Copps Coliseum in Hamilton on May 19. Also read a feature at Salon.

Frank YangI don’t know what their official show count at SxSW was, but I think I managed to miss Cut Off Your Hands play no less than ten times in four days. This actually took some effort. And it wasn’t that I didn’t WANT to see them – you may recall I quite liked their debut You And I despite its more derivative qualities – but knowing that they’d be in Toronto just a week later, it was hard to justify missing another band who perhaps didn’t have T.O. in their travel plans to see one that was. And while I still think that was the smart thing to do, after their blistering set at the Horseshoe on Monday night, I can’t but help feeling a twinge of regret that I’ll have to wait who knows how long to see them again.

I’d missed most of the first band in the evening, an instrumental post-rock outfit called Siberia, but was there in plenty of time for the middle act, a local outfit with the somewhat unfortunate name of Boys Who Say No – unfortunate because it’s a bad name and they were quite a good band. I’d describe them as being a little bit folk and a little bit punk, but would never call them folk-punk. They had impressive chops channeled into creating a Maritime-ish good times party vibe that initially made me want to dismiss them – I like my music serious and profound, thank you very much – but by set’s end I was won over.

No such convincing was needed for Cut Off Your Hands. New Zealand’s first most popular post-punk-pop quartet came out firing on all cylinders, frontman Nick Johnston pogoing all over the stage, and didn’t let up for a moment of their compact but exhausting 40-minute set. Whereas the album took pains to include some gentler moments and show off the band’s sensitive side, live they were all about being turned up to 10 and staying at 10 until their tanks ran down to zero. And even though the record crackles with no small amount of energy, I was quite (and pleasantly) surprised by just how utterly gleeful and manic their performance was, particularly since they were able to execute the songs so perfectly and Johnston was able to avoid causing himself serious physical harm. Slower songs were made fast and fast songs made breakneck, but there was no compromising quality for energy, and that’s a hell of a thing to pull off. Excellence.

eye has both an interview with the band and a glowing show review while Chart also enjoyed themselves, just not quite as much.

Photos: Cut Off Your Hands, Boys Who Say No @ The Horseshoe – March 30, 2009
MP3: Cut Off Your Hands – “Turn Cold”
Video: Cut Off Your Hands – “Expectations” (version 1)
Video: Cut Off Your Hands – “Expectations” (version 2)
Video: Cut Off Your Hands – “Expectations” (version 3)
Video: Cut Off Your Hands – “Oh Girl”
Video: Cut Off Your Hands – “You And I”
MySpace: Cut Off Your Hands

Cut Off Your Hands had been touring North America with Ra Ra Riot, but peeled off on their own for a few Canadian dates but will meet back up with them in New York City. Ra Ra Riot are here on Sunday opening up for Death Cab at the Sound Academy – they gave an interview to The National Post.

Scots 1990s, whose latest album Kicks was also helmed by Cut Off Your Hands producer Bernard Butler, have just announced a North American tour which brings them to the Horseshoe on June 3.

MP3: 1990s – “The Box”
Video: 1990s – “Animate”

Some samples from upcoming releases of note, starting with Superchunk! The first new ‘Chunk material in forever will be out on April 7 in the form of the Leaves In The Gutter EP and 20% of it sounds like this.

MP3: Superchunk – “Misfits & Mistakes”

Also out that day is the SCORE! 20 Years of Merge Records: THE COVERS! compilation, from which you can hear the ‘Chunk being covered by Les Savy Fav.

MP3: Les Savy Fav – “Precision Auto”

King Khan & The Shrines will release What Is?! on April 21 and play the Phoenix on May 12.

MP3: King Khan & The Shrines – “Land Of The Freak”

John Vanderslice will release his first album for new label Dead Oceans on May 19 in Romanian Names, and one of the songs sounds like this. The Hartford Courant and Express Night Out talk to the ‘Slice about his new record.

MP3: John Vanderslice – “Fetal Horses”

The Rumble Strips won’t release their second album Welcome To The Walk Alone until June 8 in the UK, but they’re sharing the first single from it, entitled “London”.

MP3: The Rumble Strips – “London”

Exclaim and Muzzle Of Bees have interviews with Hutch Harris of The Thermals. Their new album Now We Can See is out next Tuesday and they play The Horseshoe on May 3. Here’s another track from the record:

MP3: The Thermals – “When We Were Alive”

Blurt and The Dallas Observer talk to Tony Dekker of Great Lake Swimmers. They play the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 25.

Neil Young is streaming Fork In The Road on his MySpace in advance of its release next Tuesday.

Stream: Neil Young / Fork In The Road

Wireless Bollinger, Flagstaff Live and CMT talk to Justin Townes Earle, who plays the Horseshoe on April 22.

Bishop Allen’s Justin Rice talks inspiration with Spinner.

Annie PowersFor those inclined to do so, it’s not difficult to criticize the self-titled debut from The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. It’s true that the New York quartet are unabashed about wearing their influences – all things C86 and Sarah are obviously held in high regard – and in that sense, bring little new to the table. But rather than try to refute these arguments in any debate, I encourage those who’d want to defend the band to pose the following question to any detractors: Why do you hate fun?

Because more than anything, more than the layers of fuzz guitar that envelop the songs like cardigans, more than the sugary boy-girl harmonies, more than the undistilled pop wonder of the songs, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are fun. Whimsical, heartfelt, unadulterated fun. This, of course, assumes that you have a warm place in your heart for all things twee and that the idea of The Field Mice borrowing The Jesus & Mary Chain’s gear sounds like your idea of heaven. Other common name-drops include Velocity Girl, My Bloody Valentine, Teenage Fanclub… the list could go on and on, and the thing is – these comparisons are being made by those who hold these acts in the highest regard, and are really the highest form of compliment.

Though I was alive for it, I didn’t live through the original wave of jangle-and-feedback indiepop that arose on both sides of the Atlantic in the late ’80s and early ’90s. I came to it somewhat later, but The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart gives me a sense of how fresh and exciting it must have been at the time. How can you be nostalgic for something you never actually experienced? I don’t know, but I kind of like the feeling. And I love this record.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are playing Lee’s Palace next Thursday, February 12, with The Depreciation Guild, who were praised earlier this week. To say I’m excited about this show is just a smidge of an understatement. Tickets are $10 in advance, and considering the show is now at a venue about 150% larger than its original home at Neutral, there’s plenty to be had. Do yourself a favour and get one.

There’s features on the band at Exclaim, The Village Voice and New York Press.

MP3: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – “Everything With You”
MP3: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – “Come Saturday”
Video: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – “Everything With You”
MySpace: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

The Skinny talks to Benjamin Curtis of School Of Seven Bells

Though he just paid us a visit in November, Neil Halstead is coming back to the Drake Hotel on March 21 as part of a North American tour. CBC Radio 3 points out that the show is part of the Drake Hotel’s month-long fifth anniversary celebrations, at least some of which are invite-only. I myself will still be at SxSW when this show goes down but any information or conditions about it that come to light beforehand, I will dutifully inform you all of.

Blurt has an in-depth conversation with M Ward, who releases his new album Hold Time on February 17.

Pitchfork reports that Okkervil River will release “Pop Lie” as a single from The Stand-Ins come April 21.

The Asheville Citizen-Times Q&A’s Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers.

The Hold Steady have a new release in the form of a live album/documentary DVD coming April 7. It’s called A Positive Rage and full details are to be had over at Paste.

Bob Mould discusses his forthcoming album The Life & Times, due April 7, with Spinner.

Metromix talks to Beirut’s Zach Condon. They release their new double EP March Of The Zapotec/Holland and having heard it, I understand why the latter half is presented under the “Realpeople” name… it’s out February 17.

John Vanderslice will release his new album Romanian Names on May 19.

Director Wes Anderson reminisces about making his first film, Bottle Rocket, with Filter.

PolyvinylImagine a man, standing alone on a dark stage with just a guitar. This is Emil Svanangen, the principal artist behind the Swedish pop entity known as Loney Dear. Imagine the stage lights come up, revealing a carefully crafted backdrop of meadows, villages and blue skies but still Svanangen stands, stoic and po-faced, while the orchestra swells while somehow remaining oh-so twee. This was Loney, Dear’s North American debut, Loney, Noir. Now imagine the stage sets fall away and the lights dim, shifting the mood from Summer to Autumn. And still Svanangen remains, sad-faced and beautifully melancholic. This was Loney, Dear’s second 2007 release, Sologne. Very similar in theme and structure to its predecessor, yet somewhat starked in presentation.

And now with Dear John, the scene is set in darkness cut with neon lights and a metallic tang in the air. As you might expect, Svanangen is still mining the same rich vein of lost love and the songs still build to soaring crescendos, but the structures are more baroque and the materials utilized more synthetic and mechanical than in past efforts. It certainly creates a different atmosphere that takes some getting used to, particularly for those initially drawn to Loney Dear for their more sprightly orch-pop inclinations, but there’s still enough familiar moves and melodies to keep things anchored. Some of these moves and melodies can come off a little too familiar – Svanangen doesn’t seem to have as many tricks in his arsenal as one would hope, but what he does do he still does well. Dear John tries to walk the fine line between trying something new and not fixing what’s not broke, and while it does wobble as a result and occasionally strays farther than one might like, it still gets where its going eventually.

ABC News (!) has a video interview with Svanangen about his new record and Venus Zine has a feature interview. Dear John was released this week and is currently streaming on Spinner, and Loney Dear kick off a North American tour in support of Andrew Bird on Friday.

MP3: Loney Dear – “Airport Surroundings”
Video: Loney Dear – “Airport Surroundings”
Stream: Loney Dear / Dear John
MySpace: Loney Dear

Andrew Bird gives interviews to The AV Club, Boston Herald and New York Magazine and gives Drowned In Sound a track-by-track breakdown of Noble Beast. He plays the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 3.

Lykke Li, headlining at the Phoenix on February 6, has released a new video.

Video: Lykke Li – “Tonight”

Magnet Q&A’s Jason Lytle, whose Yours Truly, the Commuter is out May 19.

The Yorkshire Evening Post talks to Richard Thompson, who recently got in a black cab and found himself recording a session.

SF Weekly congratulates John Vanderslice on the occasion of Tiny Telephone Studios’ 10th anniversary.

Asobi Seksu talks to The Skinny. Hush is out February 17 and they play the El Mocambo on March 3.

Shout Out Out Out Out are at Lee’s Palace on April 25 in support of their new record Reintegration Time, out March 3. Tickets $15.

Woodpigeon are marking the release of Treasury Canada Library next Tuesday by giving away an EP for free over at eMusic. La Commission Scolaire contains tracks from the album, alternate versions and unreleased goodies to go along with the double-disc goodness of the record. Woodpigeon overload!