Brad FafejtaLast Summer I started getting hit up via IM by someone – associate, friend, fan, I don’t know – eagerly extolling the virtues of one New Zealand outfit named Cut Off Your Hands. Now getting ambushed out of the blue like that isn’t really the way to endear yourself – or whomever you’re promoting – to me, but I was feeling magnanimous and went and gave their MySpace a listen. And wasn’t impressed. It sounded like the sort of hepped up, jerk-and-stab New Wave/post-punk that seemed inescapable a couple years ago and now just seemed dated. I told anonymous PR dude it wasn’t turning the crank, he said he understood but also mentioned that the tracks I’d heard were demos, and that the band were working on the proper album with producer Bernard Butler… so yeah, that got my attention and I filed it away for future reference.

That future turned out to be late last month, when a copy of the finished product – You And I, in stores on Tuesday – showed up, and out of my deep respect for Butler and his work, I gave it a spin. And another. And another. To my surprise, I found if not addictive then quite enjoyable – even though the observations I’d made some months previous were still correct, I didn’t mind so much. In fact, the fact that they were mining a sound that was no longer so fashionable was part of the appeal – they sounded less like an outfit chasing a trend than one simply doing what they do. After all, before it was done to death it sounded pretty good, didn’t it? And Butler’s touch has also helped, buffing out some but not all of the edges and giving it just the right amount of sheen. Judging from the string of successes he’s had lately, the man has become a master of pop conciseness and brevity, ironic considering how grandiose and sprawling his vision was in his Suede days.

While it’s the uptempo songs that make the most immediate impression – Nick Johnston’s strained vocals and the band’s taut, musical gallop rather punch you in the face with danceable hooks – it’s the slower moments, where things retreat to an austere croon, that stood out for me. Not because they’re the best songs, but because they speak to a musical vision broader than the variations on a single theme that they’re currently best at. It’s easy to be dismissive of them – goodness knows I was – but I find I’m quite liking them regardless, and think they’ve got some significant upside above and beyond what they’ve already shown. And even if I’m wrong, they’re still turning out some catchy party pop songs and that’s alright with me as well.

The band are going to be on this continent and conducting a west coast tour in February supporting Ra Ra Riot, and more dates are forthcoming. And for some reason, they’ve cut three videos for one single and also one for the title track of the album, which does not appear on the album.

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

Howling Bells have released a new and rather awful video from their sophomore album Radio Wars, which had been set for a February 9 release, but which I’m thinking is now unlikely. It’s almost still certainly going to be a late Winter/Spring release, but probably not quite so soon.

Video: Howling Bells – “Cities Burning Down”

Land Of Talk’s Liz Powell makes use of her voice while she still has it, talking to The National Post, The Toronto Sun, NOW and eye in advance of tonight’s show at the Horseshoe.

Oasis have turned their “let’s have buskers play songs from our new album” PR stunt in New York City last Fall into a little documentary. This took place just after the assault on Noel Gallagher in Toronto, hence his conspicuous absence from the proceedings.

Video: Dig Out Your Soul In The Streets

The Quietus reports that British Sea Power’s next album will be a soundtrack for the 1934 documentary Man Of Aran and consist of new and reworked old material. It is due out in the Spring. It will probably be odd.

Chart, The Courier Mail, The Daily Telegraph and The Age talk to Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce.

Pitchfork has details on the next stage in EMI’s neverending Radiohead back catalog exploitation campaign. It includes releasing all their past singles on 7″ 12″ vinyl and putting out deluxe CD/DVD editions of their first three albums, each of which will include the period-correct b-sides and promo clips. I’d be lying if I said that the idea of getting those b-sides in CD-quality wasn’t a tempting one, but the whole thing is just a bit too unsavory for my tastes. The CDs are out March 24, the 7″s 12″s on April 21.

The Bay Bridged and Black Book have interviews with The Raveonettes’ Sune Rose Wagner. They’re looking to release a new album for September.

The Quietus reports that Sonic Youth should be done their next album, currently entitled The Eternal, in time for a June release. This will be their first for Matador.

Peter Bjorn & John will release Living Thing on March 30.

Pitchfork has the first MP3 from Asobi Seksu’s new record Hush, out February 17.

MP3: Asobi Seksu – “Familiar Light”

Handsome Furs have released an MP3 from their new album Face Control. It’s out March 10 and they play the Horseshoe on March 13.

MP3: Handsome Furs – “I’m Confused”

eye has posted the results of their annual music critics poll, and going over the results, I’m wondering why I even bothered participating. Exactly one of my picks in any category made the final tallies.

Likewise, my suggestion for the CBC Radio 2 “Playlist For Obama” – Destroyer’s “My Favourite Year” – also doesn’t appear to have made the cut. My original suggestion was actually anything by Godspeed You! Black Emperor but it was decided that a 20-minute instrumental was probably too long to use. More like too AWESOME.

Amelia HandscombI realize that the geek-correct reason to have this coming Sunday weekend circled on the calendar is for the return for the final half-season of Battlestar Galactica on Friday night – and don’t get me wrong, I’m as psyched as any socially awkward individual about the final episodes and revelations that will be contained therein – but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more excited about the return of Flight Of The Conchords that same evening on Sunday (or really, the following morning when my torrents will have finished downloading). And yeah, I know the first episode has been available online for a couple weeks now, but it’s the principle of the matter (there’s a non-geoblocked stream available at Movieweb, for those of you/us who couldn’t access the initial official stream).

As with most things, I was late to the party and spent an intense week catching up on season one, though the flipside of that is that I’ve only had to wait six months or so for new eps whereas those who caught on immediately have had to do without for a long, arduous 16 months. My condolences, though it’s good to know that a quick dose of Bret and Jemaine to hold one over is just a YouTube search away. Even after multiple viewings, it remains some of the funniest stuff I’ve seen in ages.

And with new episodes come new songs, and with new songs comes a new album, a follow-up to last year’s self-titled effort, the whole of which is streaming at their MySpace. It’s due out on April 14, as soon as the second season wraps though each episode’s new song will be available online immediately after the show airs each week – details on that at Billboard. The AV Club has an extensive interview with Bret and Jemaine about the upcoming season, The National Post has a feature and NPR had the band/show/comedy act on the air yesterday for a talk and Buzzsugar talks to super-stalker/fan Kristen Schaal. But the piece of preliminary press that most caught my attention was this item at Filter (whose Summer 2008 cover story is also worth reading) – not because of what it says, but the photo attached – have a look at Jemaine’s tote bag. Is that a Sloan shout-out or is there another Jay and Chris and Patrick and Andrew out there?

“Baguette!”

MP3: Flight Of The Conchords – “Business Time”
MP3: Flight Of The Conchords – “Ladies Of The World”
Video: Flight Of The Conchords – “Ladies Of The World”
Video: Flight Of The Conchords – “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros” (episode excerpt)
Video: Flight Of The Conchords – “Inner City Pressure” (episode excerpt)
Video: Flight Of The Conchords – “Bowie” (episode excerpt)
MySpace: Flight Of The Conchords

Metro profiles Land Of Talk, playing tomorrow night at the Horseshoe.

Chart has details on Gentleman Reg’s new album Jet Black, which will finally be available on February 24. He will mark the day with an in-store that evening at Soundscapes at 6PM and play a proper set on March 12 at the Horseshoe as part of Canadian Musicfest.

Reuters talks to M Ward about new album Hold Time – not out till February 17 but currently streaming at NPR.

Stream: M Ward / Hold Time

There’s a lovely new video for the title track of Emmy The Great’s debut First Love, out February 2.

Video: Emmy The Great – “First Love”

Rolling Stone Q&As Steve Earle.

There’s a first MP3 available from Elvis Perkins In Dearland’s forthcoming self-titled album, out March 10.

MP3: Elvis Perkins In Dearland – “Shampoo”

Even though there’s no information on a new album – everyone’s talking about the old (release date is still February 24!) – there’s a video of sorts for a new song from Neil Young. Shake it, Shakey!

Video: Neil Young – “Fork In The Road”

Get a taste of Neko Case’s new album Middle Cyclones, out March 3. And if you have a blog or iLike profile, check out Anti-blog for info on how going all viral with the track will help out Best Friends Animal Society. Everybody wins. Besides obviously being a good cause, the timing is extra-special because today marks my two-year anniversary as a cat owner, an occasion which he celebrated the other night by demonstrating his uncanny ability to run and puke at the same time. Yay, kitty.

MP3: Neko Case – “People Got A Lotta Nerve”

One Little IndianSometimes it doesn’t pay to be early to the party. For example, those of us who emigrated early to the Land Of Talk via the initial self-release of Applause Cheer Boo Hiss were left waiting a good, long time for a follow up as it was re-released and promoted in the US and Europe.

But there was a quite worthy stop-gap release in the first part of last year from European label One Little Indian in the form of the Europe/tour-only L’aventure Acoustique, which recast all of Applause Cheer and a couple songs that would appear on Some Are Lakes in acoustic – and sometimes revelatory – form. The final track, however was this cover of Halifax’s Wintersleep, a band I’ve never especially cared for but was forced to reconsider after hearing Land Of Talk’s beautiful rendition of their “Weighty Ghost” (though it’s listed on the album as just “Ghost”). And while they still don’t do much for me, I will admit it’s a good song.

This week, Land Of Talk are making up a small portion of the tour they cancelled last Fall on account of bandleader Liz Powell losing her voice. As she blogged at the end of last year, the issues with her voice aren’t fully resolved and following this short jaunt which includes a date at the Horseshoe on Thursday, she’s getting surgery done and will be spending a while after that recuperating. So catch them while you can.

MP3: Land Of Talk – “Weighty Ghost”
Video: Wintersleep – “Winter Ghost”

Davida Nemeroff Seminal new music showcase Wavelength – across whose stage pretty much every Toronto indie band of note from the last decade or so has passed – celebrates its ninth anniversary next month and as they’ve done pretty much every year that I can remember, they’re marking the occasion with a full weekend of shows at venues all across the city.

The full lineup was announced over the holidays, and the evenings of February 12 through the 15th will look something like this: On the 12th it’s spooky folk at the Music Gallery with Timber Timbre (also playing this Saturday night at the Tranzac and doing an in-store at Soundscapes on January 15 at 7 to mark the release of their self-titled debut on Tuesday), Ghost Bees and Dorit Chrysler followed by an after-party/nightcap at the Cameron House with The Diableros and Loitering Heroes.

Friday’s venue is Wrongbar, and the bill is headlined by the much-acclaimed Slim Twig and also features Bonjay, Child Bite and The Magic. That’s not a lineup that’ll get me out to Parkdale but Saturday night’s soiree is definitely circled on the calendar, and not just because the Polish Combatants Hall is but a short walk from home. No, it’s because the lineup for that night features a number of acts that I’ve heard good things about and am looking forward to checking out. In particular I’m interested in $100, pictured here and recently featured both The Toronto Star and BlogTO – their debut full-length Forest Of Tears reveals a raw and unvarnished country band stuck in the city who do things slow and know a thing or ten about pain. Also playing that evening are Brides, Hooded Fang, The Luyas and The Element Choir.

And finally, things close out at Wavelength’s usual time and channel – Sunday night at Sneaky Dee’s. Theatrical party-pack Foxfire Forest have the honour of closing things out, accompanied by I Am Robot And Proud and a couple of out-of-town guests – Baltimore’s Thank You and San Franciscans Mi Ami.

As with all Wavelength shows, these are pay what you can events though a cover of $10 for these shows is suggested.

MP3: $100 – “No Great Leap”
MP3: $100 – “Forest Of Tears”
MP3: $100 – “Nothing’s Alright”
MP3: The Luyas – “Cats In A Bag”
MP3: The Luyas – “Tantamount”
MP3: The Diableros – “Heavy Hands” (demo)

Liz Powell tells Chart that she’s now officially a member of Broken Social Scene, meaning she now gets the decoder ring and newsletter subscription. Her other gig – Land Of Talk – will be at the Horseshoe on January 15.

NPR profiles Bon Iver, whose Blood Bank EP is out January 20.

Clash profiles Andrew Bird, releasing Noble Beast on January 20 and playing the Queen Elizabeth Theater on April 3.

There’s a video for the title track from M Ward’s forthcoming Hold Time, out February 17.

Video: M Ward – “Hold Time”

Calexico are giving away a free MP3 over at Threadless.

PitchforkTV has a two-part video interview with Okkervil River.

Elvis Perkins In Dearland will release their second album – a self-titled affair – March 10. A handful of new songs are streaming at their website.

Frank YangI try not to be too “rah rah home team” when it comes to music – if it’s good, it’s good wherever it’s from – but sometimes I can’t help but feel so proud of the stuff that’s coming out of my own backyard. Case in point, Thursday night’s lineup at Lee’s Palace which, for my money, represented some of the very best new artists that Toronto/Ontario/Canada has to offer. The Acorn and Ohbijou alone made it a must-see, but the addition of The Rural Alberta Advantage as opener simply put it over the top. And I wasn’t the only one who thought so – the show was completely and utterly sold out.

I’d seen the RAA a number of times but never on a stage this large, and the environs seemed to be as foreign and novel to the band and it was to me. Any worries that they wouldn’t be able to adapt to the setting were immediately put to rest, however – the charm and appeal of their simple folk-rock songs came across loud and clear. It never fails to amaze me how the trio are able to do so, so much with so little. Behind the kit Paul Banwatt (celebrating his birthday) continued to demonstrate why he’s one of the very best drummers in the city, Amy Cole was indispensable on percussion, keys and backing vocals and of course Nils Edenloff, who pens the songs and delivers them in that plaintive, Mangum-esque bleat. It’s heartening to see that the band is finally finding the attention and success they deserve – I’ve long said that people simply need to hear them to love them, and I think it’s finally happening. The RAA play next on December 9 at Sneaky Dee’s.

Under normal circumstances, having the bar set so high by the openers might have me worried that the following acts would be a let down, but with Ohbijou I wasn’t worried. They’d proven time and time again that they would turn in a sublime performance and again, they did. Their sweetly lulling orchestral pop was a fine fit for the season, the ideal soundtrack for either hiding under the covers or pulling on the parka and boots for a gentle romp in the snow. Amidst songs from Swift Feet For Troubling Times were scattered a few new compositions which frontwoman Casey Mecija revealed would appear on their sophomore effort, entitled Beacon and targeted for a March release. They also brought out Rolf Klausener from The Acorn to help with “Darcy”, which Ohbijou covered on the split-12″ the two bands released to mark their joint tour. Though they weren’t closing things out, it was impossible not to feel the intensity of the hometown love for the band, every bit of it deserved.

So obviously, The Acorn had to bring their A-game to keep the night from ending on a lower note and for the first while, I wasn’t sure they were going to be able to do it. Not because they played poorly, far from it, but by opting to stick largely with the gentler textures of their breakthrough Glory Hope Mountain, the Ottawans kept the show’s dynamic on the slow burn when some jump was what was called for (as well as proving they remain the kings of the awkwardly endearing stage banter). As things progressed, however, it became clear that the band was working on the slow and steady build, and by the time tracks like “Blankets!” from the EP of the same name and Tin Fist‘s “Brokered Heart” made their appearances, it was obvious the show was reaching its apex. That peak came in the encore when Ohbijou joined the band onstage for an absolutely rollicking “Low Gravity” and finally as the show’s denouement, the Acorn’s half of the tour single, their cover of Ohbijou’s “Steep”… though with more members of Ohbijou onstage than The Acorn, I’m not sure that it could still be called a cover. But that’s semantics. It was stellar, and capped off a night that was every bit as good as it was expected to be and then some. Oh, Canada.

BlogTO talks to The Rural Alberta Advantage about their recent eMusic-powered profile boost. Ohbijou’s Casey Mecija discusses their new record with The Silhouette and Rolf Klausener discusses what’s next for The Acorn with NOW. And no less than Mercury-prize winners Elbow tell The Guardian that Glory Hope Mountain is one of their favourite albums of the year. Now that is props. Furthermore, IndieRockReview got both The Acorn and Ojbijou to record an acoustic session for them while they were on tour last month. Also note that The Acorn have a brand-new animated/live-action video for “The Flood, Pt 1”, linked below.

Photos: The Acorn, Ohbijou, The Rural Alberta Advantage @ Lee’s Palace – November 27, 2008
MP3: The Acorn – “Steep”
MP3: The Acorn – “The Flood, Pt 1”
MP3: The Acorn – “Crooked Legs”
MP3: The Acorn – “Blankets”
MP3: The Acorn – “Plates & Saucers”
MP3: The Acorn – “Darcy”
MP3: The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Don’t Haunt This Place”
MP3: The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Luciana”
MP3: The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Frank, AB”
MP3: The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Sleep All Day”
MP3: The Rural Alberta Advantage – “In The Summertime”
Video: The Acorn – “Crooked Legs”
Video: The Acorn – “The Flood, Pt 1”
Video: Ohbijou – “The Woods”
Stream: Ohbijou / Acorn split 12″
MySpace: The Acorn
MySpace: Ohbijou
MySpace: The Rural Alberta Advantage

CityNews has an interview with Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning. I was quite interested to see how this Toronto Sun review of the BSS show at the Sound Academy on Thursday night regarded it as a coming out party of sorts for Land Of Talk’s Elizabeth Powell. I’d like to hear how she sounds on the BSS stuff – are there any recordings from this last tour circulating? Chart reports that bassist Chris McCarron has officially left the band to be in The Dears, which means that when Land Of Talk play the Horseshoe on January 15, it’ll be with 2/3 of a different lineup from when I saw them last. Crazy.

Haligonian singer-songwriter Jenn Grant will be at the Rivoli for a three-night stand from December 11 to 13 opening up for Danny Michel. CBC Radio 3 also reports that her new album Echoes will be available on January 27.

The Whig Standard profiles Angela Desveaux.

The Montreal Gazette contemplates the career of Neil Young. Shakey plays the Air Canada Centre this Thursday and Friday nights.