Frank YangUnderstand that I am in no way, shape, or form complaining, but I was pretty surprised when it was announced that Bob Mould would be playing The Horseshoe this past Friday night. Not that one legendary artist doesn’t deserve a legendary venue, but considering that his profile arguably higher than its been in years thanks to a 2012 that included the 20th anniversary Sugar reissues and tour, the publication of his memoirs, and his best-received new album in some time with Silver Age, to say nothing of the fact that he hadn’t played Toronto in almost half a decade, I thought he’d have been booked into a larger room. At least something on the scale of Lee’s or The Mod Club, where he played the last two times through including the last time I saw him here at home in Fall 2005. But no, it was to be The Horseshoe and so unsurprisingly it was sold out and jammed and primed to go off.

Amidst the… older demographic that was gathered to see Mould celebrate his 30-plus year career, were a smattering of decidedly younger attendees who you could reasonably assume were here to see the opener. Minneapolis trio Now, Now – formerly Now, Now Every Children – have been through town a number of times, but usually attached to bills of a more pop-punk-emo persuasion. That’s why, despite having liked them for a few years, I’d only finally gotten to see them live at SXSW 2011 where I wouldn’t have to sit a half-dozen sets of tattoos and asymmetrical haircuts. Which is not to say that that’s not their natural scene – their thoughtful grunge-pop with downcast lyrics but delivered with big smiles is definitely of a genre – but thanks to Cacie Dalager’s terrifically emotive vocals and their sharp sense of melody, they’re also better than most of that genre and can definitely break to broader appeal. Their latest album Threads was both produced and released by Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, and his band’s path is one that, with a few lucky breaks and soundtrack placements, Now, Now could reasonably follow them down.

Local fans might have felt disappointed that last year’s Copper Blue tour, wherein Mould, bassist Jason Narducy, and drummer Jon Wurster played the whole of 1992’s seminal Sugar debut in its entirety, didn’t come to town – I was lucky enough to catch one of those shows at SXSW 2012 – but if anyone thought that meant he wouldn’t continue to lean heavily on one of his most-loved records… well they’d have been dead wrong. Mould could have exulted in the roaring response from the audience as he took the stage – it’d have been well-earned – but instead he and his band got straight to work, tearing through side A of Copper Blue in sequence with brutal efficiency. This accomplished two things – it got the audience further worked up into a sweaty lather and got those songs out of the way.

The next block of songs focused on Silver Age and confirmed that these compositions were, as many have pointed out, Mould’s most Sugar-like in years, their balance of melody and white noise existing quite comfortably alongside the older numbers. The new material also elicited more furious guitar soloing from Mould, perhaps him feeling these songs still had room to improvise whereas the Sugar songs were fixed for the ages. Silver Age properly serviced, Sugar material began creeping back into the set, first with a couple of unexpected songs from Beaster – I don’t know that I’ve ever heard any Beaster material live – and then “Your Favorite Thing” from the underrated File Under: Easy Listening.

Finally, inevitably, it was time to reach into the Hüsker Dü songbook for “I Apologize” and “Chartered Trips” before wrapping back in the 21st century with Silver Age standout “Keep Believing”. The first encore contained the only non-Silver Age selection from his solo repertoire – “Egoverride” from his 1996 eponymous effort – and one more Copper Blue selection in “If I Can’t Change Your Mind”, while the second encore deviated from their regular set by inviting local music scribe Sam Sutherland onstage to lead a quick and furious cover of The Viletones’ “Screaming Fist” before closing for good with another trifecta of Hüsker songs.

It was a pulverizing set start to finish – the 15 songs of the main set clocked in at under an hour – but with Mould’s glasses fogged and shirt soaked from the sweat and steam of the crowd and Narducy and Wurster somehow managing to match his energy joule for joule, there was no question they’d given their all. And it answered the question of why they played a smaller room than they probably could have – small space, huge pressure, massive explosion. Legendary.

NOW and Backstage Rider also have reviews of the show and The Sydney Morning Herald an interview. Mould is back in the region on August 3 as part of The Grove Festival in Niagara-On-The-Lake.

Photos: Bob Mould, Now, Now @ The Horseshoe – March 1, 2013
MP3: Bob Mould – “The Silence Between Us”
MP3: Now, Now – “Dead Oaks”
MP3: Now, Now – “Thread”
MP3: Now, Now – “School Friend”
MP3: Now, Now – “Neighbors”
MP3: Now, Now – “Roommates”
MP3: Now, Now Every Children – “Everyone You Know”
MP3: Now, Now Every Children – “Sleep Through Summer”
MP3: Now, Now Every Children – “Cars”
Video: Bob Mould – “Star Machine”
Video: Bob Mould – “The Descent”
Video: Bob Mould – “Egoverride”
Video: Bob Mould – “Slay/Sway”
Video: Bob Mould – “It’s Too Late”
Video: Sugar – “Gee Angel”
Video: Sugar – “Believe What You’re Saying”
Video: Sugar – “Tilted”
Video: Sugar – “Helpless”
Video: Sugar – “Changes”
Video: Sugar – “If I Can’t Change Your Mind”
Video: Hüsker Dü – “Could You Be The One”
Video: Hüsker Dü – “Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely”
Video: Hüsker Dü – “Makes No Sense At All”
Video: Hüsker Dü – “Love Is All Around”
Video: Now, Now – “Dead Oaks”
Video: Now, Now – “Thread”
Video: Now, Now Every Children – “Friends With My Sister”

Caitlin Rose has marked the release this week of her new record The Stand-In with a new video, premiered over at Billboard. She plays The Garrison on April 5.

Video: Caitlin Rose – “Only A Clown”

Brooklyn’s The Men are the topic of conversations at Consequence Of Sound, The Village Voice, Spin, and Interview what with their new record New Moon coming out this week.

The new Son Volt album Honky Tonk, out this week, is available to stream in whole over at American Songwriter. Blurt, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, and The Riverfront Times have feature pieces on the band.

Stream: Son Volt / Honky Tonk

Ra Ra Riot have premiered a new video from their latest Beta Love. They play Lee’s Palace tonight – March 6 – and are back on June 8 as part of the Field Trip fest at Fort York.

Video: Ra Ra Riot – “Dance With Me”

Drowned In Sound talks to Alan Sparkhawk of Low. They play The Great Hall on March 16 and The Invisible Way is out March 19.

The Dumbing Of America has an interview with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, who are prepping for the March 19 release of their new album Specter Af The Feast by giving away an EP for the first single from their website. They play The Kool Haus on May 9.

Also at Dumbing Of America – an interview with Local Natives, who’re at The Phoenix on March 28.

The Black Angels are streaming a new song off their forthcoming Indigo Meadow, out April 2, with some supporting words at Rolling Stone. The new album brings them to The Danforth Music Hall on April 13.

Stream: The Black Angels – “Evil Things”

Even though The Flaming Lips have a new record in The Terror coming out April 2, Pitchfork wants to talk about their old albums, offering up a video oral history of The Soft Bulletin.

Steve Earle has released the first video from his forthcoming album The Low Highway, due out April 16.

Video: Steve Earle – “Invisible”

CBC Music talks to The Thermals, whose have a bunch of reissues out this week and a new record in Desperate Ground out April 16.

Billboard and Rolling Stone have features on Yeah Yeah Yeahs and their new record Mosquito, which comes out April 16.

Exclaim and Men’s Journal has questions for Jim James. He is at The Phoenix on April 24.

Saturday Looks Good To Me have announced details of their comeback album One Kiss Ends It All, out May 21, and made the first song from it available to stream.

Stream: Saturday Looks Good To Me – “Invisible Friend”

Consequence Of Sound has details on the 25th anniversary reissue of R.E.M.’s Green, which will come with the requisite remastering and second disc of period-correct live show. It’s out May 14.

Entertainment Weekly reports The Hold Steady will contribute a new song to the soundtrack of the upcoming season of Game Of Thrones. The show premieres March 31 and they play the Toronto Urban Roots Fest at Fort York on July 4.

NPR has a video session with Yo La Tengo, back in town at the Toronto Urban Roots Fest on July 7.

Spinner interviews Ted Leo on the occasion of Hearts Of Oak‘s tenth anniversary.

Frank YangIt seems ages ago, but early 2002 was still an era where the magazine was still a vital medium for music reviews and general discovery; I still clearly recall a live writeup in issue 49 of The Big Takeover wherein editor Jack Rabid gave Ken Stringfellow a glowing review for a show at New York’s Mercury Lounge on September 20, 2001, and how it served as a powerful musical anodyne for those in need of some healing just a week after the World Trade Center attacks. It was just a few paragraphs long but still stuck with me a good long time, and also led me to pick up Stringfellow’s second solo record Touched – an album that, had I been in the habit of publishing year-end lists at the time, almost certainly would have secured a spot.

Since then, I’d been waiting for a chance to experience the live show that had been described so vividly, but while Stringfellow has been through town a number of times over the past decade – either with R.E.M., The Posies, or The Disciplines – he never toured here behind either Touched or 2004’s Soft Commands. It was only with last year’s Danzig In The Moonlight did he plot out a comprehensive enough North American tour to make it to Toronto for his first ever solo show in the city, stopping in at The Drake Underground this past Tuesday evening.

The long wait didn’t translate into a lot of pent-up demand, unfortunately, with only a few dozen people making it out on a cold and snowy night to see a man with arguably one the most impressive indie-rock resumes of the past quarter-century. The small turnout turned out to be something of a benefit, however, as Stringfellow took advantage of the intimacy to create a genuine rapport with the audience and craft a truly memorable show. Had it been a fuller show, he might not have opened with anecdotes instead of songs, starting off by entertainingly describing his morning in Montreal and his weather-delayed trip down the 401, but turning more personal in mentioning that his son had just that morning been released from prison; indeed, as friendly and genial as Stringfellow was, he was clearly having a rare and intense day and was going to be working through some stuff with song.

He opened the musical portion of the show by stepping off the stage and playing un-miked in the round, his loud and clear tenor filling the room unaided, before eventually setting down the guitar and getting back on stage behind the keyboard, though still eschewing vocal amplification. He wasn’t above asking for a little company, though, moving some benches from the floor up onto the stage and inviting audience members to flank him whilst he performed. And oh yes, the performance.

While I’m sure many would have liked to have had a Posies song or two in the mix, the set was surprisingly satisfying for sticking to his solo material and Danzig in particular – as richly-produced and arranged as that album is, it was still somehow done justice by just Stringfellow alone (although he did locally-source a duet partner for “Doesn’t It Remind You Of Something”. “Superwise” was riveting, “Shittalkers!” searing, and an audience request for “History Buffs” fulfilled in jaw-droppingly gorgeous fashion. While the word usually connotes violence and/or screaming, Stringfellow was instead experiencing a catharsis through melody – culminating with Touched‘s “Lover’s Hymn”, and it was truly something to behold. A show I’d waited nigh on ten years for, and still worth it.

Daytrotter has posted a session with Stringfellow and American Songwriter has the new record available to stream.

Photos: Ken Stringfellow @ The Drake Underground – February 19, 2013
MP3: Ken Stringfellow – “Doesn’t It Remind You Of Something”
Video: Ken Stringfellow – “Doesn’t It Remind You Of Something”
Video: Ken Stringfellow – “Superwise”
Stream: Ken Stringfellow / Danzig In The Moonlight

NOW gears up for tomorrow night’s Solange show at the Danforth Music Hall by putting Ms Knowles on this week’s cover.

Chelsea Light Moving – aka Thurston Moore’s new band – is streaming their self-titled debut at NPR ahead of its March 5 release. They play Lee’s Palace on March 31.

MP3: Chelsea Light Moving – “Burroughs”
MP3: Chelsea Light Moving – “Frank O’Hara Hit”
MP3: Chelsea Light Moving – “Empire Of Time”
MP3: Chelsea Light Moving – “Groovy & Linda”
Stream: Chelsea Light Moving / Chelsea Light Moving

Nashville’s Caitlin Rose is streaming her new record The Stand-In at The Independent ahead of its March 5 release date. The Telegraph also has an interview with the country singer-songwriter, who plays The Garrison on April 5.

Stream: Caitlin Rose / The Stand-In

Entertainment Weekly have premiered another new song from New Moon, the new record from The Men. It’s out March 5.

Stream: The Men – “I Saw Her Face”

Pitchfork solicits a video session from Local Natives. They play The Phoenix on March 28.

Spin has a stream of the first sample from the forthcoming Rilo Kiley rarities compilation RKives, targeted for an April 2 release.

Stream: Rilo Kiley – “Let Me Back In”

How To Destroy Angels – aka Trent Reznor’s new post-Nine Inch Nails project – will release their debut Welcome Oblivion on March 5, but are streaming it right now at Pitchfork and have announced their Spring tour itinerary; the venue is still TBA but they’ll be in Toronto on April 25. Update: Spin says Sound Academy.

Stream: How To Destroy Angels / Welcome Oblivion

Exclaim has details on what’s next from John Vanderslice – a Kickstarter-ed new album called Dagger Beach which should be out this Summer, and a complete album cover of Bowie’s Diamond Dogs for those who help fund it.

Backstage Rider finds out what Dean & Britta have been up to, and that’s solo records. Dean has two coming out, one produced by Jim James of My Morning Jacket and the other by Jason Quever of Papercuts, and Britta has one of her own in the works. So there’s no Dean & Britta on the horizon, but lots of Dean and Britta.

NYC Taper is sharing a recording of Retribution Gospel Choir’s Nels Cline-assisted show in New York last week.

Spinner and The Quietus get James McNew of Yo La Tengo on the horn to talk about their latest, Fade.

State engages in some straight talk with Mark Eitzel.

The 405 talks to Paul Banks.

Justin JayThe Strokes has got themselves a nice little racket going. Most bands who’ve been at it for over a decade would be critically if not commercially pilloried for not changing up their style, but The Strokes get drubbed when they do. Luckily for them, they’re very good at doing what they do and they’re smart enough to know their business model as a band relies on actually doing just that while releasing a new album (or solo record that doesn’t fall too far from the tree) and some fitful, big paycheque touring.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t like to have a little fun with their fans, who are curiously anxious for such a consistent and predictable band. Case in point, the lead-up to their fifth album Comedown Machine. Considering they let five years elapse between their previous two albums, it’s a bit of a surprise that they’d have a follow-up to 2011’s Angles together so quickly. More surprising was their choice for a first preview, though, the synth- and falsetto-powered, to say nothing of a-ha-cribbing, “One Way Trigger”, which impressed some with its un-Strokes-iness but terrified other for the same reason.

The latter camp are probably feeling a lot more settled now, however, with yesterday’s release of a second preview of and first official single from the new record. “All The Time” is almost unremarkable in its boilerplate Strokes qualities, all insouciant vocals, precisely downstroked guitars, and unmistakable air of leather and denim, but while it’s not a song that’ll feature on any career-summing compilations, to those whose faith was shaken it probably sounded like hearing “The Modern Age” for the first time. Cue excitement, declarations that The Strokes are back and better than ever, etc, etc. Somewhere in New York, The Strokes are high-fiving each other or, at least, smirking.

Comedown Machine is set for a March 26 release.

MP3: The Strokes – “One Way Trigger”
Stream: The Strokes – “All The Time”

NOW and The Waterloo Record have interviews with Ken Stringfellow, who has released a new video from Danzig In The Moonlight, with Margaret Cho filling in for The Head & The Heart’s Charity Rose Thielen, who duets on the album. Stringfellow is at The Drake Underground on February 19; it’s unlikely either Cho or Thielen will join him.

Video: Ken Stringfellow – “Doesn’t It Remind You Of Something”

Black Cab Sessions takes Solange and Dev Hynes for a ride in exchange for a song. They drop her off (figuratively) at the Danforth Music Hall on February 22.

Stereogum talks to Alan Sparhawk of Low, whose new album The Invisible Way is out March 19. They play The Great Hall on March 16.

Pitchfork and aux.tv have interviews with Local Natives, who’ve just released a new video from Hummingbird. They play The Phoenix on March 28.

Video: Local Natives – “Heavy Feet”

New Orleans pop duo Generationals have put together an extensive tour behind their new record Haze, in stores April 2. They play The Garrison on May 2.

MP3: Generationals – “Greenleaf”

The Postal Service are streaming one of the unreleased tracks that will make the 10th anniversary edition of Give Up a must-buy for many when it comes out April 9.

Stream: The Postal Service – “A Tattered Piece Of String”

Spin has a chat with Hutch Harris about the first track from the new Thermals record Desperate Ground, out April 16. Watch the lyric video or trade your email for a download.

Lyric Video: The Thermals – “Born To Kill”

The Line Of Best Fit, Salon, and Spin talk to Jim James, who has a new video from Regions Of Light And Sound Of God to share. He’s at The Phoenix on April 24.

Video: Jim James – “A New Life”

New York singer-songwriter Jamie Seerman – aka Jaymay – pretty much fell off my radar completely following the release of her debut album Autumn Fallin’ some five years ago. And a pity, too, as her lyrically dense, emotionally overcast, yet melodically light folk-pop really caught my ear at the time. But to my surprise, she’s not only still active – she’s released a series of EPs since that first full-length – but she’s touring. She’ll be at The Drake Underground on April 28, tickets $10.50. And I just revisited Autumn Fallin’ – holds up quite nicely.

MP3: Jaymay – “Blue Skies”

If you thought rock artists assuming new identities for their synth-pop endeavours was a strictly Toronto phenomenon… you’re wrong. Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak will answer to Dungeonesse when discussing her solo debut of the same name when it comes out May 14. Exclaim has details, and you can stream one new song and watch a video for another.

Stream: Dungeonesse – “Shucks”
Video: Dungeonesse – “Drive You Crazy”

NPR has a video session with Wild Nothing, who’ve put out a new video from Nocturne.

Video: Wild Nothing – “Only Heather”

NOW talked to Yo La Tengo ahead of last weekend’s show at The Phoenix, from which Mechanical Forest Sound is sharing some recordings. NPR also welcomed the band for a World Cafe session and NorthJersey.com had a chat.

Those catching Mark Eitzel on tour in Europe this Winter may notice an album of new material entitled Glory for sale at the merch table. It won’t be made available in stores but remaining copies will be available online starting in April.

The 405 talks to Dinosaur Jr.

Vogue welcomes Widowspeak for a Valentine-themed video session.

Cecil MathieuThere are few musicians out there with a more impressive alt.rock resume than Ken Stringfellow. Starting out as co-frontman of the criminally under-appreciated Bellingham power-pop outfit The Posies, he was part of the final incarnation of the legendary Big Star, he was an unofficial member of R.E.M. both on stage and in the studio for a number of years in the post-Berry era, is part of the massive rotating cast of The Minus 5, he fronts a Norwegian garage rock band called The Disciplines, and oh yeah when he’s not doing all of that, he puts out gorgeous solo records.

Danzig In The Moonlight, out last Fall, is the latest of which and the first since 2004’s Soft Commands. And while that record was commendable for its stylistic ranginess, it lacked the coherence of the gorgeous, country-tinged Touched, which when all is said and done with Stringfellow’s impressive career may well stand as his masterpiece. Danzig does not even attempt to recapture that degree of aesthetic focus, but its forays into jangle-rock, prog, country, and R&B – to name but a few of the flavours that surface – don’t so much strive for authenticity than a reasonably convincing, “in the style of”. This allows Stringfellow’s sweet tenor and melodic gifts to tie it all together, which combined with the rich arrangements let Danzig sometimes feel more like the score to some ambitious musical production than a conventional album. In less deft hands, juggling this many ideas may have resulted in a grandly ambitious failure, but Stringfellow not only knows what he’s doing, he makes it look easy.

MyNorthwest.com and The Santa Barbara Independent have interviews with Stringfellow, who makes a rare Toronto appearance at The Drake Underground on February 19. Tickets are $15 in advance but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away to the show. To enter, email me at contests@chromewaves.net with “I want to see Ken Stringfellow” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that to me by midnight, February 14.

MP3: Ken Stringfellow – “Doesn’t It Remind You Of Something”
Video: Ken Stringfellow – “Superwise”

Because the ’90s are back and you know you love it, The Breeders have expanded their reunion tour in support of the 20th anniversary of Last Splash and will be playing the whole of the album at the Danforth Music Hall on May 11, tickets $22.50 for balconies and $25 for floors.

Video: The Breeders – “Divine Hammer”

Bon Appetit has an interview with Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan, which is fitting considering the culinary theme of the new video from Fade. They’re at The Phoenix this Saturday, February 9.

Video: Yo La Tengo – “I’ll Be Around”

Ra Ra Riot have released a video for the title track of Beta Love and Jambands has an interview with violinist Rebecca Zeller. They’re at Lee’s Palace on March 6 and are back again for the Arts & Crafts Field Trip fest at Fort York on June 8.

Video: Ra Ra Riot – “Beta Love”

The Strokes have confirmed a March 26 release date for their fifth album, Comedown Machine. Advance word is that despite everyone complaining it sounds nothing like The Strokes, it will indeed sound like The Strokes.

DIY and Interview talk to Thao Nguyen, who leads The Get Down Stay Down into Lee’s Palace on March 27.

Rilo Kiley have come clean on their forthcoming rarities compilation, cleverly entitled RKives and due out on April 2. Further information on that release can be found at TwentyFourBit.

Pitchfork talks to Steve Drozdt about The Flaming Lips’ forthcoming full-length The Terror – out April 2 – while Exclaim uncovers evidence that the real terror may be the fact that the band are endeavouring to record their own version of The Stone Roses’ first album, which it goes without saying would be a TERRIBLE IDEA.

Steve Earle has announced a new album entitled The Low Highway for release on April 16, and it’ll be the first one since 1990’s The Hard Way to be credited to him and The Dukes, though this one also credits The Duchesses, albeit in parentheses. All of which is to say this ain’t no solo record.

Pitchfork has details on the new record from Iron & Wine, entitled Ghost On Ghost and out April 16. You can stream a new song from it below.

Stream: Iron & Wine – “Lovers Revolution”

The Thermals have also settled on April 16 as the release date for their first record for Saddle Creek, Desperate Ground. Pitchfork has specifics.

Consequence Of Sound, Pitchfork, The Fader, and The Quietus all talk to Jim James about going solo. He’s in town at The Phoenix on April 24.

Spinner talks about hair with Widowspeak, who’ve made another track from their latest Almanac available to download.

MP3: Widowspeak – “Sore Eyes”

Beach House have released their long-promised short film Forever Still, featuring a number of live performances of tracks off Bloom.

Video: Beach House: Forever Still

Trespassers William have released a video from one of the songs off their farewell rarities compilation, Cast.

Video: Trespassers William – “Believe Me”

Interview talks to School Of Seven Bells.

The Alternate Side has posted a video session with Wild Nothing.

Le Blogotheque has posted a Take-Away Show with Titus Andronicus, and PopMatters an interview.

Paul ScalaReplicating success found overseas in North America has never been a sure thing, but for British electro-soul songstress Jessie Ware, it certainly seems more a case of “when” than “if”. The acclaim at home for her debut Devotion couldn’t help but get the buzz started in 2012 – I adored it enough to include it as one of my favourites of the year – but it’s only in 2013 that the campaign to conquer, or at the very least befriend, America has begun.

A short string of dates in January – which included a visit to Jimmy Fallon for a performance backed by The Roots – acted as a warm-up, with the markets left out expecting that a more thorough tour would accompany the April 2 domestic release date. And that tour has been announced, but it again is quite compact, getting her from the east coast to Coachella just in six stops. Happily though, Toronto is one of those stops – we will host Ms. Ware at The Opera House on April 6 unless it gets moved to a bigger room, and I don’t think anyone would be surprised if it did.

Tickets are $20 and go on sale this Friday at 10AM, but courtesy of LiveNation, I’ve got one pair of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests@chromewaves.net with “I want to see Jessie Ware” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that to me by midnight, February 7 – the winner will be notified before the on-sale happens so you can sit back and watch everyone else scramble for tickets. I mean that metaphorically, of course, because you can’t actually see people on their computers trying to buy tickets unless you’re a world-class creeper and world-class creepers are ineligible for the contest. House league creepers are welcome.

Vice has a typically Vice-y interview with Jessie Ware.

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

A bunch more concert announcements from yesterday, big and small – London (Ontario) folk-pop outit Olenka & The Autumn Lovers – themselves no strangers to my year-end list – will be welcoming lovers of all shapes, sizes, and seasons to Lee’s Palace on February 14; admission $10 at the door with couples getting in 2-for-1.

MP3: Olenka & The Autumn Lovers – “Odessa”

Last year’s Garbage reunion continues with a show at The Sound Academy on March 28, tickets $35. And if you were wondering, I can attest that they put on a great show and aren’t shy about trotting out the hits.

Video: Garbage – “Vow”

eMusic and Interview have features on Local Natives, whose sold-out March 28 show at the Opera House has been moved to The Phoenix and is thus no longer sold out, but probably will be again before too long. So get on that if you missed out – $21.50 in advance. And if you don’t want to wait, there’s a complete live performance streaming in HD for a limited time only – like the rest of today.

MP3: Local Natives – “Heavy Feet”
Video: Local Natives, Live From Brooklyn

Mysterious but aesthetically-pleasing LA-based soul-pop duo Rhye have put together a North American tour in support of their debut Woman, and will be in town at The Great Hall on April 13, tickets $15 in advance.

Video: Rhye – “Open”
Video: Rhye – “The Fall”

Up-and-coming Seattle-based indie rockers Pickwick will have their full-length debut Can’t Talk Medicine available for sale on March 12 and will be on the road all over the place in support, including The Horseshoe on April 21 – tickets $12.50 in advance.

Stream: Pickwick – “Lady Luck” (with Sharon Van Etten)

Californian garage-rocking sister act Bleached will be at The Silver Dollar on April 25 in support of their new record Ride Your Heart, out April 2. Exclaim has album details and tour dates, and you can stream the first single from it below.

Stream: Bleached – “Next Stop”

Though they didn’t win over quite everyone on their debut North American tour, British buzz band Palma Violets are leveraging the February 25 release of their debut 180 and a Coachella appearance for some more dates on this side of the pond, including a May 3 date at Lee’s Palace. Tickets for that are $15.50 in advance.

Video: Palma Violets – “Best Of Friends”

Unfortunate news as Vampire Weekend confirmed their continued existence yesterday by announcing the May 7 release of their third album – Modern Vampires Of The City – and subsequent tour dates, including a May 16 date at The Sony Centre. Tickets for that range from $33.50 to $44.50.

MP3: Vampire Weekend – “Horchata”

Toronto’s own METZ have announced an absurdly extensive world tour in support of their self-titled debut and have managed to squeeze in a hometown show at Lee’s Palace for May 17, tickets $15. Maybe this is why they took so long to release their album – because they knew when they did, they’d never, ever sleep in their own beds again.

MP3: METZ – “Wet Blanket”