Belle & Sebastian announce North American tour, return to Massey Hall

Reuben CoxI’d have gone to see them at the Sound Academy, where they last played in February 2006, even though they swore never to return there. I’d have gone to see them again at the Kool Haus, where they made their first Toronto appearance in May 2002, finally making good on their cancelled debut at the Opera House way back in 1998. I’d have even gone to see them at an Arrow Hall filled with angry hornets. But Belle & Sebastian are finally returning to play the only room in the city where they belong – Massey Hall, site of their glorious beyond words show in October 2003.

Yes, the North American tour hinted at just last week has been announced, and it contains an October 12 date at the Grand Old Lady of Shuter Street, and noting the day off between that show and Washington DC and the fact that they sold out the larger Docks in a heartbeat last time, perhaps a two-fer could be in the offing? Plausible, but let’s not get greedy – most markets on the continent aren’t even getting one show, though considering their last news update implied these shows were being squeezed in between other commitments, you have to think that a proper tour in support of their new record is still to come.

Said record, their first since 2006’s The Life Pursuit is still in the mixing stages, and is without title or release date but Fall of this year – say September-ish – seems reasonable. Either way, speculation will become fact soon enough but all that really matters right now is Belle & Sebastian are coming to town and another sunny day just got a little brighter.

MP3: Belle & Sebastian – “Funny Little Frog”
MP3: Belle & Sebastian – “Another Sunny Day”
MP3: Belle & Sebastian – “Take Your Carriage Clock And Shove It”
MP3: Belle & Sebastian – “Storytelling”

eMusic and The Edinburgh Evening News talks to Norman Blake and California Chronicle to Raymond McGinley of Teenage Fanclub about their new album Shadows, which is out next week. It’s kind of impossible to look at the fact that the Fannies are supposed to tour North America this Fall and are already teaming up with Belle & Sebastian for at least one show in Brooklyn and not hope that they’ll be supporting the Massey show. Such a bill would surely make more than one pop afficianado’s heart melt and head explode…

And because it apparently remains impossible for Isobel Campbell to fully escape the shadow of her former bandmates, it was announced today in the NME that a third album with Mark Langean, entitled Hawk, would be coming out on August 16.

Modern English, whom you may remember from the song below or perhaps the Burger King commercial that utilized said song, are back – or maybe they never went away but were just very quiet for a while – and will be at Lee’s Palace on July 15.

Video: Modern English – “I Melt With You”

Sleigh Bells – whose just-released, sugar-high/sugar-headache inducing debut Treats looks like it’s going to be one of the jams of the Summer, has set a date at the Phoenix on July 20 with Die Antwood as support. ABC News has a feature on the band.

Dirty Projectors are hitting the road this Fall and their itinerary includes a date at the Opera House on September 15.

MP3: Dirty Projectors – “Stillness Is The Move”

Elle is offering a download of She & Him covering Rick Nelson for Levi’s Pioneer Sessions while The Bay Area Tribune talks to Matt Ward. They’re at the Sound academy next Wednesday night, June 9.

MP3: She & Him – “Fools Rush In”

Anyone wondering what it’s going to sound like when Thao and Mirah team up on tour as Thao and Mirah With The Most of All starting next week should check out this video session at Yours Truly, where the pair tackle one of Thao’s new songs. The tour hits the Horseshoe on June 26; These United States will support.

MP3: These United States – “I Want You To Keep Everything”

The AV Club interviews James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem.

Spoon’s Britt Daniel hijacks the Matablog to big up Ted Leo and make their new single “Bottled In Cork” available as a download, complete with demo version. Spoon is at the Molson Amphitheatre on July 7, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists are at Lee’s Palace on June 26.

ZIP: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists / Bottled In Cork

Jonsi talks to MusicOmh and gives The Guardian a list of the music he grew up with, including Sloan’s Smeared.