John ClarkStephen Malkmus can rightfully lay claim to “legend” status thanks to his works both fronting Pavement and his prolific solo career, but on a tour stop at First Avenue in Minneapolis in April 2003, circa his Pig Lib album, he honoured some of his college rock forebears – The Replacements – in their hometown with a spirited cover of the leadoff track from their greatest album Let It Be. Not the tidiest rendition, but the Mats were never about tidiness now, were they?

Stephen Malkmus’ new album with The Jicks – Mirror Traffic – is out this Tuesday, August 23, and they play The Phoenix on September 21. After a minor flurry of activity in the form of digital releases in 2008 and 2009, Paul Westerberg has been quiet, creatively. Mats bassist Tommy Stinson more than picks up the slack, however, being bassist of record in both Guns’N’Roses and Soul Asylum and will be releasing his second solo record in One Man Mutiny on August 30. Rolling Stone talks to Stinson about the album and has an MP3 from it available to download. Philly.com also has a chat and Deleware.com floats the inevitable reunion question.

And PS I’m just on vacation – regular posting will be back tomorrow or Tuesday, latest.

MP3: Stephen Malkmus – “I Will Dare”
Stream: The Replacements – “I Will Dare”

Frank YangSo I’ve been posting a cover a week for about seven years now, and that’s kind of neat and all, but I bow down before Mr. Bill Janovitz, erstwhile frontman of Buffalo Tom, who’s been engaged in a much more impressive weekly cover series at his blog “Part Time Man Of Rock” over the past year, where he’s been recording and posting a reinterpretation every week since last November.

Over the course of the past year and a bit, Janovitz has tackled The Replacements, Neil Young, The Clash, Radiohead and so many more, including the latest installment – a tribute recorded Christmas Day to Vic Chesnutt, who passed away earlier that day. All have been accompanied by thoughtful writeups, interpretive explanations, social commentary, biographical bits – the couple of weeks around the start of November wherein he dealt with the sudden death of a relative are particularly affecting – and oh yeah, great tunes.

There’s so much worthy stuff available on his site, both to read and to hear, that I think I could spend all of next year just reposting whatever he puts up and feel perfectly comfortable that the quality of what’s being shared hasn’t gone down a bit (and probably even up). I won’t, but here to close out 2009 is a (large) selection of stuff I’ve loved from Bill’s blog and note that you can quickly check out all the others. Share and enjoy.

MP3: Bill Janovitz – “Little Mascara” (Replacements cover)
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “The Campaigner” (Neil Young cover)
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “Straight To Hell” (The Clash cover)
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “No Surprises” (Radiohead cover)
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “Rocket Man” (Elton John cover)
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “Man Out Of Time” (Elvis Costello cover)
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “Wendell Gee” (R.E.M. cover)
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “American Girl” (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers cover)
MP3: Bill Janovitz – “Florida” (Vic Chesnutt cover)

LastFMYou must understand how it pains me to say this, but at long last two of the artists whom I’ve been waiting to come to Toronto for most of this year – Norwegian firebrand Ida Maria and New Zealand ’80s acolyte Ladyhawke – have finally set a date… and I have Perez Hilton to thank. The two are the marquee acts of the first Perez Hilton Presents tour and as much as I hate to think he and I have anything in common besides rudimentary MS Paint skills, in this case, we’ve got some of the same taste in music.

Both Maria’s Fortress ‘Round My Heart and Ladyhawke’s self-titled debut are irresistibly catchy, the former by means of giddy, boozy energy and the latter with big, retro synth-pop hooks. I should have seen both at SxSW back in March but visa issues kept Ida Maria from making any of her scheduled appearances (save Hilton’s party) and while Ladyhawke’s set wasn’t the most dynamic show, just hearing those songs live was plenty to get excited about.

So despite the name that will surely be posted in big, neon letters above the marquee (figuratively speaking), I will trek out to the Opera House on September 17 to see Ida Maria and Ladyhawke along with Frankmusik, another act apparently with the PH seal of approval, and hope that wonderfully sugary pop wipes out the bad taste of the tour sponsor. Whether you’re able to do the same is between you and your conscience. Full dates at The Music Slut.

MP3: Ladyhawke – “My Delirium”
Video: Ida Maria – “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”
Video: Ida Maria – “Oh My God”
Video: Ida Maria – “Stella”
Video: Ladyhawke – “Paris Is Burning”
Video: Ladyhawke – “My Delirium”
Video: Ladyhawke – “Dusk Till Dawn”
Video: Ladyhawke – “Back Of The Van”

The Verve reunion that went so triumphantly last year? Exclaim and The Guardian report that it’s – wait for it – history.

BBC talks to Mani Mounfield of The Stone Roses on the occasion of the band’s 20th anniversary, which will include a multitude of reissues of their debut album at all price points as of today. The Guardian, meanwhile, has gotten some video footage of the band in the studio recording “Fool’s Gold”.

QRO talks to Aleks Campesinos! of Los Campesinos! about her impending departure from the band and subsequent reclamation of her surname.

NME has some info on Sigh No More, the debut album from Mumford & Sons, finally ready for an October 5 release in the UK.

The Boston Globe talks to Bat For Lashes’ Natasha Khan.

The Telegraph is the latest media outlet to catch onto the ’80s revival trend in pop music, talking to La Roux’s Elly Jackson about the movement.

Also mentioned in that piece is Little Boots, with whom The Telegraph has a separate feature interview. She’s at Wrongbar on September 14.

The Quietus talks to The Big Pink. There’s a new video from A Brief History Of Love, out September 22, and they’ll be at Lee’s Palace on November 29.

Video: The Big Pink – “Dominos”

Ambient/post-rock outfit Sian Alice Group have a date at the Drake Underground on October 16 as part of a massive Fall tour in support of their new album Troubled, Shaken, Etc..

Video: Sian Alice Group – “Close To The Ground”

Shonen Knife will be at the Horseshoe on October 18, tickets $15.50. Their new album Super Group is out August 25.

MP3: Shonen Knife – “Super Group”
Video: Shonen Knife – “Super Group”

Stereogum has premiered the next video from Yo La Tengo’s Popular Songs, out September 8. They’re at the Opera House on October 3.

Video: Yo La Tengo – “Avalon Or Someone Very Similar”

Sweet Oblivion has an interview with School Of Seven Bells, who have a date at Lee’s Palace on October 15.

Paste gets to know Chairlift.

Bradley’s Almanac is sharing MP3s of a Telekinesis show in Cambridge, MA from earlier this year.

Decider talks to Kim Deal of The Breeders and Pixies, the former of whom are at Lee’s Palace this Saturday and the latter at V Fest on August 29.

I didn’t realize that Magnet was slowly putting their back issue feature content online. This is fantastic news, as they’ve had some terrific stories over the years including this one about the Minneapolis scene of the ’80s, focusing on The Replacements and Husker Du. As I recall, the interviews with the three members of Husker Du were particularly fascinating reading. I’ll be looking through my back issues of Magnet to see what other goodies might have found their way online.

And while looking back to the past, a request from a friend – back on November 20, 1999, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros played a ridiculously good show at the Warehouse in Toronto at which he and I were in attendance. Apparently this show was webcast with state-of-the-art 1999 webcasting technology, possibly also broadcast via radio, and apparently bootlegs exist. My question to any and all out there reading – do you have a copy of this, and if so, can you share? Please and thank you? Thanks.

Autumn de WildeAsk yourself, “what is the smoothest record I’ve heard this year?” Now if the answer is anything except The Bird & The Bee’s new record Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future, then you simply haven’t heard Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future. The sophomore effort from the duo of Inara George and Greg Kurstin is effortlessly stylish and slick, in the very best sense of the word, blending lounge, jazz, tropicalia and, most importantly, Bacharachian pop into a blend that’s unabashedly retro in spirit but still very contemporary. After all – true cool doesn’t go out of fashion.

The Bird – that’d be George – has the sort of gorgeous coo that was made to go with berets and huge sunglasses but most importantly, perfectly suited to the sort of divine melodies that you’ll find in tracks such as “My Love” and “Birthday”. The Bee – Kurstin, of course – surrounds that voice with the perfect musical shimmer and shine and vintage beats of the sort you might have gotten had modern computers existed in the ’60s. And together, they create the sort of tunes that’d perfectly soundtrack the act of driving a convertible down from the Hollywood Hills and straight into a downtown penthouse lounge. Don’t question the physics of such an act – if you’re cool enough, it’s no problem. Sure, it’s all decidedly saccharine and breezy, but when you look and sound this good, who needs depth? Just sit back and go with it.

Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future is the sort of record that, by rights, should probably only ever be played on a proper vintage turntable, and so to that end, courtesy of Toolshed Marketing, I’ve got two copies of Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future to give away in lovely double-LP form. If you’d like one of them, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to hear about The Bird & The Bee” in the subject line and your full mailing address in the body. The contest open to residents of North America and will close at midnight, March 6.

Culture Bully and The Seattle Times have interviews with The Bird & The Bee.

Video: The Bird & The Bee – “Love Letter To Japan”
Video: The Bird & The Bee – “Polite Dance Song”
MySpace: The Bird & The Bee

The Walker Art Center and Artinfo.com ask some questions of Dean & Britta in advance of their performances with screenings of Warhol’s 13 Most Beautiful…Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests. The DVD of the film will be out March 24.

Pitchfork talks to Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio. They play the Sound Academy on June 2.

Brendan Canning discusses revenue streams with Blurt.

Filter has a feature on Andrew Bird. He plays the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 3.

Exclaim talks to M Ward.

PitchforkTV has a video session with Alela Diane.

The release date for the new album from Wilco has narrowed from “Spring” to “June”.

Zach Condon talks to The AV Club about bringing Beirut to Mexico for the recording of March Of The Zapotec.

eye talks to Asobi Seksu about their decision to tone it down and go it as a duo on Hush. They play the El Mocambo next Tuesday, March 3. Bell supports.

Pitchfork gets a list of their favourite things from The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

PitchforkTV goes into the studio with Dinosaur Jr, who have just signed with Jagjaguwar and will release their new album this Summer.

The Daily Swarm talks to Bob Mould about his forthcoming autobiography and new album The Life & Times, due out April 7.

Tommy Stinson tells Billboard that the recent round of reissues may well close the book for good on The Replacements – a reunion does not appear to be in the cards. Magnet, in the meantime, lists of the Mats’ top five overrated and underrated songs.

NPR has a session and interview with Robyn Hitchcock. He’s at the Mod Club on April 16 with the Venus 3.

Frank YangI’m going to have to stop using my line about any British band being able to fill a venue in notoriously Anglophilic Toronto… this past Wednesday night at the El Mocambo, The Rumble Strips were not only able to draw just a couple dozen people, they couldn’t even get their support act to show up.

Okay, in the case of tourmates Birdmonster, it was less the Rumble Strips’ fault than the border guards who wouldn’t let the San Francisco outfit into the country (I think this is at least the second time they’ve been turned away – a topic they address in a MySpace blog in a manner that pretty much guarantees they’ll never be let in…) but otherwise, I was perplexed as to why the low turnout. Sure, they’re not exactly NME darlings, but the horn-driven soul-pop of their debut Girls & Weather (reviewed here) is eminently likeable and it was hardly an expensive ticket. Was it the cold? Got news for you, Toronto, it’s only going to get worse. Wimps. I was out, and on my BICYCLE no less. Anyway.

But, as the sage show business advice goes, you play for the people who show up – not the ones who don’t – and so even to the thin house, The Rumble Strips weren’t going to phone it in. They did indeed bring it, albeit quietly at first. They led with a new song that was decidedly more sedate than anything you’d find on their debut, one of a few that would be scattered throughout the set and none of which were as immediate as the Girls & Weather material – which is as much of a commentary as I feel fit to make after a single live listen. Cue the more introspective sophomore effort? Everything else, however, was pure extroverted pop goodness.

Everything that makes The Rumble Strips distinctive on record – the horns, the hooks, Charlie Waller’s voice – somehow comes across even stronger live. The rhythm section sounds huge, with duties frequently divvied up between Matthew Wheeler on drums and bassist Sam Mansbridge on what they call “Rumble Drum” but is actually just the floor tom beat extra hard, and is super-tight. The horns… well another thing I’m going to have to stop saying is that I don’t like horns, because I loved theirs. In fact, all the band’s orchestrations and arrangements were impressive to witness. One strength that I hadn’t noticed on record but was quite evident on stage was their harmonies. Waller’s huge vocals – pitch perfect with loads of character – obviously take center stage, but three of the other four also quite ably stepped up to add their voices to the mix.

But above all else, they brought the songs. Each listen to Girls & Weather only makes me grow fonder of uptempo, feel-good, sad-sackery – with so many strengths and such personality, I am really astonished that they weren’t able to draw out more of the curious to go along with the converted who did show up. And though it’s damn near impossible to turn a room that’s only 5% full into a party, The Rumble Strips certainly tried.

Photos: The Rumble Strips @ The El Mocambo – October 29, 2008
MP3: The Rumble Strips – “Time”
MP3: The Rumble Strips – “Motorcycle”
Video: The Rumble Strips – “Girls And Boys In Love”
Video: The Rumble Strips – “Alarm Clock”
Video: The Rumble Strips – “Motorcycle”
Video: The Rumble Strips – “Oh Creole”
Video: The Rumble Strips – “Time”
MySpace: The Rumble Strips

The Independent profiles Noah & The Whale, who will be returning to Toronto for a show at the El Mocambo on December 9.

The Quietus interviews A Place To Bury Strangers. NPR is streaming part of their CMJ set last week.

Pitchfork talks to Portastatic’s Mac McCaughan.

Austin360 asks three questions of Decemberists drummer Nate Query.

The Drive-By Trucker/Hold Steady-powered “Rock & Roll Means Well” tour kicked off last night, and while the November 11 show at the Phoenix is sold out, a small block of tickets was released earlier this week via Ticketmaster and at last check, were still available. And I’m still giving away a few pairs. The Courier-Journal profiles The Hold Steady, The Winston-Salem Journal talks to the Truckers and Nashville Scene and The Village Voice talk to them both.

Paul Westerberg reflects on the legacy of The Replacements for The Guardian.

NPR welcomes Okkervil River to their studios for a World Cafe session.

Exclaim! and Get Wokingham have interviews with Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner.

An Aquarium Drunkard and The Colorado Springs Gazette interview members of DeVotchKa.

One of the Jonas Brothers interviews Elvis Costello for Rolling Stone.

The Grace Potter & The Nocturnals gig originally scheduled for the El Mocambo on December 10 now appears to be happening at Lee’s Palace.

Matador has made their Fall 2008 sampler available to download and it includes tastes of new and upcoming releases from Belle & Sebastian, Shearwater and Fucked Up.