Selena SalfenSometimes stuff sits on my shelf for ages before I get around to listening to it, and all I can do is slap myself upside the head for having wasted time that could have been spent with that record. Such is the case with the self-titled debut from Oklahomans The Uglysuit – it was released back in mid-August, which implies that I probably got the promo sometime in early August, and since I only gave it an airing in the last few weeks, that’s like two and a half months lost.

Two and a half months I could have spent basking in its sun-kissed, pastel-coloured, prog-adelic pop made up of sounds and styles all dear and familiar, yet combined so seamlessly and perfectly that you’d believe that they were invented for the sole purpose of crafting this record. Built on cascading guitars, majestic piano and keening vocals, The Uglysuit is epic in scale yet intimate in sentiment – an ornate and remarkably cohesive and unified record. It’s a suite of songs stretching and sprawling into one another, each one made up of even more miniature pop jewels, strung together like a necklace sparkling in the sun. And even when storm clouds gather – and there are points where things get loud and intense – the beauty remains, like watching thunderheads rumble over great plains.

Am I being overly effusive? Maybe. Probably. But The Uglysuit – a misnomer if ever there was one – is so welcoming and enveloping that it’s hard not to get swept up in it. This would be an astonishing record from anyone – the fact that it comes from a band this young makes it even more of an achievement. If you haven’t made its acquaintance yet, you now have no excuse. Beyond the first single and video, available to grab/watch below, Daytrotter posted up a session with the band last week. They were supposed to come through town last month opening for The New Year but that didn’t happen for whatever reason – here’s hoping that 2009 keeps them on the road and with a Toronto stop on the agenda. Rolling Stone also has a short profile.

MP3: The Uglysuit – “Chicago”
Video: The Uglysuit – “Chicago”

Matt Pond PA are celebrating (American) Thanksgiving by giving away a free EP lovingly entitled Freep. Sample the lead track or just grab the whole thing.

MP3: Matt Pond PA – “Hearts & Minds”
ZIP: Matt Pond PA / Freep

eye looks at the sudden and well-deserved boost given to the Rural Alberta Advantage by being selected by eMusic as their Featured Artists for the month of November. They’re playing tonight at Lee’s Palace with The Acorn and Ohbijou and are on at 9. If you’re going, go early! And note that in that eMusic link is an extensive interview where it’s clarified once and for all that only singer/songwriter Nils Edenloff has Albertan roots – the other 2/3 of the band do not. Mystery solved! Of course, I could have just asked them but where’s the fun in that?

Muzzle Of Bees reports that Jason Isbell will return with his second solo album on February 19 of next year, though it’s not technically a solo album anymore since it’ll be named for he and his band – Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit. Catchy.

Muzzle Of Bees also has an interview with Calexico’s Joey Burns, while Minnesota Public Radio is offering up a studio session with the band.

A man with a lot of names and a lot of positive press is making his Toronto debut early next year – Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson will be at the El Mocambo on January 14 in support of his self-titled debut, tickets $8.

MP3: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – “Buriedfed”
Video: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – “Buriedfed”

Pitchfork talks to AC Newman (Carl to his friends) about his forthcoming album Get Guilty!, out January 20. Did I link the first MP3? Can’t remember, too lazy to check. So here you go.

MP3: AC Newman – “There Are Maybe Ten Or Twelve”

The Hold Steady have finally released the first video from Stay Positive, for the title track. The Los Angeles Times has an interview with Craig Finn.

Video: The Hold Steady – “Stay Positive”

The first single from A Camp’s Colonia is currently available to stream. The album is out February 2.

Stream: A Camp – “Stronger Than Jesus”

Clash quizzes My Morning Jacket’s Patrick Hallahan about some of his favourite things.

NPR is currently streaming the whole of Neil Young’s forthcoming Sugar Mountain – Live At Canterbury House 1968 live set, which is going to be released next Tuesday. The first set of Archives is set for a January 27 release and Neil is at the Air Canada Centre on December 4 and 5.

Stream: Neil Young / Sugar Mountain – Live At Canterbury House 1968

Bill CarterI had any number of reasons to be feeling good after seeing Calexico on their last visit through town in July. There was the fact that I’d just seen a terrific live band in a venue half the size from what they normally play, or also the fact that without a particular album to promote they’d opted for a set list that ranged all across their career. But what was most exciting was the fact that the new material that got showcased sounded terrific, and proved that the band had gotten the ill-suited songwriter-pop out of their system and had returned to the sun-bleached Tejano-rock that they do so well. Their next album would be cause for anticipation, not trepidation.

And that album, Carried To Dust, doesn’t disappoint. From the opening notes of “Victor Jara’s Hands”, there’s an unmistakable atmosphere and earthiness that was absent from Ruin and is a fundamental part of Calexico’s sound – the titular Dust, perhaps. Similarities can be drawn to their previous highwater mark, Feast Of Wire, but even in recalling their past Calexico still plough forward. They capture the musical ranginess and restlessness of that record but cast it in a ghostlier, more slow-motion context. They also maintain the focus on song structure and vocals that came out of Garden Ruin, in fact Dust features a wide range of guest vocalists to compliment Joey Burns and all of whom manage to enhance the proceedings, never detract. Once again making the sort of music that only Calexico can make, they may have rebounded from the worst record of their career with what could well be their best.

Calexico are returning to Toronto on November 18 for a show at the Phoenix, and courtesy of Against The Grain, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away for the show. If you want them, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to be carried to dust” in the subject line and your full name in the body and get that in to me by midnight, November 13.

Blurt and The Dallas Observer have feature pieces on Calexico and FabChannel is streaming a gorgeous video of a recent show in Amsterdam.

MP3: Calexico – “Two Silver Trees”
Video: Calexico – “Two Silver Trees”
MySpace: Calexico

Mojo features the band that opened up for Calexico that night at the Mod Club, Calgary’s Woodpigeon, and also offers a track from their Songbook album which was just-released in the UK but isn’t available at all in Canada. Go figure.

MP3: Woodpigeon – “Home As A Romanticized Concept Where Everyone Loves You Always And Forever”

Another Canadian band that’s been opening some US dates for Calexico is The Acorn. Their November 27 show at Lee’s Palace with Ohbijou – already guaranteed to be a fantastic evening – just got that much more fantastic with the addition of The Rural Alberta Advantage to the bill. Best lineup ever? Quite possibly.

Sam Roberts will be playing an in-store at Sonic Boom on November 15 at 3PM in advance of his show at the Music Hall, the last of a four-night stand.

This Is Fake DIY has a video interview with Ra Ra Riot.

Pitchfork reports that Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff and one-time Okkervil River guitarist and full-time Wren Charles Bissell will cover each other on a long-awaited, oft-delayed 7″ release with Sheff doing the Wrens’ “Ex-Girl Collection” and Bissell doing Okkervil’s “It Ends With A Fall”. It’ll be in limited release (shows, mail order, etc) on December 9 and in wide release sometime in January.

Nicole Atkins discusses her recent covers EP with The Washington Times.

Filter has posted online their recent cover feature on Conor Oberst.

Gotham Acme talks politics and music with Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers. The New York Daily News sticks to the music. The Truckers are at the Phoenix on Tuesday night with The Hold Steady – congrats to Kim and Luke who won the passes to the show.

Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips discusses Christmas On Mars with The Times. The DVD and soundtrack are out on Tuesday.

The Indianapolis Star profiles Blitzen Trapper, who’re at the Phoenix opening up for Iron & Wine next Thursday.

listentofeist.comThis past Friday, I (Heart) Music posted the results of his fourth annual, “Hottest Bands In Canada” poll – the ultra-unscientific survey of online Canadian music types wherein we submit a ranked list of the Canadian acts that we deem the “hottest” by whatever definition of the word we wish to use.

Though I managed to get my list in just under the wire, on account of being ultra-busy and distracted the last few weeks, I don’t know if I gave it the utmost amount of thought that I might have otherwise. But going over my picks again, I’m fairly comfortable with the my blend of realistic and idealistic though after seeing the final list, I’m reminded of a lot of acts that I perhaps should have given more consideration. But what can you do. Listed below are my 10 picks along with the blurbs that I submitted alongside. The bracketed number is the artist’s actual ranking on the final list.

Obviously I’m not as in touch with the Canuck zeitgeist as perhaps I should be. I was a little more in sync with the top ten last year, whereas this year I seem to be pretty firmly ensconced in the bottom half of the list or so. I realize that if I were a little more objective about things, then acts like Fucked Up and Crystal Castles should have been given credit for making waves around the world, but whatever.

1. Feist (15) – We’re a long way removed from The Reminder but anything Feist does, including her first arena tour, still makes headlines. Objectively and quantitatively speaking, she remains the hottest musical thing with a Canadian passport.

Video: Feist – “1 2 3 4”

2. Basia Bulat (13) – 2007 was very good to Basia Bulat with Oh My Darling receiving critical acclaim in Europe and Canada – 2008 was just as good, as the record did just as well in the US and garnered a Polaris nomination. The fairy tale just keeps on going.

MP3: Basia Bulat – “In The Night”

3. Woodpigeon (-) – This Calgary collective probably falls more under the category of “ought to be hot but aren’t”, releasing record after record of gleaming folk-pop that is making small, but definite waves in Europe and landing the band tours with the likes of Calexico and Iron & Wine. Big things coming. I hope.

MP3: Woodpigeon – “Knock Knock”

4. Caribou (3) – Even though it’s technically an off-year for Caribou with no touring and no new record, winning the Polaris Prize for last year’s Andorra makes Dan Snaith’s project a shoo-in

MP3: Caribou – “Melody Day”

5. The Rural Alberta Advantage (19) – This Toronto trio’s Hometowns record is an absolute jewel, and yet almost no one has heard it. But I am, just for a moment, pretend it’s a just world and include them anyways.

MP3: The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Don’t Haunt This Place”

6. Shad (9) – Though he didn’t win the Polaris, it can be argued that Shad – helped out by his spot-on, ultra-viral video for “The Old Prince Still Lives At Home” – benefitted the most from the exposure gained by the nomination. Hell, he got me listening to hip-hop – that is no mean feat.

MP3: Shad – “The Old Prince Still Lives At Home”

7. Land Of Talk (21) – Finally, after long last, released their debut full-length and while it’s not the kick upside the head that Applause Cheer Boo Hiss was, it’s still a worthy effort. But factor in that Liz Powell is the newest Broken Social Scene chanteuse and that Land Of Talk is opening up for BSS on their North American tour…

MP3: Land Of Talk – “Corner Phone”

8. Two Hours Traffic (18) – Utterly relentless touring machines and purveyors of note-perfect power pop. It’s amazing that a band from such a wintry country can so perfectly capture the spirit of Summer.

MP3: Two Hours Traffic – “Stuck For The Summer”

9. Bruce Peninsula (5) – The first recorded fruits of this Toronto collective have shown that the otherworldy power of their live shows can indeed be captured on tape, which means that soon they’ll no longer be just the secret of those who’ve seen them perform.

MySpace: Bruce Peninsula

10. The Acorn (25) – Glory Hope Mountain has been garnering praise everywhere its been released and… well, it’s a terrific album and they’re nice folk.

MP3: The Acorn – “Crooked Legs”

I’m sure some would like to use this poll as a mid-year barometer for next year’s Polaris Music Prize noms but considering the sample group for this was a lot smaller and narrower, that’s probably reaching a bit. And speaking of the Polaris, the gala ceremony from September will be broadcast on CityTV across the country this Saturday night, November 8, at 7PM local time. Considering I missed out on most of the show, I’d like to see this… but I don’t have cable. So I will miss it again. But at least I know how it ends.

Feist – my number one but the list’s number fifteen – has been making the most of her return to Toronto this past week. There was a pair of secret club shows , one at the Rivoli and one at the Cameron House, a relatively intimate gig at Massey Hall on Saturday night and tonight, her big show at the Air Canada Centre. And it was just announced that November 25 will bring a deluxe edition of The Reminder, featuring a bonus disc of remixes, all the album’s videos (The Toronto Star has an interview with the director of them all) and the cover of Kenny and Dolly’s “Islands In The Stream” with Constantines – and for everyone who bought the album a year and a half ago when it was released, the bonus goods will be available for sale digitally on their own.

Wired has an interview with Murray Lightburn, frontman of the 27th hottest band in Canada, The Dears’. They’re playing the Sound Academy on December 13.

Hour.ca talks to Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene, who hang in at #20 on the list despite being on fake hiatus the last couple years. They’re at the Sound Academy on November 27 and 28.

The D’Urbervilles, who come in at #17 on the list, have announced a two-night stand at the Tiger Bar that they’ve playfully named “Rock Em Sock Em 1 and 2” on December 12 and 13th. Night one will feature The D’Urbs along with Katie Stelmanis (also of band #5, Bruce Peninsula) and Mantler while on night two, they’ll welcome Bocce and Slow Hand Mortem as their guests.

Woodpigeon rated highly on my list, but evidently not many others’. I prefer to think of myself as simply being that much ahead of the curve instead of being out of touch. Just wait. Noize Makes Enemies talked to frontman Mark Hamilton about the origins of their first album Songbook, which was just released in the UK.

Environmentalist and car junkie Neil Young talks to The New York Times about his efforts to win the Progressive Automotive X-Prize. He’s at the Air Canada Centre on December 4 and 5.

The Bicycles will release their new album Oh No It’s Love on Tuesday, the same day they play a release party at Lee’s Palace and an in-store at Soundscapes at 7PM the instore at Soundscapes is on Tuesday at 7PM, the Lee’s gig is on Saturday. Sorry for the confusion, which appears to have been mostly mine.

Whilst on the topic of hottest things in a respective geographical area, I was pleased to see that NOW named this site as “Best Music Website” in this year’s “Best Of Toronto” issue – not just for the kudos, but because in the six-plus years I’ve been doing this, I think this is just the second time the magazine has acknowledged my existence. Not that I’m keeping score or anything.

NPR enumerates their musical love of Canada.