FoxSunday night’s television lineup got a healthy injection of The National this week, both directly and indirectly. In the Thanksgiving episode of Bob’s Burgers, viewers were treated to a holiday-themed song by Linda in abbreviated form and in full over the closing credits, and shortly thereafter The Vulture surfaced with a version of the song rendered in Matt Berninger’s distinctive baritone over appropriately tasteful backing. They had to take it down, unfortunately, but this is the internet – nothing ever dies.

Boardwalk Empire viewers didn’t have to do nearly as much legwork to hear the band’s contribution to this week’s episode – they just had to sit through the credits. As has been the custom for the Steve Buscemi vehicle, the band – assisted by Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks – covered a period-correct song to play while the best boys and gaffers got their due; this one was a 1924 song originally recorded by Isham Jones and The Ray Miller Orchestra. I didn’t know that – full credit goes to Fuck Yeah The National for pulling the background together on that one.

Stream: The National – “I’ll See You In My Dreams”
Stream: The National – “Bob’s Burgers Thanksgiving Song”

Freelance Whales, who just released their second album in Diluvia, and Hundred Waters, whose self-titled debut came out in September, will be at The Mod Club on January 17, tickets $16. Spinner and The Daily Tar Heel have Freelance Whales features.

Video: Freelance Whales – “Spitting Image”
Video: Hundred Waters – “Thistle”

Christopher Owens – aka the guy from Girls who was basically the entirety of Girls and who recently left Girls – will be at The Mod Club on January 18 as part of a North American tour in support of his solo debut Lysandre, out January 14.

Stream: Christopher Owens – “Lysandre’s Theme / Here We Go”

NPR has a World Cafe session with Titus Andronicus, and The Chicago Tribune, Denver Westword, and 77 Square have features. They’re at Lee’s Palace next Tuesday, November 27.

A new track from Memory Tapes’ forthcoming Grace/Confusion is now available to stream, as is a mish-mash of b-sides, unreleased material, and whatnot in mixtape form. The album is out December 4.

Stream: Memory Tapes – “Neighbourhood Watch”
Stream: Memory Tapes – “Displaced Mix”

Spinner talks to Paul Banks about Interpol turning ten. The decade-anniversary edition of Turn On The Bright Lights is out December 4 and one of the bonus tracks is now available to download. Las Vegas Weekly and Denver Post also talk to Paul Banks about his solo thing.

MP3: Interpol – “Roland” (first demo)

Yo La Tengo have released a video from their next record Fade, due out January 15. They play The Phoenix on February 9.

Video: Yo La Tengo – “Before We Run”

NPR welcomes Father John Misty to the World Cafe; MTV Hive also has an interview. He’s at The Danforth Music Hall supporting The Walkmen on January 16.

NYC Taper is sharing a recording of a Widowspeak show from earlier this month. There’s some new Almanac material to hear before the album is released on January 22.

Rolling Stone talks to Jim James about his forthcoming solo debut, Regions of Light and Sound of God. It’s out February 5.

Beach House have released a new video from Bloom.

Video: Beach House – “Wild”

R.E.M. may be gone, but they’re still able to remind you they’ve got some Hollywood-type friends, such as with this video for the final song from their final album, Collapse Into Now, directed by James Franco and starring Lindsay Lohan.

Video: R.E.M. – “Blue”

American Songwriter talks to Britt Daniel of Divine Fits.

The Fly and MusicOmh have interviews with Sharon Van Etten.

Stereogum talks to Steve Drozd of The Flaming Lips about how work is coming on their new album, at last check entitled The Terror and earmarked for release this Fall though that’s probably not happening. They could have asked Wayne Coyne, but he was otherwise occupied being detained by the TSA.

Happy Thanksgiving, America. Happy Thursday, rest of the world.

TwitterYo La Tengo haven’t quite spilled the beans on their thirteenth studio album, besides to acknowledge it exists, that recent single “Stupid Things” will appear on it albeit in a different version, that it was produced by Tortoise’s John McEntire, that it’ll be out in late January – the smart money is on the 29th, since the last week of the month is typically when the year’s first big releases are slated – and that a North American tour – of which only a few dates have been revealed – would follow. And while a tweet yesterday implied that today was the day for revelations, details on the Toronto show came yesterday – and so here they are: Hoboken’s finest will be at The Phoenix on February 9 – their first visit since October 2009, not counting their “Sounds Of Science” performance here in April. Tickets for that are $25 in advance and go on sale Friday.

While on the topic, I just finished reading Big Day Coning: Yo La Tengo and The Rise of Indie Rock. You might wonder how interesting a bio of a band that has been rather resolutely drama-free over its career could be, but it’s the understatedness of their story – plus the greatness of their music – and how it intertwines with the transformation of the underground to college to alternative to indie rock scene that makes it an interesting read.

I had hoped to get up this morning and find all the salient new album info conveniently collected in a press release in my inbox, but instead there was an email from the library telling me that the aforementioned book was a week overdue. Not quite the same thing. So I’ll update this post with specifics about the tour and release when they surface today – assuming they do – but in the meantime, marvel at the photo up above, picked up via Matablog, of Yo La Tengo with a trio of Japanese lookalikes. Don’t ask why or how, just marvel.

Update: And Matablog has it: Fade, out January 15, and tour starts the 23rd.

MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Stupid Things”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Nuclear War”

Keeping with the New Jersey theme, Titus Andronicus are interviewed by Beatroute, Boise Weekly, and Pitchfork and a couple more tracks from their latest Local Business are available to download. They’re at Lee’s Palace on November 27.

MP3: Titus Andronicus – “In A Big City”
MP3: Titus Andronicus – “Ecce Homo”

And if you were wondering what former Titus guitarist Amy Klein was up to, know that in addition to playing in Leda, she’s got a drum-and-guitar duo called Hilly Eye. Exclaim has some details on their debut album Reasons To Live, due January 22, and a couple of songs are available to stream.

Stream: Hilly Eye – “Jacob’s Ladder”
Stream: Hilly Eye – “Amnesia”

The Village Voice, Red Eye, and Seven Days have interviews with Sharon Van Etten.

Interview talks to Paul Banks about balancing the solo work with Interpol.

Nada Surf have released a video from their latest, The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy.

Video: Nada Surf – “Jules & Jim”

Some feel it’s still to early for Christmas music, but Sufjan Stevens is hoping that doesn’t apply to him. He’s made the whole of his six-EP Silver & Gold box set – that’s 58 tracks worth – available to stream and also released a couple more videos for good measure. It’s available to buy as of yesterday.

MP3: Sufjan Stevens – “Ding-A-Ling-A-Ring-A-Ling”
Video: Sufjan Stevens – “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
Video: Sufjan Stevens – “Silver & Gold”
Stream: Sufjan Stevens / Silver & Gold

Pitchfork has details on the second album from Brooklyn’s Widowspeak; Almanac will be out on January 22 and the first MP3 from it is available to download.

MP3: Widowspeak – “Ballad Of The Golden Hour”

School Of Seven Bells are streaming the whole of their new EP Put Your Sad Down, released this week.

MP3: School Of Seven Bells – “Secret Days”
Stream: School Of Seven Bells / Put Your Sad Down

Filter talks to Grizzly Bear.

Ra Ra Riot are streaming the first track from their new record Beta Love, out January 22. They bring it to Lee’s Palace on March 6. There’s also a feature on the band at syracuse.com.

Stream: Ra Ra Riot – “Beta Love”

Head over to RecordStoreDay.com to stream the whole of Chocomel Daze, the You’re Living All Over Me-vintage Dinosaur Jr live record being released on vinyl-only next week.

Stream: Dinoaur Jr / Chocomel Daze

SF Weekly talks to Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs.

Jim James is done hiding behind bands and pseudonyms; he’ll release his solo debut Regions of Light and Sound of God on February 5 – details at Pitchfork and the first taste is streamable below.

Stream: Jim James – “Know Til Now”

The Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and Newsday talk to Aimee Mann, who has released a new video from her latest Charmer.

Video: Aimee Mann – “Soon Enough”

DIY interviews Benjamin Gibbard.

Barbara AnastacioFor a band that’s made their name on stately, carefully crafted chamber pop, Brooklyn’s Grizzly Bear are surprisingly polarizing. Their proponents find the intricacy of their harmonies, arrangements, and musicianship exquisite while their naysayers just find them dull. I actually lean more towards the latter than the former, but temper it with a healthy amount of respect for what they do and how they do it.

So with that frame of reference established, take it for what it’s worth when I say their new album Shields is surprisingly raw and raucous. They haven’t changed up what they do or how they do it significantly – okay, maybe the multi-part harmonies are dialed down some – but the songs themselves have more punch and presence than past efforts, and it’s a pleasant surprise. It’s unlikely to change anyone’s opinion on Grizzly Bear dramatically, but if you’re a fence-sitter it’s reasonable to think this effort will fall rather definitively on the “favoured” side.

But don’t take my word for it – hear for yourself. In a week leading up to some pretty major releases, and thus meaning a week of some pretty major pre-release streams, Shields is the main attraction of NPR’s First Listen feature right now. To go along with that, there’s features on the band – surely the first of many this Fall – at Clash and Stereogum, and they’re a central pillar in this Spin feature about the ongoing gentrification of indie rock.

Shields is out next Tuesday and the band are at at Massey Hall on September 26. Tickets for the show range from $29.50 to $42.50 plus fees, but courtesy of LiveNation, I’ve got a pair of tickets to the show to give away. To enter, email me at contests@chromewaves.net with “I want to see Grizzly Bear” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that in to me by midnight, September 19.

MP3: Grizzly Bear – “Sleeping Ute”
MP3: Grizzly Bear – “Yet Again”
Stream: Grizzly Bear / Shields

Also with a new record out next week and in town shortly thereafter is Dinosaur Jr, with I Bet On Sky – their third post-reunion album. It’s doing the stream thing at NPR right now, giving you enough time to learn all the songs so as to be able to sing along with the guitar solos when they hit Lee’s Palace for three nights from September 24 to 26. Don’t pretend you don’t.

MP3: Dinosaur Jr – “Watch The Corners”
Stream: Dinosaur Jr / I Bet On Sky

Not likely to be a whole lot of guitar solos on Charmer, the latest from Aimee Mann, but more superb songwriting is a given. NPR has also got that stream and she’s at the Danforth Music Hall November 6.

MP3: Aimee Mann – “Charmer”
Stream: Aimee Mann / Charmer

Out next week but not streaming at NPR – the band has posted it themselves on Soundcloud – is Band Of Horses’ latest Mirage Rock. Ben Bridwell details the recording of the song “Slow Cruel Hands of Time” to Billboard and also talks to Contactmusic about the new record.

Stream: Band Of Horses / Mirage Rock

New York’s Savoir Adore have already completed their second album Our Nature and given it an October 16 release date, but they’ve turned to Kickstarter to enlist fans’ help to give the record the promotional push they think it deserves. And to help demonstrate what you’re supporting, they’ve made another track from the album available to stream. They’ve also announced their Fall tour in support of the record, and as happy as I am that they’re coming back to Toronto – look for them October 13 at Rancho Relaxo – was it really necessary to schedule the show the same night as Beach House? Le sigh.

MP3: Savoir Adore – “Dreamers”
Stream: Savoir Adore – “Regalia”

Speaking of Beach House, Beatroute and Vice have interviews with the duo. As stated, they’re at The Kool Haus on October 13.

Interview talks to Anna-Lynne Williams about the end of Trespassers William and their final release, the double-disc rarities compilation Cast.

Of Montreal is releasing a rarities compilation covering the last five years in Daughter Of Cloud on October 23. Pitchfork has details, stream one of the rarities below.

Stream: Of Montreal – “Sails, Hermaphroditic”

Spinner talks to Oliver Ackermann of A Place To Bury Strangers.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have made the a-side of a new 7″ due out in October available to stream; it’s a cover of The Magnetic Fields circa The Wayward Bus, if you were wondering.

Stream: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – “Jeremy”

eMusic talks to Jack Tatum of Wild Nothing. They’re at The Great Hall on September 18.

Daytrotter has a session with Widowspeak.

Howler have released a new video from their debut America Give Up

Video: Howler – “Told You Once”

Yo La Tengo is doing stuff. A new single entitled “Stupid Things” is coming September 25 and a new full-length will be out in late January, presumably January 28 since the last week of that month is when all the big releases come out. And a new Yo La Tengo album counts as a big release, methinks.

Consequence Of Sound, City Pages, and Blurt talk to Bob Mould about his ongoing career renaissance and Silver Age.

Consequence Of Sound chats with Joey Burns of Calexico and oh yeah, if you’ve always wanted to hear them cover Kenny Loggins, The AV Club is your best friend.

NPR, The Los Angeles Times, and Consequence Of Sound have interviews with Cat Power about her latest album Sun. She’s at The Kool Haus on October 20.

MP3: Cat Power – “Manhattan”

The Broward-Palm Beach New Times and Sun-Sentinel grab a minute with Doug Martsch of Built To Spill.

Greg Dulli tells Billboard he’s non-committal about The Afghan Whigs’ future beyond their Fall North American tour, which hits The Phoenix on October 3.

Beatroute, The Los Angeles Times, and Seattle Weekly profile Redd Kross.

Drowned In Sound talks to James Murphy about life post-LCD Soundsystem.

Frank YangIt was sometime on Friday that, in looking at my NXNE schedule, that I realized just how Pitchfork-y it all was and for that, I apologize. It wasn’t intentional, but there’s no arguing that the balance of stuff I’ve heard of/stuff I was curious about/stuff that doesn’t come through town all the time is pretty influenced by the online echo chamber.

But to be fair, the options amongst my usual go-to of acts from the UK and Scandinavia was frightfully lean this year; like I can count them on one hand. A consequence of the global recession, I suppose, but at least one of the acts who did make it over was 2:54. Their show kicking off the night at Lee’s Palace wasn’t far removed from when I saw them at SXSW but definitely better, both for my being familiar with the material and their having developed some more stage presence, frontwoman Collette Thurlow having traded her thousand-yard glare for some dramatic sway-dancing. I like but can’t claim to love their self-titled debut – they excel at atmosphere but the songwriting could be stronger – but they were tight and had an air of slight aloofness, and as one of the few British acts at the festival, they played ambassador well.

Londonist has an interview with the band.

Photos: 2:54 @ Lee’s Palace – June 15, 2012
MP3: 2:54 – “The March”
Video: 2:54 – “Creeping”
Video: 2:54 – “You’re Early”
Video: 2:54 – “Scarlet”

You probably didn’t need to be told that DIIV were from Brooklyn; just a look at their outfits and/or haircuts would have made that conclusion obvious. But assuming that meant they were going to be some unworthy, overhyped flavour-of-the-minute would have been a mistake. To be clear, they certainly sound very “now”, their shimmery jangle being very reminiscent of fellow buzz band Real Estate, but with more jump and less emphasis on vocals and more focus on creating a tight, airy groove. The initially claimed the were going to play their new album Oshin in its entirety, but the insertion of a “new song” mid set made that claim questionable, though I suppose that with the album not out until next week, they’re all technically new songs. Oh, and then there was the Nirvana cover that’s probably not on the record. In any case, their music was well-personified by their live show: the rhythm section kept their heads down and tended to business whilst the guitarist danced around like electrified marionettes.

Interview, The Line Of Best Fit, and NOW have features on the band, Spin gets to know their pet rat, and Oshin is streaming in its entirety right now over at Hype Machine.

Photos: DIIV @ Lee’s Palace – June 15, 2012
MP3: DIIV – “Sometime”
Video: DIIV – “Sometime”
Video: DIIV – “How Long Have You Known?”
Stream: DIIV / Oshin

The build-up around New York’s Friends started a good year ago, so by the time their debut album Manifest! came out a couple weeks ago, they were probably due some good, solid backlash. And while I haven’t heard the album, the live show certainly entertained for the 30-plus minutes they were on. They had far less reliance on electronics than I’d have expected – lots of percussion to with the guitar and bass, and less electro-pop than old school disco/funk. Frontwoman Samantha Urbani had presence to spare, offering a great impression of an ’80s pop diva with a simpler, more innocent kind of sexy. Her pipes were also good but her breathy-to-squeal move got formulaic pretty quickly. The same could be said for their sound as a whole – it’s pretty templated – but if you were looking for a band to soundtrack a dance party for this night, at least, you couldn’t do much better.

Blurt has a feature piece on Friends and The Line Of Best Fit a Bands In Transit session.

Photos: Friends @ Lee’s Palace – June 15, 2012
Video: Friends – “Mind Control”
Video: Friends – “I’m His Girl”
Video: Friends – “Friend Crush”

At this point it was goodbye Lee’s, hello mad dash across town to The Garrison. And while I made pretty good time if I do say so myself, I still needed to brandish the priority pass to jump the queue for Yamantaka//Sonic Titan. I already explained how their debut YT//ST improbably found its way onto the number two slot on my Polaris Prize ballot, but it probably counts as remarkable that they did so without my having seen their live show. Not that live performance is supposed to influence our voting, but it’s hard to imagine not being influenced by such an elaborate production. And with the costumes, the Kabuki paint, the stage dressings, they arguably had the most going on onstage at the fest for a band not named Of Montreal or The Flaming Lips.

And yet for all that they put into it, there was a refreshing lack of pretence from the band. They set up their gear and props like anyone else, and the cognitive dissonance of hearing them finish an intense, thrash/operatic passage and then ask for monitor adjustments was pretty funny. In performance, though, they were all business and deadly serious – there was no irony detectable, and I don’t even know if allowing themselves to dance a bit during “Hoshi Neko” even counts as breaking character; it’s a pretty danceable song. It was a unique, breathtaking performance that left you dazed and feeling like you may have just joined a cult. And you may be right.

Killscreen Daily talks to band principals Ruby Attwood and Alaska B about the influence of video games on their music.

Photos: Yamantaka//Sonic Titan @ The Garrison – June 15, 2012
Video: Yamantaka // Sonic Titan – “Hoshi Neko”
Stream: Yamantaka // Sonic Titan / YT//ST

Following that show was going to be tough and topping it impossible, so it’s probably a good thing that New York’s Widowspeak don’t even attempt to blow you away with theatrics or spectacle. Their sleepy country/dreampop had the perfect sort of late night vibe that didn’t quite come across during their mid-afternoon set at SXSW. It wasn’t all aural narcolepsy, though – the guitars got a little more aggressive than I expected and downright heavy at points, but despite wielding a mean axe, Molly Hamilton’s voice smoothed it all over. Those asking for more vocals in the mix slightly missed the point – she’s at her best as a honeyed whisper you have to lean in to hear. And though the audience seemed a bit restless – understandable if they were still on a Yamantaka come-down, they were largely appreciative. As they should have been.

Photos: Widowspeak @ The Garrison – June 15, 2012
MP3: Widowspeak – “Harsh Realm”
MP3: Widowspeak – “Gun Shy”

A brace of new videos coming at you from across the pond – first there’s Summer Camp with a murderous clip for the title track of their forthcoming EP Always, out July 10. You can also hear it in French, if that’s your thing.

Stream: Summer Camp – “Always” (French)
Video: Summer Camp – “Always”

Richard Hawley has released a video from his latest album Standing At The Sky’s Edge, out August 28 in North America.

Video: Richard Hawley – “Down In The Woods”

The Guardian talks to Charles of Slow Club about getting Daniel Radcliffe to star in the new video from Paradise.

Video: Slow Club – “Beginners”

Noel Gallagher goes the guest celeb route for the new clip from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds; Mischa Barton! Remember her?

Video: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – “Everybody’s On The Run”

Kate Nash has put out a new video for a non-album track that was apparently written and recorded in under 24 hours. Who’d have guessed.

Video: Kate Nash – “Under-Estimate The Girl”

And a few more show announcements over the last few days: John K Samson returns to get intimate – and all-ages – for a show in support of Provincial at 918 Bathurst on September 6, tickets $25 in advance.

Video: John K. Samson – “Longitudinal Centre”

San Fransico folkers Vetiver return to The Horseshoe on September 14, tickets $15 in advance. They’re still working last year’s The Errant Charm.

MP3: Vetiver – “Wonder Why”

Bluegrass all-stars Punch Brothers will be at The Phoenix on September 28 as part of a Fall tour, admission is $19.50. Acoustic Guitar has a feature on the band.

Video: Punch Brothers – “Kid A” (live)

The Besnard Lakes have been tapped to open up all three nights of Dinosaur Jr’s Lee’s Palace residency on September 24, 25, and 26. Tickets for each night are $34.50.

MP3: The Besnard Lakes – “And You Lied To Me”

Sofia StolpeNXNE-spotting happens on two levels: there’s the micro, where you pore over the year’s lineup and try to figure out how you’ll spend the four hopefully-warm nights in June club-hopping and seeing bands new and familiar; and there’s the macro, where you see how this year’s festival as a whole experience measures up against past years and assess how the event is trending as Toronto’s flagbearer in a world where cities are increasingly judged by the quality of their music festivals. Or at least, that’s how I look at things. I may well be a freak.

First, the bands my strongest recommendation for the fest because it’d have be strong enough to convince you to a) miss a whole hell of a lot of great stuff including part of that free Flaming Lips show and b) brave the shitshow that will be a closed-off Queen St. W as MuchMusic tools up for the Bieber-fied MMVAs the following night. But that said, I still think that seeing Sweden’s Deer Tracks would be worth it. The duo of David Lehnberg and Elin Lindfors craft the sort of eclectically airy, hybrid electronic-orchestral pop that might have you looking for the Morr logo on the spine (they’re actually on The Control Group, if it matters), but tied together and given both weight and lift by their buoyant melodies and harmonies. If I can be allowed to invoke some Scandinavian stereotypes, they marry the otherworldliness one would expect of Icelandic acts with the impeccable pop sense of the best the Swedes have to offer.

They’re in the midst of a three-part album cycle entitled The Archer Trilogy, Part 2 with the third part coming later this year. It’s kind of a shame that their tour is hitting during NXNE because had it been any other time of year, or even any other night or time slot of the fest, they’d be getting a lot more attention. But as it is, if you find your way to The Rivoli at 10PM on Saturday, June 16, I suspect it’ll be worth your time and effort. The Georgia Straight had an interview with them ahead of their Vancouver show earlier this week.

MP3: The Deer Tracks – “W”
MP3: The Deer Tracks – “Dark Passenger”
Video: The Deer Tracks – “Meant To Be”
Video: The Deer Tracks – “Tiger”
Video: The Deer Tracks – “Fall With Me”
Video: The Deer Tracks – “Fra Ro Raa / Ro Ra Fraa”
Video: The Deer Tracks – “Ram Ram”
Video: The Deer Tracks – “Slow Collision”
Video: The Deer Tracks – “12sxfrya”

And the official though surely incomplete day-by-day, hour-by-hour, “hey you should maybe go to some of these” is as follows:

Tuesday, June 12
The Weather Station @ Kops/Lavish & Squalor, 4PM – Another highlight of this year’s CMF, Tamara Lindeman will play selections from her excellent All Of It Was Mine at this in-store before her official show at The Great Hall Lower Theatre at 10PM Wednesday night.
MP3: The Weather Station – “Everything I Saw”

Wednesday, June 13
Army Girls @ Supermarket, 9PM – I can’t foresee a day when I won’t recommend you go see this Toronto duo, though hopefully soon enough my recommendation won’t be necessary – everyone will just know. They’re also at Jang Bang the afternoon of the 14th for a day show, The El Mocamobo at 10PM that night, and a day show in Trinity Bellwoods on Sunday afternoon at 3:45PM. And don’t be surprised if they add a few more appearances before the week is done – the benefits of traveling light and rocking hard.
MP3: Army Girls – “T W I C E”

Eternal Summers @ The Drake Underground, 10PM – Virginia-based trio who make hazy, lo-fi pop that doesn’t care that Altered Zones doesn’t exist anymore. Their second album Correct Behavior will be out July 24.
Video: Eternal Summers – “Millions”

July Talk @ The Horseshoe, 10PM – Toronto punkabilly outfit who flat-out stole the show/fest at this year’s Canadian Musicfest; can they do it again? Don’t bet against them. They’re also at Lee’s Palace on Saturday night at 9:30PM.
M4A: July Talk – “Paper Girl”

Porcelain Raft @ The Drake Underground, 12AM – Pseudonym of New York-based Mauro Remiddi who crafted his debut Strange Weekend from a lifetime of globetrotting, sound-collecting and genre-defying. So what does he do for a follow-up?
MP3: Porcelain Raft – “Unless You Speak From The Heart”

Thursday, June 14
The Men @ Grasshopper Records, 3PM – New York band whose latest effort Open Your Heart sounds like the best of Sonic Youth and Mission Of Burma being mashed into your eardrums with extreme prejudice. A can’t-miss for the fest, and besides this in-store – if you haven’t heard of the store, consult The Grid – they also have official showcases Thursday night at The Garrison at 1AM and Friday night at Wrongbar at 12AM, and will also be appearing at the NXNEXPERIMENT BBQ on Friday afternoon.
MP3: The Men – “Ex-Dreams”

Smith Westerns @ Gibralter Point, 5:30PM – We don’t see many acts being shipped in for one-off, non-festival parties but that’s what’s happening with this Noisey/Jansport to-do on the Toronto Islands where Chicago’s glam-garage punks will do their thing amongst what is sure to be tastefully-executed branding.
MP3: Smith Westerns – “Still New”

Boxer The Horse @ The El Mocambo Upstairs, 8PM – Scrappy guitar pop from Prince Edward Island that’s a happy blend of Plaskett and Malkmus; their second full-length French Residency was released back in March.
MP3: Boxer The Horse – “Rattle Your Cage”

The Seedy Seeds @ The Painted Lady, 10PM – Trio proves that smart pop can be fun and fun pop can be smart and good bands have come from Cincinnati since The Afghan Whigs. Their last record Verb Noun came out in early 2011 and it’s still turning out videos.
Video: The Seedy Seeds – “Telephone The Constrictor”

Exitmusic @ Wrongbar, 10PM – Darkly cinematic electro-pop from a husband-and-wife duo based out of New York (but half-Canadian!). They were just here in May but have since released their debut full-length Passage, so hey – welcome back.
MP3: Exitmusic – “The Sea”

Cousins @ The Velvet Underground, 11PM – Halifax lo-fi garage-pop duo whose The Palm At The End Of The Mind is making friends and annoying neighbours everywhere. They’re doing a double-header Thursday night, with a 2AM show at The Annex Live.
Stream: Cousins / The Palm At The End Of The Mind

The Hundred In The Hands @ Wrongbar, 12AM – Los Angeles synth-rock duo whose new record Red Night arrives this Tuesday, just in time for the festival. Clash has a feature on the band and Hype Machine is streaming the album, though that metaphorical baton may get passed to another site once the album is officially out tomorrow.
MP3: The Hundred In The Hands – “Keep It Low”
Stream: The Hundred In The Hands / Red Night

A Place To Bury Strangers @ The El Mocambo, 1AM – Legendarily loud and strobe-happy New York industri-rock outfit who will be previewing their new record Worship, due out on June 26 and from which they’ve begun streaming another new song. Pity the band who’re supposed to be playing upstairs from them at the same time slot (that’d be Revolvers, who deserve better).
MP3: A Place To Bury Strangers – “You Are The One”
Stream: A Place To Bury Strangers – “And I’m Up”

Friday, June 15
2:54 @ Lee’s Palace, 9PM – British sister act bringing the spirit of dark, goth-gaze guitar-pop from the ’80s and ’90s back on their just-released self-titled debut. There’s interviews at Loud & Quiet and NOW and Daytrotter just posted a session.
MP3: 2:54 – “The March”

The Danks @ The Dakota Tavern, 10PM – Garage-y pop from the Two Hours Traffic family who’re getting an awful lot of mileage out of their 2009 debut Are You Afraid Of The Danks?, though apparently it’s just come out in the US so I guess they’re excused.
MP3: The Danks – “Die Young”

Hooded Fang @ The Silver Dollar, 10PM – One of Toronto’s premiere retro-pop fun factories in band form, their second album Tosta Mista is nearly a year old so they’ve surely got five or six more albums ready to go. They’re also playing The Horseshoe on Thursday night at 10PM.
MP3: Hooded Fang – “Den Of Love”

Útidúr @ The Gladstone, 11PM – Even if I didn’t simply like upping Icelandic acts (and writing out their wonderful accents), I’d be endorsing this Reykjavik collective because the big, Beirut-y/Fanfarlo-y orch-folk sounds of their debut This Mess We’ve Made is all kinds of charming.
Stream: Útidúr / This Mess We’ve Made

Friends @ Lee’s Palace, 11PM – Brooklyn outfit specializing in buzz of both the synth and hype varieties have just dropped their debut album Manifest! and will be looking to make Lee’s look like Bedford Station on a Saturday night. Vulture has an interview with singer Samantha Urbani and The Guardian has a stream of the album.
Video: Friends – “Mind Control”
Stream: Friends / Manifest!

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan @ The Garrison, 12AM – Audaciously arty and yet visceral Montreal collective whose debut YT//ST will probably be celebrating a Polaris long list nomination by the time they take the stage. And odds are that’ll only be the beginning. They’ve also got an in-store at Sonic Boom confirmed though dates and times for those have still to be confirmed.
Stream: Yamantaka//Sonic Titan / YT//ST

Widowspeak @ The Garrison, 1AM – Brooklyn quartet whose self-titled debut ahs made my long-term dreams of forming a country/shoegaze band and creating a genre called “bootgaze” utterly redundant. Thanks a lot, Widowspeak.
MP3: Widowspeak – “Harsh Realm”

John Maus @ Lee’s Palace, 1AM – Unintentionally controversial university professor and electro-classical composer whose last album We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves came out in the Fall.
MP3: John Maus – “Head For The Country”

Saturday, June 16
Brasstronaut @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 1PM – Vancouver prog-pop outfit whose second album Mean Sun came out just last month. They’re also at The Gladstone on Friday night at midnight and The Vancouver Sun, Spinner, NOW have interviews.
MP3: Brasstronaut – “Hollow Trees”

Zulu Winter @ Urban Outfitters, 2PM – A rare UK signing to Arts & Crafts, this Oxfordshire-bred band’s peppy, guitar-and-synth-laden debut Language – out June 19 – files nicely alongside the likes of Phoenix and Bombay Bicycle Club. In other words, “stuff the kids like”. They’ve also got evening showcases at The Rivoli on June 14 at 12AM and Lee’s Palace on June 15 at 2AM.
Video: Zulu Winter – “Silver Tongue”

Of Montreal @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 7PM – Veteran Athens, GA, Elephant 6 survivor psych-freaks who’d have made a mind-bending one-two punch with The Flaming Lips if someone hadn’t gone and booked Portugal. The Man between them. Pssh. Their latest Paralytic Stalks came out earlier this year.
MP3: Of Montreal – “Wintered Debts”

Robyn Dell’Unto @ The Cameron House, 8PM – Mississauga-based pop singer who impressed when guesting with Rose Cousins at The Rivoli last monthI’m Here Every Night came out in 2010 – I did, it’s fun. You should too.
Video: Robyn Dell’Unto – “Just A Bird”

The Flaming Lips @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 9PM – If you need an introduction to The Flaming Lips then clearly you’ve gotten to this website by accident. Note that the allotted 20 minute set up time between the preceding act and theirs is ridiculous and I wouldn’t expect Wayne Coyne’s bubble walk to begin any earlier than 9:15. There’s Lips interviews at NOW, Spinner, and The Toronto Star, Coyne writes a piece about creativity for NPR, and while their Record Store Day-exclusive collaborative album Heady Fwends – amongst whom Erykah Badu no longer counts herself – will be getting a wide release June 26, The Lips are also planning a proper (?) studio album for release later this year.
Video: The Flaming Lips – “Fight Test”

Revolver @ The Gladstone, 10PM – A relatively late addition to the fest, the French pop outfit known for multi-part harmonies and cellos will be showing off their latest album Let Go, released back in March. The schedule also has them on at 1AM at The Painted Lady that same night, though it’s in conflict with another band’s set so…
MP3: Revolver – “Get Around Town”

The Lumineers @ The Horseshoe, 11PM – Denver-based trio whose self-titled debut has made them one of the alt.country/folk/roots stories of the year. The Horseshoe is kind of the perfect place for them.
Video: The Lumineers – “Ho Hey”

Limblifter @ The El Mocambo, 12AM – It’s not a festival without some kind of ’90s reunion; this year it’s Limblifter, which is several steps up from last year’s Rusty. Yes it is. Spinner talks to Ryan Dahle about getting the old band out of mothballs.
Video: Limblifter – “Tinfoil”

Bleached @ The Silver Dollar, 1AM – The three-night, garage-rock Silver Dollar residency is kind of a NXNE/CMF fixture now, and this year that honour goes to California’s Clavin sisters in Bleached. In addition to the Silver Dollar dates – the Thursday and Friday shows are at midnight, as opposed the 1AM slot on Saturday – they’re playing the Bruise Cruise the afternoon of the 16th, bringing the rock to the Toronto harbour.
Video: Bleached – “Think Of You”

Sunday, June 17
Raekwon & Ghostface Killah @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 9PM – Things are mostly wound down on Sunday but the traditional hip-hopping of the Yonge-Dundas mainstage continues with a little Wu-Tang flavour; Raekwon the Chef recently relocated to Toronto so there’s a hometown angle to this one as well.
Video: Raekwon featuring Ghostface Killah – “New Wu”

That’s just a handful – okay, a couple handfuls – of recommendations for the week; there’s certainly more to see and for more tips, check out these festival minisites at Spinner and NOW and the feature pieces at The Grid, The AV Club, BlogTO, and Hype Machine.

As for what I was saying earlier about how NXNE is faring as a festival, the fact that there’s many more day shows than even last year, which had more than the year before that, is an encouraging trend. We’re not yet seeing conventional venues opening up during the day, but the number of in-stores, parties in unconventional spaces, and just more stuff going on during the day before the official programme starts up – it’s all very encouraging and while those who seek to compare NXNE to its similarly-acronymed Texan cousin will still find it pales in comparison, it’s getting pretty damn good up here; all we need is a better infrastructure for tracking and disseminating information about them. There’s a list of officially-endorsed/recognized day shows at NXNE.com and BlogTO has rounded up some more events. And Unofficial NXNE is also good.

And if I’m allowed a bit of self-promotion, I’m one of the photographers with some work on display at the #Hashtag Gallery this week for Live @ NXNE, a photographic exhibition of NXNE artists, past and present. The exhibition runs till June 27 but the opening party thing is Tuesday night at 7PM. Drop by, have a look. If you like.

And remember – particularly if you’re planning on getting around via transit or taxi or otherwise street-bound vehicle, College St. is closed Friday and Saturday nights from Bathurst to Shaw for Taste Of Little Italy and Queen St. W is closed between Beverley and McCaul on Friday and Saturday nights to set up for the MMVAs.