Since the release of Versicolour earlier this year (which I loved), to say Aidan Knight has been on a hot streak is kind of an understatement. He's been constantly touring, even a part of the Malahat Revue. Won $5,000 (and the hearts of listeners everywhere) from The Peak and Music BC in the Peak Performance Project. And Is currently in the running for a pair CBC Radio 3 Bucky Awards; Most Canadian Song for "Jasper" and Best New Artist (which you can vote for here, until the 28th).
Not one to let that momentum run out, he will be releasing a new EP, Friendly Fires, on November 30 from Adventure Boys Club. Here is the title track from the two song recording for your listening pleasure.
If you don't at least know the name Nick Cave, then you have made some questionable music choices with your life. Best known as fronting Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Cave has been making [excellent] music since the early 70s. A couple years ago, he and fellow Bad Seeds Warren Ellis (not the author), Martyn Casey & Jim Sclavunos formed the side project Grindermanas a more chaotic and garage-y outlet for their creativity. Now they are back for a second album, appropriately titled Grinderman 2, which Ellis described as "like stoner rock meets Sly Stone via Amon Düül", "very diverse", and "psychedelic." But I'll tell you what; how 'bout you have a listen for yourself. Below is the first single, "Heathen Child".
Haven't really done this in a while, so here is another instalment of my song(s) of the weekmonth "whenever I feel like it" segment! These are three new songs which strike me and I just feel like sharing, so enjoy!
Nova Scotia'sThe Tom Fun Orchestra is back with a follow up to their debut full length, 2008's criminally underrated You Will Land With A Thud. While there doesn't seem to be any details on the album itself, the band has released a single to tide us over, entitled "Miles Davis". The song is a six minute ride through the bands style of a mish-mash folk, roots, blues, rock and punk, combined with the lead singers Tom Waits-isn rasp. You'd think something like that would end up a mess, especially with a nine member band of varying instruments, but they pull it together into a incredibly unique -- not to mention catchy -- sound. They're a hard band to describe, so you'll just have to listen to the track to see hear for yourself. If the upcoming album is even half as good as this track, we're in for a doozy. They are also phenomenal live, and are about to kick off a tour. Here are the dates, and they'll be here in Vancouver August 12, so if you have the chance to see them... do it!
The awesomely named Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin has released the second song from their upcoming album, Let It Sway. Their third album, which was produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie, is to be released August 17th. "Banned (By The Man)" is a high energy and joyous track that just begs to be sung-along to. Stereogum calls it "probably the most precious pop song ever to be called "Banned (By The Man)"." So sure, let's go with that!
Last but not least, another east coast, Nova Scotian rocker, Matt Mays. I swear, there are so many amazing artists who have come out of Nova Scotia... Whatever the case, Mays has alternately released albums under just his own name, and him and his backing band, El Torpedo. Well, now that the band has split, I assume Mays will just be continuing on under his own name. Recently, he recorded a song for radio station Q104 called "Queen of Portland Street" (though it was apparently previously titled "Hurricanes"). The song is immediately recognizable as a Matt Mays tune, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as it is a pretty damn good song.
When I heard the news that Sigur Rós -- one of my four favourite bands -- was going on a hiatus, I was crestfallen. But then later that same day (perhaps it was even the same article) I heard that lead singer Jón Þór Birgisson, aka Jónsi, was going to be doing a solo album I perked up a little. Even though I was mildly disappointed by the Riceboy Sleeps album by Jónsi & Alex (Alex being Alex Somers, Jónsi's partner and founding member of the band Parachutes), I was still excited by this prospect. Surrounding himself with some excellent musicians, including the aforementioned Somers, Jónsi does something quite unique: while the vast majority of Sigur Rós songs are in either Icelandic or Hopelandic (save one song on their last album), all but two (and a half) on this album are sung in English.
"Go Do" starts out a little twitchy and a little low key, but then slowly builds up to a grand start for the album, before "Animal Arithmetic" absolutely explodes with unbridled joy; it is impossible to hear this song and not have a huge grin on your face. "Tornado" very much lives up to its name, as it starts very soft and gradually builds into a swirling cacophony of sound and noise, with the chaos actually evoking the feeling of a storm. "Boy Lilikoi" picks up the energy again, and is fantastic example of Nico Muhly's absolutely beautiful string, brass, and woodwind arrangements, which grace the whole album. The piano-heavy and atmospheric "Sinking Friendships" is heartbreakingly gorgeous and leads perfectly into the string heavy and soaring "Kolniður", which is one songs sung in his native Icelandic. "Around Us" is another undeniably optimistic song which, both musically and lyrically, is the opposite side of the coin as "Grow till Tall", the climax of the album. While the former proclaims "We all want to grow with the seeds we will sow / We all want to go with the breeze we will blow / We all want to know when we're all meant to go / To a place you and I..." the latter counters with "You'll know, when's time to go on / You'll really want to grow and grow till tall / They all, in the end, will fall" Starting off very calm, "Grow Till Tall" builds in intensity and gradually adds instruments until the whole things washes over you, before abruptly ending in a fuzz. Finally, the album is brought to a close with the tender "Hengilás", a perfect denouement to end the album.
The album, on the whole, seems to be much more upbeat than the average Sigur Rós album, and even the slower songs seem to still be bursting with beauty. It is a phenomenal album that is as joyous as it is unique, and I have a hard time imagining another album will come along and surpass it as my favourite of the year.
Yes, yes, yes. I had heard rumblings of a new album from my favourite francophone band, Karkwa, but it was only today I found out it would be released so soon. Les Chemins De Verre will be released March 30 (yes, next week!) and their website has what I assume is the first single up. So here is the title track for your listening pleasure. And I do mean pleasure.
Cripes, May 4th is going to be a great day. As mentioned a couple days ago, you have the new Broken Social Scene album. But also? The brand new The New Ponographers album! Entitled Together, the first single from it was released today. So here is "Your Hands (Together)"
Hooray! This has been a long time coming: the awesome first single from the brand new Broken Social Scene album! The album is entitled Forgiveness Rock Record and will be out on May 4th.
When I heard the other day that Sigur Róswas on indefinite hiatus, I was more than a little devastated. But then I noticed something that cushioned the blow a little. Lead singer Jónsiis coming out with his own solo album. Go will be available April 5th, and the first single Boy Lilikoi is simply amazing. Check his page for full tour dates, but he'll be in Vancouver on April 6th & 7th at the Vogue.
If you don't at least know the name Nick Cave, then you have made some questionable music choices with your life. Best known as fronting Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Cave has been making [excellent] music since the early 70s. A couple years ago, he and fellow Bad Seeds Warren Ellis (not the author), Martyn Casey & Jim Sclavunos formed the side project Grinderman as a more chaotic and garage-y outlet for their creativity. Now they are back for a second album, appropriately titled Grinderman 2, which Ellis described as "like stoner rock meets Sly Stone via Amon Düül", "very diverse", and "psychedelic." But I'll tell you what; how 'bout you have a listen for yourself. Below is the first single, "Heathen Child". 
When I heard the news that Sigur Rós -- one of my four favourite bands -- was going on a hiatus, I was crestfallen. But then later that same day (perhaps it was even the same article) I heard that lead singer Jón Þór Birgisson, aka Jónsi, was going to be doing a solo album I perked up a little. Even though I was mildly disappointed by the Riceboy Sleeps album by Jónsi & Alex (Alex being Alex Somers, Jónsi's partner and founding member of the band Parachutes), I was still excited by this prospect. Surrounding himself with some excellent musicians, including the aforementioned Somers, Jónsi does something quite unique: while the vast majority of Sigur Rós songs are in either Icelandic or Hopelandic (save one song on their last album), all but two (and a half) on this album are sung in English.
Yes, yes, yes. I had heard rumblings of a new album from my favourite francophone band, Karkwa, but it was only today I found out it would be released so soon. Les Chemins De Verre will be released March 30 (yes, next week!) and their website has what I assume is the first single up. So here is the title track for your listening pleasure. And I do mean pleasure.
Cripes, May 4th is going to be a great day. As mentioned a couple days ago, you have the new Broken Social Scene album. But also? The brand new The New Ponographers album! Entitled Together, the first single from it was released today. So here is "Your Hands (Together)"
Hooray! This has been a long time coming: the awesome first single from the brand new Broken Social Scene album! The album is entitled Forgiveness Rock Record and will be out on May 4th.