Banks
PAUL BANKS STILL SOUNDS LIKE THE GUY FROM INTERPOL; NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD THING. Story by Adam Steel Full disclosure: while listening to Paul Banks’ new album, I was (legally) burning leaves. As many Fall-enthusiasts and campground aficionados can attest to, even the most pedestrian of tasks can seem downright enchanting when one eye is...
Allah Las
BE SURE TO WEAR FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR Story by Laura Cappe “I remember hangin outside Tower Records on Monday nights waiting for em to reopen so I could buy some new release.” The California based band Allah-Las Tweeted last week. “Sad that don’t happen anymore.” Allah-Las – Miles, Pedrum, Spencer, and Matt – share...
Fine Times
DEBUT ALBUM OUT TODAY Story by Kate Davies Even though they call Vancouver their home base, Fine Times fit right in with the all-American influx of catchy, indie new wave artists like Crystal Stilts, TV On the Radio, and Craft Spells. Their debut self-titled album hits record stores today and is undoubtedly of the “now” genre,...
Breeze
BREEZE DEBUT EP OUT SEPTEMBER 11 Story by Laura Cappe Throughout life you will experience an abundance of change. Whether it be the friends you keep, the clothes you wear, the type of music you listen to, or even the bands you play in. Sometimes you just have to float through it all, dropping in...
Cat Power
CAT POWER TAKES A WALK ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET FOR ALBUM NUMBER NINE Story by Adam Steel A stark drawing of the newly-coiffed Chan Marshall graces the cover of her ninth studio album, emblazoned with a streak of rainbow stretching from top right to bottom left. Metaphorically speaking, it is a perfect...
The Fresh & Onlys
LONG SLOW DANCE OUT TODAY Story by Kate Davies Considered one of the primary contributors to San Francisco’s “new garage rock” scene, The Fresh & Onlys have been praised as a group whose sound encompasses both a catchy and original quality. Formed in 2008 by Tim Cohen of Black Fiction and bassist Shayde Sartin, they...
Wild Nothing
WILD NOTHING MATURES WITH NEW ALBUM Story by Ashley Lewis Wild Nothing‘s second full-length album Nocturne, released today, embodies the definition of it’s title. In the music world, nocturne means: “A short composition of a romantic or dreamy character suggestive of night.” If the lyrics of the songs – which can we please pause for...
Chilly Gonzales
SOLO PIANO II OUT TODAY Story by Laura Cappe Chilly Gonzales is a musician of many dimensions. A man known for his stunning piano compositions, eccentric performances and quirky persona – Jason Charles Beck (aka. Chilly Gonzales) has dabbled in many genres over the past decades. Constantly exploring and adjusting his musical focus, Gonzales has...
Cate Le Bon
NEW ALBUM CYRK II OUT NOW Story by Adam Steel Densely populated with only a handful of stark compositions, CYRK II—technically an EP, and fitting supplement (not sequel) to CYRK, released earlier this year—is a fine mixture of confessional musings and wistful folk-pop songs that billow their way from the smoky throat of Welsh-native Cate...
Ariel Pink
MATURE THEMES ALBUM REVIEW Story by Adam Steel When paying a visit to Ariel Pink’s Wikipedia page (go ahead, I’ll wait), one will discover that the psychedelic music man ‘’currently lives alone.’’ Five minutes into his band’s latest record, it may be easy to understand why. The man cannot seem to make up his mind....
Osheaga 2012
MONTREAL MUSIC FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE Story by Laura Hermiston I took off for Montreal before the break of dawn last Friday and had no idea I was about to have one of the best weekends/festival experiences to date. First off, I have to mention that on my first night in Montreal I saw a...
Elk
DAYDREAMS OUT TODAY The third album released by Toronto-Niagara band Elk, Daydreams, is more than appropriately titled. The minute you start listening to their first single, “Riverview,” your mind will start drifting. Imagine yourself in a crowd of people (probably somewhere outdoors) listening to Elk perform this song – the whole crowd is dancing. Elk...
Bravestation
DEBUT ALBUM REVIEW Story by Laura Cappe Giants and Dreamers – the first full-length release from Toronto boys Bravestation (dropped today) is the perfect summer soundtrack. The mix of ambient rhythms, tropical beats, New Wave styled guitar rifts, and vibrant harmonies is like a sonic long island iced tea – an enjoyable combination of musical ingredients...
Ty Segall
SLAUGHTERHOUSE IS OUR ALBUM PICK OF THE WEEK The ambitious Ty Segall, who earlier this year promised three separate LPs for 2012, has so far made good on his word. His second effort, Slaughterhouse, follows in the footsteps of last month’s Hair with White Fence, and features—you guessed it, his touring band, for eleven tracks...
NXNE 2012 Wrap Up
NO PAIN NO GAIN Story by Laura Hermiston Video by Olenka Szysmonski My NXNE 2012 experience consisted of in total sixteen hours of sleep, eleven bands, three DJ sets, and two bruised knees. The week long festival features both local and international band showcases at venues in downtown Toronto. With my NXNE badge I was able...
NXNE Weekend Review
OUR WEEKEND WARRIORS NXNE WRAP UP Story by Adam Steel After a much needed spell of recuperation, Day 4 was all about the excess. Upon receiving word that Queens rapper Action Bronson was to take the stage at Drake Underground for a jam-packed midnight set, I made a sharp beeline to the west side hotspot...
NXNE Day Two Show Reviews
SO MUCH TO DO AND SO LITTLE TIME White Rabbits at the Mod Club & Hooded Fang at the Horseshoe Story by Laura Cappe Photos by Evan Cappe and Laura Cappe Day 2 of NXNE was a series of misadventures, missed shows, a deafening of the eardrums and a few unexpected hellos. I had mapped...
NXNE Day One Show Reviews
ETERNAL SUMMERS AT THE DRAKE UNDERGROUND Review by Laura Cappe Photos by Evan Cappe At first glance Eternal Summers is a bit of a mystery. The Virginia trio – consisting of two grungy male garage rockers (sporting wolf print t-shirts and long dark hair) and their female lead in a prim skirt and blouse –...
Mystery Jets
FOURTH ALBUM RADLANDS OUT TODAY Story by Kate Davies Shortly before the release of their fourth album, Radlands, English four-piece Mystery Jets announced that bassist Kai Fish would be leaving the band. Not only was this heavy news dropped right before a CD release, but also just before the group’s scheduled UK-wide tour. Nevertheless,...
Japandroids
JAPANDROIDS LONG AWAITED RELEASE CELEBRATION ROCK OUT TODAY Story by Laura Cappe Photo provided by Japandroids The house is bustling, overflowing with people. The keg is being tapped frequently, keeping bodies warm and buzzed. Boys and girls are dancing, tingling with high school lust. Everything seems to be going just peachy… Then suddenly you wake...
JP Hoe
JP HOE RELEASES FIFTH ALBUM MANNEQUIN Story by Kate Davies Photo by Robert Huynh Although you may not know his name as of yet, JP Hoe has already cranked out four albums to date, releasing his fifth on May 15th. Evidently inspired by the likes of David Gray and Ryan Adams, Hoe nevertheless...
Best Coast Sophomore Album
NEW BEST COAST ALBUM AVAILABLE IN CANADA TODAY Story by Laura Cappe Photo by David Black Like every twenty-something, Bethany Cosentino is just trying to figure it all out. With Best Coast’s sunshine fuzzy debut album “Crazy For You”, Cosentino penned raw, quirky anthems about unrequited love, heartbreak and her cat Snacks that made you...
Hot Kid
HOT KID ARE GROWING UP Story by Kate Davies Photo provided by Hot Kid Originally from Cambridge, Ontario, this two-piece indie rock group has been steadily churning out albums since 2005. Having already produced five releases, the band is now based in Toronto and set to issue a string of EP’s over the summer. The...
Eight and a Half Private Show Photos and Interview
INTIMATE SHOW AT 109 OZ WITH EIGHT AND A HALF Story by Andrew Weir Photos by Andrew Weir Plaid told you earlier this week that Eight and a Half were playing at a private show at 109 OZ brought to you by Reserve Properties. Hundreds of people RSVP’d to check out the new condo development...
The Deep Dark Woods
BEAUTY UNCOVERED AT THEIR SHOW LAST FRIDAY Story by Kate Davies The Deep Dark Woods’ Ryan Boldt has always appreciated the growing base of young fans his group has garnered over their seven years of existence, but he claims that “when somebody who’s actually lived a little likes you, then you know you’re...
CMW 2012 Wrap-up
OUR FAVES FROM THE CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK SHOWCASE Story by Kate Davies Photo by Tim Georgeson Best Canadian Group: Half Moon Run Being widely buzzed about has the potential to be either a blessing or a curse, as we have all seen from Lana Del Rey’s infamous Saturday Night Live performance earlier this...
Love From Afar
21ST CENTURY COMPOSITION FLOURISHES IN ALL CANADIAN PRODUCTION Story by Odessa Paloma Parker Photo by Michael Cooper Some may associate only murder, action and intrigue with opera, but sometimes there’s a more subtle tale to tell. In Kaija Saariaho’s Love from Afar, two people share their story of obsession and the idealization of one another,...
