May 28, 2010

Wolf Parade, Ale House, Kingston, 6 April 2010

Posted in bootleg, mp3 at 8:55 am by rgsc

photo by Aaron Sadhankar

Hello bootlovers,

I’m going to keep this one pretty short because the music says more than any jibberjabber on my part could. Wolf Parade put on a helluva show (which is probably not news to you). They played Kingston for the first time this April – of course they were in the Kingston-area previously, when they headlined WIMF a couple of years ago, as you may recall. For first show in the city they delivered an hour & a half of fistpumping, shoutitout rocknroll. They gave us a near-perfect set list which included 8 new songs from their forthcoming record Expo 86 (released June 29th). You’ve probably heard the new singles already so you know that their new stuff sounds just as majestic as their old. Take a listen for yourself.

* Dear Sons And Daughters Of Hungry Ghosts
* Ghost Pressure
* What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had To Go This Way)
* Shine A Light
* Kissing the Beehive

Pretty awesome, eh?

Expo 86 is released June 29th. Buy it then; buy older WP releases now.

The band is touring all over the place in support of the new LP, including a bunch of all ages shows. So get yourself out there and see them this summer. Full dates here.

May 28, 2010 Palace (CH), Gallen Switzerland
May 29, 2010 Bad Bonn, Düdingen Switzerland
May 31, 2010 Nouveau Casino, Paris
July 8, 2010 Le National (QC), Montreal
July 9, 2010 Le National (QC), Montreal
July 11, 2010 Port City Music Hall, Portland ME
July 12, 2010 House of Blues (Boston), Boston
July 13, 2010 Terminal Five, New York
July 15, 2010 Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland
July 16, 2010 Southgate House, Newport KY
July 17, 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago
July 18, 2010 First Avenue, Minneapolis
July 19, 2010 Garrick Center, Winnipeg
July 21, 2010 Louis’ Pub, Saskatoon
July 22, 2010 Republik, Calgary
July 23, 2010 Starlight Room, Edmonton
July 25, 2010 Vogue Theatre (BC), Vancouver
July 26, 2010  Showbox (@ the Market), Seattle
July 27, 2010 Crystal Ballroom, Portland OR
July 29, 2010 Catalyst Club Atrium, Santa Cruz CA
July 30, 2010 Fox Theater (OAK), Oakland CA
July 31, 2010  Wiltern, Los Angeles

May 5, 2010

New Mixylodian – “Wild in Church”

Posted in mp3, mumbling at 11:24 am by rgsc

I am a jerk. Ages ago (March 31, 2008, to be exact), Montreal’s Mike Wray of Mixylodian sent me a message with their amazing K ep. I said I would get a post up about it – I even drafted some text – but for some reason I never finished it. I couldn’t find the time or the words or something.

I love the ep. I became an evangelist for it: recommending it to anyone who would listen but never posted about it here. Hopefully I will make up for my previous jerkiness here by telling you all about Mixylodian’s new full length Wild in Church which was just released on May 1st.

The album is filled with astounding imagery and warm synths. The album starts with a stunner called “Make Me” featuring stellar female vocals (I am not sure who sings them – 5 lady vocalists are listed as part of the band on the fbpage) and then settles into a series of glistening pop songs with interspersed of recordings of Wray as a child.

Having fairly gently warmed us up with the first half of the record things really take off in the second half. ” “UFO Road” returns to the breakneck pace found on the amazing K ep and then moves effortlessly into the slinky “The Girl in the Apartment Downstairs”. It is pure gold from there out.

Mixylodian have already had two shows promoting their new album (again I am late…) but will be playing London, ON at EVAC on May 9th and Montreal’s Il Motore on June 4th. Hopefully more dates will be announced in the near future (check their myspace page for more info).

Here are a couple of songs for you:
* Make Me (off “Wild in Chuch” – stream it here)
* Pretty Little Spell (off K ep – stream it here)

Head over to the Mixylodian page to buy the new Wild in Church along with the K ep digitally (no word yet on physical cds). I also recommend you pick up the Mixylodian/Aleks & the Ramps split 7″ which can be bought here.

May 3, 2010

The Luyas, Sydenham St. United Church, Kingston, 2 February 2010

Posted in bootleg, mp3 at 11:00 am by rgsc

photo by SarahBrideau.com from 2008 (in Montreal?)

It has been a while, my friends. My once a week or more posting has been reduced to less than once a month. As the summer with all its rocknroll goodness hits I hope to have time to post again. I thought I’d come out of hibernation with something that seems fitting. Something that makes me open my eyes and shake out the cobwebs.

With the Luyas I cannot remain still or dispassionate. Their vibrancy and urgency makes me perk up and pay attention. Their uniqueness  is startling. They do not paint by numbers. Their layered complex sounds – distorted and feedback filled guitars, frenchhorn, percussion that alternatively tinkles and blasts – as a perfect bedrock for Jesse Stein’s amazing vocals. Prior to seeing the Luyas in February, where they opened for Basia Bulat, I tried to describe the vocals to someone who had not heard the Luyas before. The best I could come up with is “naive but knowing.” On the surface there seems to be an innocence to the vocals, but upon listening, you soon realize that the emotion conveyed can only come from someone with an understanding of complex, intense things.

The Luyas provide an aural experience unlike anything else I have heard. They lead you willingly on a trip into the unknown. And they have literally been taking small audiences by the hand, leading them blindfolded to secret spaces to play (see the description of the Montreal show in McSweeneys and the NYC show from Brooklyn Vegan). I have not been fortunate enough to experience this myself, but listening to the recording below while reading the evocative article on the Montreal show by Sean of StG leaves no doubt in my mind how special these events would be.

The Luyas have a few shows coming up in Ontario and then out east at the end of May starting TOMORROW NIGHT in Brantford at The Ford Plant. I highly  recommend you see them if you have the chance. I don’t think any of these shows will involve blindfolds, but you may just want to close your eyes and allow the Luyas to take you to wonderful places with their music.

For full show dates see their site/space.

4 May 2010 The Ford Plant, Brantford
5 May 2010 Trepid House, Waterloo
6 May 2010 The Drake, Toronto
7 May 2010  raw sugar, Ottawa
23 May 2010 North Street Church, Halifax

Here are a few tracks from the wonderful show in February. Enjoy.

The Luyas, Sydenham St. United Church, Kingston 2 February 2010

* Tiny Head
* Dumb Blood
* Pietro walks (talk)
* “Pietro’s Walk” I Need Mirrors

I understand that they have a new record ready but I have no information about release dates at this time. Until the new one comes, buy (and listen on repeat) the amazing Faker Death – available from Outside (physical) or from Zunior (digital – only $5.55!).