New Video: Caribou - Odessa

Via Roundletters:

CARIBOU - Odessa from Caribou on Vimeo.

The new album from Caribou will arrive on April 20 you can grab a free download of Odessa here right now though if you're willing to give up an email address.

Canadian tour dates haven't been announced yet but some European ones have, so if you happen to be in Europe in April you might want to go to:

19 Apr Deaf Institute Manchester
20 Apr Corsica Studios London London
21 Apr Paradiso (Upstairs) Amsterdam
22 Apr Beursschouwburg Brussels
23 Apr Le Point Ephemere Paris
24 Apr Le Romandie Lausanne, Waadt
25 Apr Palace St. Gallen, St-Gall
26 Apr Magnolia Milano
27 Apr Feierwerk Muchen
28 Apr Berghain Berlin, Berlin
29 Apr Prinzenbar Hamburg
30 Apr Pop Revo Festival Århus
1 May Hornstull Strand Stockholm

New Covers EP from Dog Is Blue for the Daily Bread Food Bank

Toronto's Dog Is Blue who came out of nowhere last year to finish in the top 40 on our Shadow Polaris Long List with the album "Makes Ghost Noises" is back with a new EP "Hot Air Balloons (and Submarines)" featuring covers of friends and influencers to benefit the Daily Bread Food Bank. The 5 song EP features

01. Dog Is Blue - Hot Air Balloons (and Submarines)
02. Dog Is Blue - Song Written Upon Getting Cut By the Argos (a CFL Sessions Cover)
03. Dog Is Blue - Blankets and Bones (a Jenny Omnichord Cover)
04. Dog Is Blue - It Happens in Florida (a Burning Hell Cover)
05. Dog Is Blue - Hot Air Balloons (Gorf Remix)

It can be yours exclusively on Zunior for just $2.22!

Click Here and Get it Now.

Hot Panda heads back to the studio

Edmonton's Hot Panda is gearing up to head back to the studio. It's a little different now than it was when they recorded their full length debut Volcano...Bloody Volcano. In November bassist Keith Olsen departed citing life and tour fatigue and has been replaced by Catherine Hiltz (of Illfit Outfit and Blind Tiger, Tiger).

In an interview with Vue Weekly singer guitarist Chris Connelly says:

""With this new lineup we're writing a lot more," he says. "I was a little worried at first because we knew we were going to record this winter and we'd just got a new member, but we've been writing tons of stuff."

...

"I think our last record, because we were paying for it out of our own pocket, we had everything really tightly figured out before we went into the studio," he recalls. "This time we're making a conscious effort to keep it kind of loose so there still can be a bit of a jammy feel to it where you can capture some of that creative spark that happens when you have ideas."

A little bird at Mint Records (the band's label) told me that the new stuff is even better than what was on the first album. So if you love them, prepare to love them more. (Full disclosure, I manage the bands website and do stuff for Mint from time to time - I haven't heard the new stuff though.)

Hot Panda also has some dates coming up, including visits to SXSW and Canadian Music Week, so if you want an early preview of what might be on their sophmore album go to:

Feb. 14 in Edmonton at The Pawn Shop w/Rah Rah and Sans AIDS
March 12 in Vancouver @ the HIVE (paralympics event)
March 13- CMW, Toronto, Lee's Palace w/ Electric Six
March 18- SXSW, Austin, Mint/Six Shooter Hootenany w/ Shout out Out Out Out, The Pack A.D., etc
March 19- SXSW, Austin @ Jaime's Spanish Villa

Weakerthans Live CD/DVD coming in March

According to the Weakerthans their new DVD-CD “Live at the Burton Cummings Theater” is coming on March 23rd.

"The live DVD was recorded in April of 2009 as the band toured in support of their album “Reunion Tour” with an expanded line-up featuring trumpet, violin and female vocals, playing songs from all four acclaimed releases in front of an adoring and enthusiastic hometown crowd.

The DVD-CD’s artwork is a painting by bassist Greg Smith, one of several pieces inspired while on the April tour. From the songs to the live performance to the visual presentation, all in all, the DVD-CD captures moments in time. A musical experience shared by a band and thier fans."

The Weakerthans - Our Retired Explorer (Live in Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Joel Plaskett announces Thrush Hermit box set, new two song 7" and more

Via Joel's Blog: Joel Plaskett has announced the upcoming release of a Thrush Hermit box set on his label New Scotland Records. The box set will include everything Thrush Hermit ever recorded including things that have never seen the light of day before and a DVD with documentary footage and more. Plaskett says he hopes to have it ready in time for Thrush Hermit's reunion tour in March:

"Disc 1- Clayton Park
Disc 2- Sweet Homewrecker
Disc 3- Smart Bomb and The Great Pacific Ocean
Disc 4 – All Technology Aside – 22 songs – outtakes, b-sides and unreleased
Disc 5 – Hits and Giggles – 23 songs – early singles, eps and unreleased tracks
Disc 6 – Embarrass Ourselves Awake – hodge podge of really early material from Nabisco Fonzie, The Hoods, The Hermit and The Tim Robbins
Experience. Truly embarrassing stuff to keep you awake on long drives
Disc 7 – DVD consisting of Learn to Party documentary (1999) and lots of extra never before seen footage from 1990- 1999
Will also include a 24 page booklet with lots of photos and liner notes written by Rob Benvie."

Additionally Joel will be releasing a two song 7" that he recorded with Jeremy Fisher sometime in the spring.

New Scotland will also be releasing a new album by David Myles on April 20th that Plaskett produced and an album by Steve Poltz that Plaskett played drums and bass on.

New Pack A.D. coming April 27

Photo by Mark Maryanovich

Vancouver's throw back blues rocking constantly touring (283 shows in 2008/9) duo the Pack A.D. will release their follow up to their sophomore Funeral Mixtape on April 27. Album three We Kill Computers was recorded live off the floor to analog tape by Jesse Gardner (Japandroids, Bison b.c.) and mastered by Jim Diamond (Dirtbombs, Detroit Cobras).

As a long time fan of the band it's really exciting news - the Pack has always been one of those bands where the recorded albums can't seem to capture the full effect of the live show. Recorded off the floor sounds like a huge step forward!

The track for We Kill Computers goes

1. Deer
2. Everyone Looks Like Everyone
3. Crazy
4. 1880
5. Math, the stars
6. Big Anvil
7. Cobra Matte
8. B.C. is on Fire
9. They Know Me
10. K Stomp
11. Catch
12. The Slow Down
13. The Last Martian

New Caribou coming in April

Chartattack has gotten their hands on the track listing for the new Caribou album Swim which is due out on April 20. It's going to go alot like

"Odessa"
"Sun"
"Kaili"
"Found Out"
"Bowls"
"Leave House"
"Hannibal"
"Lalibela"
"Jamelia"

According to Chart the follow up to Dan Snaith's Andorra (which took the Polaris Music Prize in 08) is "dancier and similar to Andorra's 'Niobe'."

"Niobe" by Caribou. (by Shem Fleenor)
this is a fan vid. not an official one

New Poronographers Finish New Album (Release on May 4)

On their Myspace the New Pornographers have announced that the follow up to 2007's Challengers is finished and scheduled for release on May 4. Details at this point are sketchy all it says is:

"It's true, it's finally finished and will be in your headphones soon enough. In the mean time you can use you eyes to check out how it was made in the photo section at
http://thenewpornographers.com"

Even without the details though - it's gonna be a nice spring!

The New Pornographers - Mutiny, I Promise You

the Superfantastics recording with Rick White at the Elder Schoolhouse

the Superfantastics report that they are recording a brand new album with none other than Rick White in none other than the Elder Schoolhouse. If the previous work of the Superfantastics, Rick White, and the Elder Schoolhouse are any indication - it will be amazing.

New Albums Today - January 12, 2009

Just a reminder to anyone/everyone who might be looking for some new music. There are new albums out today from

Our 'Spotlight Artist' for this week - Kate Maki - Two Song Wedding as well as Owen Pallett ( Heartland ), Woodpigeon ( Die Stadt Musikanten ), and The Paperbacks ( Lit From Within ) that should give your ears something to do until next week when Leif Vollebekk, We Are the City, the Pinecones and others will vie for their attention!

Kate Maki - To Please (which is not on the new album)

Plants and Animals Announce April 20 Release of 'La La Land'

Plants and Animals, probably the most talked about Montreal band since Arcade Fire, have announced the release of their second full length La La Land on April 20. Also "A North American tour kicks off with a show at La Tulipe in Montreal on April 22". For a sample check out the tune Tom Cruise at myspace.com/plantsandanimals.

Dates for the promised tour haven't been announced but you can catch them soonish at

Jan. 23 Paris, France @ La Fleche D'Or
Jan. 26 Cannes, France @ Morrison's Lounge (MIDEM 2010)
Jan. 28 Halifax, NS @ The Paragon Theatre
Jan. 29 Moncton, NB @ L'Osmose at University De Moncton
Jan. 30 Fredericton, NB @ The Capital Complex
March 17-21 Austin, TX @ South By Southwest Music Festival
April 22 Montreal, QC @ Cabaret La Tulipe

Hey Rosetta! Release Limited Edition Vinyl (also on iTunes)

Hey Rosetta! have released a limited edition 7" on transparent red vinyl in a hand screened sleeve. The single contains Red Song and Tim Bakker's arrangement of the traditional folk song “Who is at My Window Weeping (The Silver Dagger)”.

You can get it here with the digital downloads or, if you're not into the vinyl you can grab the songs on iTunes!

New Pinecones (Brent Randall) Video - Sage

A new video from the title track from the Pinecones (formerly Brent Randall and the Pinecones) new album 'Sage' due January 19 (Myspace)!




Catch the Pinecones at:
20 Jan 2010 20:00
Baba’s w/ BA JOHSNTON Charlottetown, Prince Edward
21 Jan 2010 22:00
Stereophonic Fest w/ BA JOHNSTON Sackivlle, New Brunswick
22 Jan 2010 22:00
Gus Pub/ Just Friends Fest / CD Release Halifax, Nova Scotia
5 Feb 2010 22:00
Magpie w/ JAILBREAK Toronto, Ontario
5 Mar 2010 22:00
The Garrison No Shame w/ Language Arts/Allie Hughes Toronto, Ontario

Charlottetown: Smothered In Hugs Customer Appreciation Night

Smothered in Hugs (smotheredinhugs.com) have a new 4 song EP but you can't buy it. The band is giving it away for free to anyone and everyone who attends their Customer Appreciation CD launch with special guests English Words (and 'Other Surprises').

Show is Friday, January 15, 2010 at Hunter's Ale House (185 Kent Street Charlottetown)
Facebook Event Page is Here

Smothered in Hugs - I Wanna Be Sedated (The Ramones cover)

Amanda Ash Interviews Basia Bulat about New Album

Amanda Ash who is working on the Canadian Music Wiki for Radio 3 has an interview up with Basia Bulat on her exceelent blog the Indie Files. Basia talks about her new album Heart of My Own which is due out on January 26.

Visit http://theindiefiles.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/basia-bulat-discusses-her-new-record-heart-of-my-own/ to listen.

One Hundred Dollars Drops New 7" Jan 22

Toronto's One Hundred Dollars (Myspace, CBC Radio 3) came a long way last year when 2008's Forest of Tears was long listed for the 2009 polaris prize. The band (which is made up of large parts of ex-Jon Rae and the River people) is now getting ready to drop a new 7", My Father's House on January 22 at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto tickets are available at Soundscapes, Rotate This and the Horseshoe. Helping them celebrate will be the Lonesome Ace String Band and the critically acclaimed "Special Guests".

$100 - live at Elder Schoolhouse

Forest City Lovers Ontario Dates to Warm Up for SXSW / New Album

Forest City Lovers have just announced a handful of Ontario dates. If you've been following them on Twitter (@ForestCityLovrs ) you know they've been madly recording. You'll also notice that they ( like half of the Canadian musicians you've ever heard of ) are going to be at SXSW in Austin this March. So, although I haven't done any interviewing or received any confirmation - I'm betting that these Ontario dates are to hone the new material ahead of SXSW and that, although no date has been announced, they are hoping to have a new CD to sell down in Texas.

Catch them at:

20 Jan 2010 the Ebar w/ Evening Hymns Guelph, Ontario
21 Jan 2010 The Grist Mill w/ Evening Hymns Waterloo, Ontario
22 Jan 2010 The Garrison Toronto, Ontario
24 Jan 2010 The Ship w/ Steve McKay Hamilton, Ontario
13 Feb 2010 The Trinity Sarnia, Ontario
17 Mar 2010 SXSW Austin, Texas
18 Mar 2010 SXSW Austin, Texas

Forest City Lovers - Don't Go, Please

New Pinecones (Brent Randall) album 'Sage'

photo by Mat Dunlap
"Brent Randall and his Pinecones" is apparently now just the Pinecones and their new album Sage is coming on January 19, on Just Friends (cd, itunes). According to Myspace "It's a groovy basment psych album with 16 zappy lil' numbers.". 2010 is shaping up to be a great year for music. Stay tuned.

New Video: We Are The City - "Astronomers"

PEAK Performance Project Finalists, We Are The City's video for "Astronomers", the band's debut album In a Quiet World will be released on Jan. 19, 2010.

Spotlight: Lisa Bozikovic

If you've been paying attention to Canadian music you know that nothing bad ever came out of the Friends in Bellwoods family / scene / collective / street gang ... whatever. Lisa Bozikovic is certainly no exception. A full review of the album is still in the works but for the time being check out Now Magazine:

"The record has a gloomy seriousness to it that those who appreciate melancholy ballads will love. Her huge roster of local musicians makes for pleasing tonal variety, but her vision is so strong that it always sounds like her. At times it’s tempting to lump her in with the rest of the indie folk brigade, but then she’ll launch into an intricate jazz pop groove, proving she’s in a class of her own."

and Eye Weekly:

"...emulates the softened blows of Natalie Merchant and Aimee Mann, telling artfully arranged stories of urban renewal. Often centred on doomed relationships — themes of remorse and yearning are powerfully rendered through Bozikovic’s odd voice, an octave lower with a toothier teasing than most conventional T.O. folkies. All the songs are gorgeous, yet a few are real showstoppers..."

Or just have a listen for yourself. You can grab Lisa's new album Lost August on Zunior for $8.88. You can also expect to hear a bunch from Lisa on NxEW's mixtape podcast in 2010.

Lisa Bozikovic- Grey Sky live at the Music Gallery
Lost August CD Release at the Music Gallery with Mike Smith of Muskox, members of Ohbijou and more

Have a listen to the Great Lake Swimmers Song Sung Blue EP

Via Myspace and Deadbolt.com - the entire Great Lake Swimmer's Song Sung Blue EP (streaming only - you can buy it on Dec. 22).

on edit: although Song Sung Blue isn't officially out until next week you can get the digital version on Zunior right now for $6.66!

Halifax + Fredricton: Make Your Holidays Superfantastic

If you live in Halifax or Fredricton you're in luck the amazingly spectacular Superfantastics are releasing a limited run of their new EP 'Holiday Special' only at their Holiday Shows:

December 17 at Gus' Pub in Halifax
December 18 at the Capital in Fredricton, New Brunswick
Facebook Event Page is Here

Joining them will be more superfantastical people - Jenocide and Jon McKiel - great music, and a chance to grab an EP that the rest of the country can't have (at least not yet).

Now I know that you're planning on doing your Xmas shopping on those days, but you aren't really going to. You'll just end up procrastinating some more - so, go to the show, have a few drinks and grab the new Superfantastics EP for all of your friends and family. It will be the best holiday shopping experience of your life!

Great Lake Swimmers - Song Sung Blue EP Dec. 22 (and a preview)

Via Myspace, the Great Lake Swimmers will release 'Song Sung Blue' EP on December 22 but if you're subscribed to the GLS email list you're going to be getting a free preview in the form of the title track (Song Sung Blue). I just felt the need to give you a heads up so you could save a little of that Xmas money for the new EP and so you can get on that mailing list if you're not already!

Click Here to Do That!

Jill Barber Live in Montreal on iTunes

Another live recording from iTunes, this time it's Jill Barber sadly there doesn't seem to be any information on iTunes or on Barber's site about when and where in Montreal this was recorded only Live in Montreal but it is Jill Barber and it contains:

Chances
Be My Man
Wishing Well
Never Quit Loving You
Measures & Scales
Old Flame
Oh My My
Leaving You
One More Time

You can get it at http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/itunes-live-from-montreal/id339320483!

Old Flame (live in Adelaide, SA)

Never Say Never: The Return of Martha and the Muffins

After an 18 year hiatus Martha and the Muffins are returning with their first full length album in 18 years. That means that this years high school graduates were just sonogram pictures when the last album was released.

The band originally formed in 1977 at Ontario College of Art where several of the members were students and topped the charts around the world with "Echo Beach" in 1980. (Performed here at Ontario College of Art in 1978)



In total the band released 8 albums between 1979 and 1992 then Martha Johnson and Mark Gane spent much of the 90s in the much more lucrative and less travel intensive world of scoring for music and television. Most people would have thought that was it, most people wouldn't have actually thought there was a possibility of that being anything but it but on February 2nd, 2010 Martha and the Muffins are returning with Delicate:

"“Making Delicate was like a TV reality show: love, hate, sex, death and disease, it was all happening at once. If the music hadn't been good, I would've been totally lost", says Mark Gane. Summing up, Martha Johnson concludes, "Delicate is so personal I feel like my skin is transparent and I've invited the whole world into my head."

Martha and the Muffins - Mess

New Matthew Barber in February

Chart is reporting that Matthew Barber, who is currently in Montreal performing in the musical Haunted Hillbilly has completed his next album. The follow up to Ghost Notes titled True Believer was produced by Howie Beck (Broken Social Scene, Hayden) and will be released in February, though an exact date hasn't been confirmed.

Canadian Artists Cover Charlie Brown Christmas for Daily Bread Food Bank

Zunior.com has a new holiday album to benefeit Daily Bread Food Bank and this one features all of Vince Guaraldi's songs from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" performed by some of your favorite Canadian artists from Don Kerr, Wayne Pettie and the Awkward Stage to Jill Barber, the Violet Archers, Ruth Minnikin and Construction and Destruction. You can get it in MP3 format or CD-Quality Lossless Flac (for a few dollars more) exclusively at Zunior.

The full track list goes:

01. Don Kerr, Kevin Lacroix and Dave Wall
O Tennenbaum
02. Wayne Petti What Child Is This 

03. Nick Zubeck My Little Drum 

04. Dave Merritt and The Quiet Revolution Linus and Lucy 

05. Jason Kenemy and Dave Clark Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental)
06. The Awkward Stage Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) 

07. Mike O'Neill Skating

08. The Violet Archers featuring Ruedi, Sadie and Oliver Hark, The Herald Angels Sing

09. Ben Gunning Christmas Is Coming 

10. Ruth Minnikin Fur Elise

11. Jill Barber The Christmas Song 

12. Construction and Destruction Greensleeves

Bloodshot and Blistered: Preview of the new Kate Maki

Kate Maki's new album Two Song Wedding is coming in January but I found this video, that isn't really a video with a song from the new album for those of us who hate waiting!

Woodhands New Album Remorsecapade January 26

The follow up to Woodhands mega-hit Heart Attack is due to be born on January 26. It was also announced that the release will be followed by a serious tour - though no dates are available yet and the the video for the first single "CP24" "over the next couple of weeks." All I can really tell you is that the track list is going to go

1. Pockets
2. Talk
3. CP24
4. Sluts
5. Coolchazine
6. I Should Have Gone With My Friends
7. Dissembler
8. When The Party Is Over
9. I Want To Be Together
10. How To Survive A Remorsecapade (Outro)

New Sarah Harmer in the Works

The last we heard from Sarah Harmer (other than her continual, work for charity and the enviornment) was 2005's I'm a Mountain and it can be easy, when it's been nearly five years, to forget about just how completely amazing some artists are. According to Julie Fader though there is new stuff being worked on:


Exciting! Just in case any of you have forgotten how great Sarah is:

Don't Get Your Back Up



Weakened State



Basement Apartment



Uniform Grey (Mariposa 2008)

New Arcade Fire in the Spring (via Chartattack)

Via Chartattack!. Apparently Arcade Fire is getting ready to launch a new album in the spring:

"Billboard.com now reports that the band have nearly finished recording the as-yet-untitled disc, and that it's expected in stores in May. They are also reportedly releasing a single earlier in 2010, which means Arcade Fire-starved fans might be satiated sooner rather than later."

Full story here.

Thanks to Where the Wild Things Are even people who don't follow music at all now have an inkling about Arcade Fire and they are poised to go from huge to really disgustingly huge (but disgustingly in a - still can't help loving them sorta way.)

Jenocide Delivers Electronic Girl Power and Machines to Make Us Wet on Dec. 9

If you've been reading this blog or listening to CBC Radio 3 for awhile, you may remember the Women in Music audio doc and pod-cast from August (which inspired the ladysound.org blog. Halifax's Jenocide (Jen Clarke - ex Wimdom Earle, HOTSHOTROBOT) would fit in well on either. She has been writing songs based on her experiences as a female musician and will drop Machine to Make Us Wet an album of upbeat electro dance music with themes geared towards women’s empowerment. 

I haven't caught one of her live shows yet, but they sound promising. According to Clarke: "“I try to be spontaneous and create a spectacle for the crowd to accompany my music. This often ends in comedic and unexpected hijinks, because I'm kind of a clutz."

Check out the tracks
junglefk (I want it) (mp3)
28 Mansions (mp3)

And watch for Jenocide on tour and Machines to Make Us Wet on December 9!

Jenocide @ The Paragon, July 10th | 2009