FREE EP from Novels

(Photo Credit: Marshall Angus)

And who is Novels, you ask? This new supergroup in Canadian music consists of Graham Wright of Tokyo Police Club, Luke Lalonde of Born Ruffians, Will Currie of Will Currie & The Country French, Dean Marino of Ex~po and Jason Sadlowski of Jay Sad.

From their website:

Hello.

In January of 2009, five of us locked ourselves away in Chemical Sound Studios in Toronto with the goal of writing, arranging, and recording an EP from scratch in one marathon session.  When we stumbled out the door in the wee hours of the next morning, we found ourselves with what we're now calling NOVELS.

NOVELS won't be sold in CD stores, on the internet, or anywhere else.  Instead, we'll give them away, or put them places.  Maybe you'll find a copy sitting on a park bench.  Maybe a masked man will hand you one as he passes you on the street.  Maybe none of these things will happen.  But we'll make sure that everyone gets a chance to listen if they want to.

We also had some friends come along to take pictures and video, which can be found on this website as well as in various other places on the internet.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy!

So go on! Download this EP and see if you'd like to be a part of the army of fans sharing this EP to friends and stranger alike.

Will Currie and the Country French to Stream Shows 'from now on'

Via Chartattack: Waterloo's (soon to be) supergroup Will Currie and the Country French will begin streaming every show they can:

"From now on, whenever we have a strong internet connection and a capable board, we'll try to broadcast our shows so you can dance along in your living room, either by yourself, with a party (get some chips and pop first!), your cat, or your parents!" the band wrote on their website on Thursday (Nov. 26).

Take note everyone. They are spectacular live and, if you don't already know, as soon as they get around to releasing a full length they will be your new favorite band.

Their Ustream channel is at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-country-french-live-stream and you can see them (virtually or for real) at:

Dec. 3 Waterloo, oN @ Maxwell's Music House
Dec. 4 Hamilton, ON @ Studio Theatre at Hamilton Place w/ Arkells
Jan. 16 Sarnia, ON @ Paddy Flaherty's

Novels (Canadian Supergroup) Web Site Up

Photo by Lesley Marino

Novels is a project that involved Graham Wright (Tokyo Police Club), Luke Lalonde (Born Ruffians), Will Currie (Will Currie and the Country French), Dean Marino (Ex~po) and Jason Sadlowski (Jay Sad) locking themselves in Chemical Sound in East Toronto for 24 hours to record one another's songs. The music isn't available yet but the web site featuring photographs and video from the session is now up at okaynovels.com. The video below is just one small sample:

NOVELS - Introduction & Pitch Session from Wade Vroom on Vimeo.

Will Currie and the Country French Touring in October (with Dan Mangan)

I've already posted Dan Mangan's Tour Dates with and without Will Currie and the Country French but I had to give Will and Co. their own post. It's a band I've been following (starting with the site publicbroadcasting.ca) for about three years now - back when they were a band I stumbled across on Myspace with a few songs up. I have heard their sound compared to Ben Folds and Elton John and have had a producer tell me that Will reminded him (in talent, knowledge and intensity if not style) of the Arcade Fire's Win Butler.

So, paired with XM Verge Artist of the Year Dan Mangan you can't go wrong. Here is the Facebook Event Page for the Will Currie and the Country French Dates.

Will Currie and the Country French - Surprising Me (MP3)


Dan Mangan - Robots (MP3)


Dates are as follows: (check back as these will be updated)

October 9th - Windsor ON, Phog Lounge w/ Dan Mangan
www.thephogblog.blogspot.com/

October 10th - Sarnia ON, Paddy Flaherty's w/ Dan Mangan
sarnia.paddyflahertys.com/

October 13th - Montreal QC, L'Escogriffe w/ Dan Mangan
www.indiemontreal.ca/shows.html

October 14th - Ottawa ON, Algonquin College w/ Dan Mangan (open to public)
www.algonquinsa.com/DefaultSite/events/index_e.aspx?ArticleID=1426

October 15th - Peterborough ON, Montreal House w/ Dan Mangan
www.myspace.com/themoho1

October 16th - Toronto ON, Rivoli w/ Dan Mangan
www.rivoli.ca/showlistings.htm

October 17th - Wakefield QC, Blacksheep Inn w/ Dan Mangan
www.theblacksheepinn.com/

October 21st - Charlottetown PEI, The Wave @ UPEI w/ Dan Mangan
www.myspace.com/thewaveupei

October 22nd - Halifax NS, T Room at Dalhousie w/ Dan Mangan
www.dsu.ca/campuslife/troom/t-room

October 23rd - Halifax NS, HALIFAX POP EXPLOSION at The Paragon Theatre w/ Divorcees, Lake of Stew, and Slow Down, Molasses.
halifaxpopexplosion.com/schedule.html

October 24th - Fredericton NB, The Capital w/ Dan Mangan
www.thecapitalcomplex.com/

October 28th - Winnipeg MB, Lo Pub w/ Dan Mangan
www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=f991529c2aa23b7e3754787cb1e554d6&gid=7889118885

October 29th - Saskatoon SK, Amigo's w/ Dan Mangan
www.myspace.com/amigossaskatoon

October 30st - Edmonton AB, Haven Social Club w/ Dan Mangan
www.thehavensocialclub.com/

November 3rd - Victoria BC, Logan's Pub
www.loganspub.com/

November 4th - Vancouver BC, The Media Club w/ The Foreign Resort, The Luna Riot, and Black Night Crash.
www.themediaclub.ca/shows/wednesday-november-4

November 5th - Lethbridge AB, The Slice w/Matt Epp.
www.theslice.ca/

November 6th - Calgary AB, The Palomino
www.thepalomino.ca/

Slow Down, Molasses Launches Bigger Beards, Better Plaid Tour

Saskatoon's not-yet-well-enough-known Slow Down, Molasses is touring eastward in October. While Slow Down, Molasses alone should be enough the are, along the way, playing with some amazing acts including Rah Rah, Olenka and the Autumn Lovers, the Wilderness of Manitoba, Lake of Stew, Will Currie and the Country French, Ohbjou, Jeanette Stewart and others.

Slow Down, Molasses - Feathers



Tour Dates from the band's blog:
October 8th - Tour Kick off - Amigo's - Saskatoon, Sk w/ The Peacoats
October 17th - acoustic trio show - The Apollo - Thunder Bay, On w/ Jeanette Stewart
October 18th - acoustic trio show - Millard's Garage - Sudbury, On w/ Jeanette Stewart
October 20th - L'Hemisphere Gauche - Montreal, Qc w/ Rah Rah & The Darling Demaes
October 21 - Crumb's Cafe - Fredericton, NB w/ Jeanette Stewart
October 23 - Halifax Pop Explosion! -The Paragon Theatre w/ Lake of Stew, The Divorcees and Will Currie & the Country French
October 24 - Ampersand Cafe - Charlottetown, PEI w/ Jeanette Stewart & more
October 26 - L'innocent - Riviere-Du-Loup, Qc w/ Jeanette Stewart
October 27 - Raw Sugar Cafe - Ottawa, On w/ Olenka & the Autumn Lovers
October 28 - The Mansion - Kingston, On w/ Rah Rah and Olenka & the Autumn Lovers
October 29 - The Garrison - Toronto, On w/ The Wilderness of Manitoba and Olenka & the Autumn Lovers
November 14 - Amigo's - Saskatoon w/ Ohbijou

Upcoming Shows: Windsor, Toronto

Windsor: Myles Deck and The Fuzz (Halifax) w/ TBA Phog Lounge on Tuesday, June 30 at 10:30am.

Windsor: Arctic (Vancouver) w/ Language Arts (Vancouver) w/ A Welcome Breeze Phog Lounge June 13 at 11:00pm

Toronto: Alterna Queer Sunday, June 28 at Noon, Alexander Parkette Toronto

Toronto: Megan Hamilton and the Volunteer Canola w/ Olenka & the Autumn Lovers + Ghost Bees & More Saturday June 20 @ Bread and Circus 299 Agusta 8 pm

Toronto: Hut @ drake w/ young flux, deastro "good freaking times" June 16 Drake Underground, Tuesday, June 16 8pm

Toronto: The Craft Economy+Golden Triangle+The Ghost Is Dancing+People You Know Friday, June 19 8 pm @ the Velvet Underground

Windsor: Said the Whale w/ Will Currie and the Country French @ Phog Lounge - Tuesday, June 23 @ 9 pm.

Upcoming Shows (Toronto and London, On)

Toronto City Sonic at NXNE: Woodhands, Fucked Up, Lioness, D'Urbs, more @ the Drake the Drake Hotel - June 18

Toronto Yukon Blonde - The Paint Movement - Familia. @ The Media Club! Sunday, June 14 @ 10 p.m.

Toronto NXNE/TWM Present - Hank & Lily, Nightwood, Speaking Tongues Saturday, June 20 @8:30 pm

Toronto NXNE/TWM Present-Mille Monarques, Wildlife, Rah Rah, Yellow Wood,Flotilla, The So So Glos & TBA June 18 8:30 pm

London Pick A Piper/Still Life Still/A Horse & His Boy/Ace Kinkaid on Friday, June 26 at 10:15 pm

Toronto Will Currie and the Country French at NXNE the Reverb 10 pm Saturday, June 20

The NxEW Mixtape Episode 1

This is the first episode of what I'm calling the NxEW Mixtape Podcast. It is 60 minutes of music without commentary (no talking just music.) It is a mix of old stuff and new stuff but I hope you enjoy. Comments/suggestions are more than welcome.

I'd like to thank everyone who allowed me to use their music for this (as well as future episodes.) The response so far has been enormous and episode 2 is already taking shape nicely. Please support the artists who make this possible by buying some music, going to shows, buying t-shirts and otherwise showing them some love.



download the MP3

or

download the torrent (and please seed)

The track list for episode 1 goes like this:

• Hooded Fang - Land of Giants (Buy on Zunior)


• Hot Panda - Cold Hands, Chapped Lips (Buy on Zunior)


• the Burning Hell - Old World (Buy on Zunior)


• the Diskettes - 12345 (Buy at the Blue House)


• Habitat - Concrete Love (don't know where to buy, try contacting the Myspace)


• the Superfantastics - Oh! How You Used To Know Me Well (Back Then) (Buy on Zunior)


• Will Currie and the Country French - Thunderbay Coastguard Radio (Buy at thecountryfrench.com)


• Revival Dear - Ol's On the Water (Buy at Various Places)


• Cam Malcolm and the Owls - the Thing About Us (Buy on Zunior)


• Dan Mangan - Journal of a Narcoleptic (Buy on Zunior)


• Olenka and the Autumn Lovers - Flash in the Pan (Buy Here)


• the Consumer Goods - Gunboat Diplomacy (Buy Here)


• the Staveley Project (Jill Staveley) - God Damned Town (Buy on Zunior)


• Rock Plaza Central - Handsome Men (Buy on Zunior)


• Entire Cities - Marshall's 5 Lost Yrs. (Buy on Zunior)


• Elbow Beach Surf Club - Husky Do (Buy at the Blue House)


• the Acorn - Glory (Buy on the Acorn's Myspace)


• the Burning Hell - Little Seagull (Buy on Zunior)

If you have good Canadian music that you'd like to be considered for future episodes please email justin.beach[at]gmail.com