Chilly Gonzales: "Bittersuite" (video)

Canadian musician (and Feist producer) Chilly Gonzales releases his new album Ivory Tower on September 14th.  He's just posted a video for the elegant track "Bittersuite".

Look for appearances by Peaches and the aforementioned Ms. Feist among others:


Chilly Gonzales plays the Glenn Gould Theatre in Toronto on September 14th.

Chilly Gonzales' Myspace

Doug Paisley: "What I Saw" f. Leslie Feist

On October 12th Toronto singer/songwriter Doug Paisley will release his new studio album Constant Companion.  The folksy, soulful album is the second full length from the musician.

Take a listen to the first track from the record, "What I Saw", and catch Leslie Feist on backing vocals:


Doug Paisley's website

The Weepies: "Be My Thrill" (album review)

It may sound like a backhanded or lukewarm compliment, but there's no better word I can think of to describe the experience of listening to an album by The Weepies than pleasant.  Their just released fourth album, Be My Thrill, only reinforces that feeling.

Once again the duo have come up with a collection of songs that feel like the aural equivalent of a warm cuddly embrace.  Focussing on their strengths of melody and vocal harmony, the pair don't stray far from their pop folk roots, but when you're as good at it as The Weepies are, why would you want to mess with that?

Tunes like "I Was Made for Sunny Days" are bright and irresistible.  Simply Tunes like "They're In Love, Where Am I?" are endearing, while the infectious chug of the title track will have you singing along absentmindedly.

If there's a criticism to be had it's that the album may be a few tracks too long.  Shaving a handful of songs from the 14-track record would help by leaving some of the weaker tracks, like the less than noteworthy "Not a Lullaby", on the cutting room floor.

Be My Thrill is the kind of album you want to hear when you're driving around on a sunny day with the top down.  It's sunny and carefree.  Most importantly, it simply beckons for you to sing along.

Best tracks: "I Was Made for Sunny Days", "Be My Thrill"

Track listing for Be My Thrill:

• Please Speak Well of Me
• When You Go Away
• Red Red Rose
• I Was Made for Sunny Days
• They're In Love, Where Am I?
• Add My Effort
• Be My Thrill
• Be My Honeypie
• Hummingbird
• Hard To Please
• Not a Lullaby
• How Do You Get High?
• Hope Tomorrow
• Empty Your Hands

8.0/10

The Weepies' website
The Weepies' Myspace

3 More To Explore: My Son The Hurricane, The Famous, Heavy Early

So the summer's unofficially over this weekend.  Bummer.  Maybe these bands can help cheer you up:

My Son The Hurricane
For those who like: Fishbone, Digable Planets

Take hip hop, add in a dozen members and some brass and you'll end up with this diabolically infectious St Catharines group.

My Son The Hurricane's Myspace

The Famous
For those who like: The Replacements, Camper Van Beethoven

The combination of country and punk is nothing new, but this San Fransisco act are doing their damndest to perfect it.

The Famous' Myspace

Heavy Early
For those who like: classic rock

This Toronto band has made their debut album available for free download from their website.  The big riffage should get you through a party weekend.  For the sake of complete disclosure, the drummer is my neighbour.

Heavy Early's Myspace

Bad Tits (Sebastien Grainger and Josh Reichmann): "No Skin" (video)

Bad Tits is the duo of familiar Toronto indie faces Sebastien Grainger and Josh Reichmann.  The pair have recently released their debut EP Garbage Night and have just dropped a video for the track "No Skin".

Check it out:


Bad Tits have a series of Ontario shows coming up with Holy Fuck and Indian Jewelry including:

• London, London Music Hall, Sept 27
• Hamilton, The Studio at Hamilton Place, Sept 28
• Toronto, The Phoenix, Sept 29
• Peterborough, The Red Dog, Oct 1
• Ottawa, Capital Music Hall, Oct 2

Bad Tits' Myspace

Clinic: more "Bubblegum" details, "I'm Aware" (MP3)

UK indie rockers Clinic release their new album Bubblegum on October 5th on this side of the pond.

Take a listen to the acoustic version of the title track as well as the single "I'm Aware" here:


Here's the track listing for the album:

• I'm Aware
• Bubblegum
• Baby
• Lion Tamer
• Linda
• Milk & Honey
• Radiostory
• Forever (Demis’ Blues)
• Another Way Of Giving
• Evelyn
• Un Astronauta En Cielo
• Freemason Waltz
• Orangutan

The vinyl version will also come with a 6-song EP, Son of Bubblegum (a la Matthew Sweet's Son of Altered Beast I suppose).

Clinic play Lee's Palace in Toronto on November 10th.

Clinic's website
Clinic's Myspace

Michael Franti: "The Sound of Sunshine" (video)

Michael Franti how you entertain us and bring light into our dreary lives.  Franti's new album, The Sound of Sunshine, comes out on September 21st.  He's released a video for the title track now.

Check it out:

Michael Franti & Spearhead play the Kool Haus in Toronto on November 12th.

Michael Franti's website
Michael Franti's Myspace

The Walkmen: "Lisbon" (album review)

Over the course of five previous albums Brooklyn's The Walkmen have cultivated a pretty good sized audience with their brand of non-threatening indie rock.  The band may very well have jumped the shark though with their forthcoming album Lisbon (out September 14th).

The band's songs have never been terribly catchy or infectious, but on the new album they take non-descript to an entirely new level.  Tracks like "Stranded" and "While I Shovel Snow" range from bland to downright dull.  Even worse is the breezy undertones that give a handful of songs, like "Juveniles", a grating surf vibe.

The only flash of tension comes with the slow-building track "Blue As Your Blood".  The clatter of "Angela Surf City" shows an all too rare flash of excitement", while "Victory" features the only vaguely memorable chorus.  Those tracks can hardly make up for song after song of near comatose performances that sound more like half-formed demos than they do a completed album.

In the end Lisbon is the sound of band going through the motions.  After a few listens you'll have wished they hadn't even bothered.

The Walkmen play The Phoenix in Toronto on October 9th.

Best track: "Blue As Your Blood"

Track listing for Lisbon:

• Juveniles
• Angela Surf City
• Follow the Leader
• Blue As Your Blood
• Stranded
• Victory
• All My Great Desgins
• Woe Is Me
• Torch Song
• Lisbon
• While I Shovel the Snow

3.5/10

The Walkmen's website
The Walkmen's Myspace

Clothes Make The Man unwrap new album details

Toronto-based quartet Clothes Make The Man have announced the release of their sophomore full length album.  Distance will be available on November 2nd.

The band are currently offering up the track "Dreamless Nights" for free download on their website and Myspace page.

Clothes Make The Man play a CD Release show at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on November 11th.

Clothes Make The Man's website
Clothes Make The Man's Myspace

Land Of Talk: "Quarry Hymns" (video)

AUX TV has debuted the first video from Land Of Talk's new album Cloak and Cipher.  The clip for "Quarry Hymns" revolves around dancing (the artistic kind, not the kind in a skeezy club or on a pole).

Check it out:


Land Of Talk play Lee's Palace in Toronto on September 16th.

Land Of Talk's website
Land Of Talk's Myspace