Fanfarlo: "Reservoir" album review

There's quite the buzz building around UK band Fanfarlo and their new album Reservoir. They've worked hard promoting it both live and through innovative use of new media. But is the album worthy of the hype that's being generated?

The band makes use of pianos, strings, and horns alongside traditional rock instrumentation to create songs with a decidedly Brit Rock bent. This gives tracks like "I'm a Pilot" a lush, ornate quality. Unfortunately, this also serves to sterilize the music. Too often the songs end up sounding too similar to each other. In fact it brings to mind a band like Keane, which is not a good thing.

There are a few tracks that do serve to break the mold. The propulsive "Luna" is the most energetic song on the record. "The Walls Are Coming Down" serves up the album's lone potential singalong. "Drowning Men" is built on an infectious roll and waft, while "Harold T. Wilkins Or How To Wait For a Very Long Time" is downright rambunctious.

Unfortunately, the cuts more often than not, end up being in the vein of "Comets", a song that smolders without ever flaming up. At the end of the day Reservoir is pleasant background noise, but not an album engaging enough to listen to repeatedly.

Until July 4th Fanfarlo are offering Reservoir for download from their website for the cool sum of $1.

Best tracks: "Luna", "Harold T. Wilkins Or How To Wait For a Very Long Time"

Track listing for Reservoir:

• I'm A Pilot
• Ghosts
• Luna
• Comets
• Fire Escape
• The Walls Are Coming Down
• Drowning Men
• If It Is Growing
• Harold T. Wilkins or How To Wait For a Very Long Time
• Finish Line
• Good Morning Midnight

5.0/10

Fanfarlo's website

Fanfarlo's Myspace

Mew: "Repeaterbeater" free MP3 download

Danish neo-shoegazers Mew are making the first track from their forthcoming album available for free download. No More Stories, The World Is Grey, I'm Tired is due to be released on August 25th, however you can get a taste here:

• "Repeaterbeater"- MP3

Mew's Myspace

Melissa Bathory: "Hands" album review

Toronto independent singer/songwriter Melissa Bathory has recently released her second album, Hands.

It's obvious from the constantly shifting genres on the album that Bathory is comfortable in many musical styles. The title track is a delightful light ska number. "Getting To Know You" is a tender laid back ballad, laid ornate with violin. The noir blues of "Perverted Truths" make it a moody standout on the album.

Bathory is at her best however when she is performing adult-oriented alternative pop. On a track like "The Last Time", she evokes comparisons to recent Liz Phair material in both her sound and lyrical content (although she is nowhere near as raunchy as Phair can be).

At times there is a tendency for the songs to slip into a generic blandness. "Pearl" and "A.M.'s & Weekends", while showcasing Bathory's lovely voice, do little else to spark interest. The decision to conclude the record with a tepid electronic Remix of "A.M.'s & Weekends" also serves to detract from the enjoyability of the set.

At the end of the day Hands is a collection of mostly well-written, well-performed songs, but the survey of genres that we get on the album tends to make it feel like it's the sound of an artist who has not yet found her groove.

Melissa Bathory is holding a CD Release Party tonight (June 30th) at the Parkdale Drink in Toronto.

Her extensive Hands tour includes stops in:

• London, July 3rd
• Kitchener, July 4th
• Toronto, July 5th
• St. Catharines, July 10th
• Hamilton, July 11th
• Ottawa, July 17th
• Guelph, July 24th
• Brampton, July 25th
• Trenton, July 31st
• Kingston, August 1st
• Barrie, August 8th
• Toronto, August 16th

Best tracks: "The Last Time", "Perverted Truths"

Track listing for Hands:

• The Last Time
• Hands
• Getting To Know You
• Perverted Truths
• Corvette
• Pearl
• A.M.'s & Weekends
• A.M.'s & Weekends (Squeaky Clean Remix)

6.5/10

Melissa Bathory's Myspace

Fearless Records free Summer Sampler 2009

California hard rock label Fearless Records are making a sampler available for free download through their Myspace page.

The bands included on the sampler are: Spark The Rescue, A Skylit Drive, Artist Vs Poet, and Eye Alaska. There are also previously unreleased tracks from Breathe Carolina, The Word Alive, and Let's Get It.

Fearless Records' Myspace

The Pastels and Tenniscoats to release collaboration album

Two Sunsets has the potential to be one of the more interesting releases of 2009. The album, out September 22nd, is a collaboration between Scottish group The Pastels and Japan's Tenniscoats.

To make things even more interesting is the first single, "Vivid Youth", will be backed by a cover of The Jesus and Mary Chain's "About You".

Here's the track list for the album:

• So Many Stars
• Two Sunsets
• Song For A Friend
• Vivid Youth
• Yomigaeru
• Modesty Piece
• About You
• Boats
• Hikoki
• From On A Mountain_Sodane
• Mou Mou Rainbow
• Start Slowly

The Pastels' Myspace

Tenniscoats' Myspace

New release for June 30th: Wilco, Fiery Furnaces

The stream of new releases eases to a trickle this week, but there are still a few things worth noting:

• Bjork- Review
• Fiery Furnaces
• Moby- Review
• Wilco- Review
• Woodstock 40th Anniversary set

Zunior announces Independent Music Hall Of Fame class of '09

Toronto-based independent digital music store Zunior has announced the inaugural class of inductees for its Independent Music Hall Of Fame.

To qualify, a band must:

1. Be Canadian
2. Embody the spirit of independent music.
3. Have put an album out on an independent label.

The first inductees are:

Eric's Trip

Definitely deserving. At their peak Julie Doiron, Rick White and company were the Canadian equivalent to Sonic Youth.

The Rheostatics

Over the course of 10 albums, the band proved their mettle. They still pull the 11-night stands at the Horseshoe in Toronto each December.

The panel of jurors for the Hall Of Fame included such well-known Canadian blogs as Chromewaves and I Heart Music. NOW magazine was also represented.

Zunior Hall Of Fame's website

Bloodsport: "Swallowing Werewolves (I Heard Mary Timony Used To Live There)" MP3

Nova Scotia band Bloodsport are poised to release their debut EP. Goodbye To The Holy Mountain will come out on July 7th.

Take a listen to this track and you can see where the Dinosaur Jr comparisons come from:

• "Swallowing Werewolves (I Heard Mary Timony Used To Live There)"- MP3

Not only do the band name drop the former Helium singer on the 4-song set, but they also take a tongue in cheek shot at an undisclosed LA band with "Japanese Democracy".

Check out more from them on Myspace.

Bloodsport's Myspace

Ash: "Return of the White Rabbit" video

As previously reported, Irish rockers Ash are back this year with a series of 26 singles. The series will begin in September with one single being released every two weeks.

The band have begun by making the video for the 'prequel' song "Return of the White Rabbit" available. You can check it out here:

Ash's website

Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs set for "Under the Covers Vol 2"

After their successful 2006 covers album, hook-master Matthew Sweet has once again teamed up with ex-Bangle Susanna Hoffs. The duo will be releasing Under the Covers, Vol 2 on July 21st.

The album will consist of 16 tracks, with 10 bonus songs that come along with the digital download.

Songs covered include:

• "Second Hand News"- Fleetwood Mac (featuring Mick Fleetwood)
• "Beware of the Darkness"- George Harrison
• "I've Seen All the Good People"- Yes (featuring Steve Howe)
• "You're So Vain"- Carly Simon
• "Maggie Mae"- Rod Stewart
• "All the Young Dudes"- Mott the Hopple
• "Back of a Car"- Big Star
• "Couldn't I Just Tell You"- Todd Rundgren
• "Gimme Some Truth"- John Lennon
• "Bell Bottom Blues"- Derek & the Dominoes
• "Sugar Magnolia"- Grateful Dead
• "Go All The Way"- The Raspberries
• "Here Comes My Girl"- Tom Petty
• "Willin'"- Little Feat
• "Hello It's Me"- Todd Rundgren
• "Everything I Own"- Bread

Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs' Myspace

Gregory Pepper giveaway

It's time for another giveaway. I've got a copy of Gregory Pepper's new album With Trumpets Flaring as well as two passes to his July 3rd CD release party at The Drake in Toronto.

Hit me up one of these ways to get them:

• Twitter
• Myspace
• Email: tosnob@snobsmusic.net

Gregory Pepper's Myspace

The Lonely H: "Concrete Class" album review

Concrete Class is the new album from Seattle southern alt rockers The Lonely H. Despite the incredibly young age of the band (lead singer Mark Fredson is just 19), this is actually the third album from the band.

It's not hard to pick out influences and make comparisons with The Lonely H. The album kicks off with the down and dirty rocker "Right Down To Me" which features gut wrenching vocals from Fredson. However the second track, "Cold Blues", settles into a Kings Of Leon-style tumble.

Fortunately The Lonely H have many influences as they demonstrate over the course of the record. They are by no means a one trick pony second generation Kings Of Leon (I'd argue KofL are a one trick pony themselves).

Blue collar rock is the name of the game here. "Phoenix" is a bluesy number that could easily have been drawn from the Rolling Stones catalogue. The band go acoustic for the campfire singalong "The River", while "Girl From Jersey" evokes thoughts of The Eagles' "Take It Easy".

The band goes further to give us mellow stoner ballads ("White Horse Tears"), country numbers ("Singer"), and balls out rockers ("Other Side of the Water", "Going Out West"). More interestingly, they aren't afraid to bust out the saxophone on the stand out "Diggin' a Hole", or the keys on the poppy "Strike a Chord".

The Lonely H give us something gritty yet diverse, which should appeal to anyone turned off by the recent lacklustre Kings Of Leon efforts.

Best tracks: "Diggin' a Hole", "Phoenix"

Track listing for Concrete Class:

• Right Down To Me
• Cold Blues
• White Horse Tears
• Going Out West
• Singer
• Diggin' a Hole- MP3
• Take Care
• Phoenix
• Other Side of the Water
• Girl From Jersey
• The River
• Strike a Chord

8.0/10

The Lonely H's Myspace

This week's entertainment picks: Sonic Youth, hair metal

There's lots of stuff going on to keep you entertained this week in the T-Dot. Here's some of the best options:

Sonic Youth, Massey Hall, June 30th

An interesting venue for the art rock noise rockers. Their great new album The Eternal has the sound of a revitalized band. Let's see if it translates to the stage.

Sonic Youth's Myspace

Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, and Poison, Molson Ampitheatre, July 4th

This is your hair metal show of the summer. It's not brilliant art, but it's a mullet full of fun.

Def Leppard's Myspace

...also this week:

• Jay Reatard, Jun 29th
• New York Dolls, Jun 30th
• Adam Freeland, Jun 30th
• The Constantines and Chad VanGaalen, Jul 1st
• L.A. Guns, Jul 1st
• The Offspring and Pennywise, Jul 2nd
• Subhumans, Jul 3rd
• Branford Marsalis, Jul 3rd
• Femi Kuti, Jul 4th
• Rock The Bells, Jul 5th

Bombadil: "Tarpits and Canyonlands" album review

Tarpits and Canyonlands is the endearing forthcoming album from North Carlonia band Bombadil. Produced by Scott Solter (John Vanderslice, Mountain Goats), the record will hit streets July 7th.

The band blends roots rock music with a healthy appreciation for '60s vocal pop. The result is songs like "Reasons" which sound like a mix of The Minus 5 and Fleet Foxes.

Thematically the songs tend to be about love and relationships (like the alienated love song "Cold Runway". The band takes a quirky twist with their songwriting however, lending tracks like "Pyramid" a They Might Be Giants feel.

Bombadil are not afraid to branch out from the roots music either. "Oto The Bear" has a lilting carnival atmosphere while the lovely "Kate and Kelsey" could be the ballad of a wandering minstrel.

From front to back (or on shuffle) Tarpits and Canyonlands is a highly enjoyable experience that holds up well with repeated listens.

Best tracks: "Cold Runway", "Kate and Kelsey"

Track listing for Tarpits and Canyonlands:

• I Am
• Sad Birthday
• Honeymoon
• Reasons
• Cold Runway
• Oto the Bear
• Prologue
• So Many Ways To Die
• Marriage
• Laurita
• Kuala Lumpur
• Pyramid
• 25 Daniels
• Matthew
• Kate and Kelsey

7.5/10

Bombadil's Myspace

Dog Is Blue: "Blankets and Bones" MP3

As mentioned in my recent Q&A with Paul Watson of Dog Is Blue, he is preparing a covers EP (which could very well be free). We're pleased to be able to make the first song from that EP available for free download.

The song is a cover of "Blankets and Bones" by Guelph musician Jenny Omnichord. Grab it here:

• "Blankets and Bones"- MP3

Dog Is Blue's website

Dog Is Blue's Myspace

Kaleo Futuristo: "Air of the NIght" Obama tribute song/video

LA-based hip hop/pop/rock fusion artist Kaleo Futuristo has put together a video for his song "Air of the Night", a tribute to Barrack Obama, based on Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight". While the whole songs-inspired-by-Obama thing is getting really tired really quickly, this is an interesting track.

Watch the video here:

It's actually not Futuristo's best track. Check out his Myspace page for more.

Kaleo Futuristo's website

Kaleo Futuristo's Myspace

Wolfe Island Festival line-up announced

More details have been released about the 2009 edition of the Wolfe Island Festival. The annual festival which takes place in the middle of the St Lawrence River near Kingston, ON will be held August 7th and 8th.

Highlights of the line-up include:

• Holy Fuck
• Sarah Harmer
• Apostle Of Hustle
• The Rural Alberta Advantage
• Woodhands
• Oubijou
• The D'ubervilles
• Dave Bidini

Wolfe Island is great, much for the same reasons as the Hillside Festival in Guelph, because we get a solid indie line-up close to Toronto and for an affordable price.

Wolfe Island Festival's website

A Skylit Drive: "Adelphia" album review

Adelphia is the new sophomore release from Sacramento Emo band A Skylit Drive.

The vocals are definitely the centrepiece of the new album. Lead singer Michael "Jag" Jagmin possesses a high pitched voice which gives the songs a distinctive character. Unfortunately where bands like Jaguar Love succeed with a vocalist like this, A Skylit Drive fails miserably. For some reason known only to the band, they insist on including screaming from a much deeper voice on nearly every track. This makes Jagmin's vocals sound even more high pitched to the point of being comical. It's like having Alvin and the Chipmunks singing with Satan giggling in the background. Atrocious.

The songwriting is also blase. The lyrics are stereotypical Emo toss-offs without much in the way of originality or wit. The backing music is the usual generic alternative rock that usually accompanies songs like these.

Because of the subpar songwriting, it's difficult to describe the playing as anything other that competent. It's hard to tell how good the guitarist and rhythm section are when the songs they are trying to perform are this shoddy.

There are a couple of instances that aren't horrible. "Eva The Carrier" is passable hard rock with a decent hook, while the album closer "See You Around" is actually fairly catchy.

Unfortunately, that's about all the good that can be said about A Skylit Drive. They'd probably get another 1.5 points on the rating if they dropped the knuckle-headed screaming gimmick.

A Skylit Drive plays Arrow Hall in Mississauga on July 10th as part of the Vans Warped Tour. (I suggest you skip their set).

Best tracks: "Eva The Carrier", "See You Around"

Track listing for Adelphia:

• Prelude To A Dream
• Those Cannons Could Sink A Ship
• Heaven
• Running With The Light
• Eva The Carrier
• Worlds End In Whispers, Not Bangs
• The Boy Without A Demon
• Thank God It's Cloudy Because I'm Allergic To The Sunlight
• Air The Enlightenment
• The Children Of Adelphia
• I Swear This Place Is Haunted
• It's Ironic, It's Obvious
• See You Around

2.5/10

A Skylit Drive's Myspace

Kava Kava: "Forwards" album review

UK band Kava Kava have just made their North American debut this past week with the digital release of their latest album Forwards. Combining an array of electronic genres that span musical eras, the band have forged a unique sound that should endear them to indie fans on both sides of the pond.

Whether it be sharp angular electronic indie or funky glam or sleazy disco, the band has a song that would appeal to fans of bands like Bloc Party and Scissor Sisters alike.

The album opens with the stellar "Tic", a track that evokes thoughts of Vanishing Point-era Primal Scream. The title tracks serves up some down tempo Trip Hop, while "NFA" feels like it's pulled straight from a 1997 Chemical Brothers single. The closer is the rump-shaking "Don't Stop the Music", which could easily be a funky '70s cop show theme song. Toss in a little Richie Sambora-esque guitar on "Bank Job" and you've got a little bit of everything on the album.

That may be the major shortcoming of this record. Instead of melting down the genres and forging a brand new sound with the component parts, Kava Kava seem content to dedicate a song to each style. That makes it easy to say 'oh, this is their disco song', etc, but it does serves to make the Forwards sound incongruous from time to time.

But if you like new, independent electronic music you could do a lot worse than Kava Kava.

Best tracks: "Tic", "Bank Job"

Track listing for Forwards:

• Tic
• Clarity
• Everything
• Bank Jobs
• Forwards
• Rise Above
• NFA
• Don't Stop the Music

7.0/10

Kava Kava's Myspace

Jenny Owen Youngs: "Led To The Sea" MP3

Indie singer/songwriter Jenny Owen Youngs has recently released her new album Transmitter Failure.

We've got a sample of it for you with this download:

• "Led To The Sea"- MP3

It's a very infectious ditty. Enjoy!

Jenny Owen Youngs' website

Jenny Owen Young's Myspace

Dame Satan: "Bridges and Beaches" album review

Bridges and Beaches is the new album from the bay area's Dame Satan. This is the sophomore record from the trio, who despite the awesome band name, are not a heavy metal act.

The album is a sprawling and haunting exercise in soundscapes. While many bands make music that can be described as 'spacey', Dame Satan do so in a way that preserves the organic earthiness of their music.

Beginning with the atmospheric simulated whale call sounds of "Downstream" through the painful guitar weeps of "Country Thief", it seems as though the band purposely set forth to recreate the noises you may encounter in nature. That can even be seen with a quick glance at song titles like "Puget Sound", "Oregon Trail", and the aforementioned "Downstream", all of which evoke vivid images of wilderness and wilds.

Of course there are other elements and musical styles that influence the sound. Vocal pop inspiration can be heard on "Suffering Daughter", a track that sounds like a ghostly Byrds rehearsal. "Ghost Dance" holds features a slightly psychedelic groove. American roots music, specifically mountain music, plays a prominent role on "The Struggle". Of course being from the San Francisco area there is also a tinge of flower power feel that runs throughout the record.

Lengthy instrumental sections and hard to distinguish vocals may make the album a tad inaccessible for some. That combined with the hushed tones and methodical pace of many of the songs can make it difficult to listen to from front-to-back.

Dame Satan have produced an album that will be passionately embraced by some, while leaving others confounded or bored.

Best tracks: " "The Struggle", "Puget Sound"

Track listing for Bridges and Beaches:

• Downstream
• Ghost Dance
• Suffering Daughter
• The Struggle
• Country Thief
• Dawn & Delta
• Puget Sound
• Gangster Hustle
• Oregon Trail
• The Golden Iranian

6.0/10

Dame Satan's website

Dame Satan's Myspace

The Living End, Children Collide new Canadian releases

Toronto's Dine Alone Records has scored a nice coup with the signing of a pair of Aussie bands. The indie label will be bringing Children Collide and The Living End back to Canada.

You're probably familiar with The Living End. They've had decent radio play here with songs like "Prisoner of Society" and "Roll On".

Later this summer the label will release Children Collide's The Long Now as well as the latest from The Living End White Noise.

Children Collide's Myspace

The Living End's Myspace

The Perms: our CD giveaway

Winnipeg indie rock trio The Perms have made some of the year's catchiest power pop so far.

Thanks to the generosity of the band we have a couple of copies of their latest album, Keeps You Up When You're Down, to give away to our readers.

To get one of these copies contact us by one of these methods and tell us about a band we may not know about yet:

• Twitter: www.twitter.com/tosnob
• Myspace: www.myspace.com/tosnob
• Email: tosnob@snobsmusic.net

The Perms' website

The Perms' Myspace

Whatever happened to: Bootsauce?

Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Stars, New Pornographers, and a list that continues to grow and grow prove that Canadian bands really do rule the indie rock roost these days.

It wasn't always that way however. Back in the '80s and '90s Canadian Content rules meant that we had sub-standard Canadian bands shoved down our throats while we hardly got a whiff of the exciting underground acts from south of the border.

One of the greatest examples of this was Montreal's Bootsauce (I prefer HP or A-1 myself). The band was basically a (very very) bad combo of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jesus Jones. But because of CanCon rules they had some hits and artificial "success". My skin still crawls when I even think of their radio hit "Everyone's a Winner".

Fortunately, the band faded into obscurity. From time to time though, you wonder what CanCon protection and promotion was worth. Do they still make a living from their music? Whatever happened to Bootsauce?

Stars' Amy Millan to release second solo album

Stars' singer Amy Millan has announced the release of her second solo album. Masters of the Burial will hit stores September 8th. The record follows up the surprisingly intimate Honey From the Tombs.

The track list for the new record looks like this:

• Bruised Ghosts
• Low Sail
• Old Perfume
• Towers
• Day To Day
• Bury This
• Finish Line
• Run For Me
• I Will Follow You Into Dark
• Lost Compass
• Bound

Amy Millan plays the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto on July 25th with Gentleman Reg.

Amy Millan's Myspace

Paul Spencer & The Maxines: "Whatever Forever and Ever" album review

I was really charmed by Paul Spencer & The Maxines' last album Cut The Jive. I thought it was a rough and raw rock n' roll experience. The CT band is back with their follow-up to that propulsive record, Whatever Forever and Ever.

I had heard whispers that Spencer had decided to change directions a bit with this new album. That is definitely the case.

The opener, the first Spencer song I can recall that features horns, sees Spencer move further from Westerberg and closer to Strummer. The song has a chorus and musical flare reminiscent of some of London Calling's deeper cuts.

By the time we get to "Summer In the Spring" the mood of the album has noticeably changed to mellow. Tracks like "Rite On Time" and "Double Tunnel Vision" make you wish you were sipping a pina colada in Key West while the Gulf Of Mexico breeze gently sways you in your hammock.

Unfortunately, that's not what I hope to hear from Spencer, and that's not what he does best. It's the ramshackle rock that I wait for and there really isn't much of it to speak of here. That's also the type of music Spencer's voice is best suited for. His delivery is just a little too strained for many of these laid back tracks.

One of the album's standouts though is a cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy". While the track is obviously subdued, the almost bluesy quality of Spencer's vocals do click well in this instance.

Despite my disappointment with the tone of the album, Whatever Forever and Ever undoubtedly has its sharp moments.

Best tracks: "Crash City", "Jealous Guy"

Track listing for Whatever Forever and Ever:

• Crash City
• I Was Doing Great (Before I Met You)
• Summer In the Spring
• Jealous Guy
• Rite On Time
• Burning Up from the Inside
• Double Tunnel Vision
• No Good Reason
• The Calm After the Storm
• Project Serpo
• Top of My Head, Bottom of My Soul

6.5/10

Paul Spencer and the Maxines' website

Paul Spencer and the Maxines' Myspace

Awesome New Republic: "Rational Geographic Vol II" EP review

Rational Geographic Vol II is the forthcoming EP (out July 21st) from Miami duo Awesome New Republic. Despite a really really unawesome band name, the pair do make some tremendous music.

The new EP is a collection of dark electro pop tracks. The songs definitely have an '80s throwback feel to them, but with enough modern touches to keep the sound from being dated. It's like a fusion of The Killers and Echo & The Bunnymen.

"Glowing Light" is reminiscent of Depeche Mode's "Behind The Wheel", while "Woman" has vague overtones of both Shreikback AND Steve Winwood. With a killer 'whoa' refrain, "Florida" is one of the catchiest songs I've heard all year, even if the best comparison I've been able to come up with is "Tarzan Boy".

From front to back this is an exceptionally entertaining EP and one that challenges the listener with it's genre flipping and time machine influences.

Best tracks: "Florida", "Woman"

Track listing for Rational Geographic Vol II:

• International Security
• Florida
• Glowing Light
• Carry Us Away
• Woman
• Blanket of Light

8.5/10

Awesome New Republic's website

Awesome New Republic's Myspace