DD/MM/YYYY get US release, "Digital Haircut" MP3

Toronto indie faves DD/MM/YYYY will finally be getting a well-earned release south of the border. The band's latest album, Black Square, will be released stateside September 15th.

For those American readers unfamiliar with the band, check out this track for download:

• "Digital Haircut"- MP3

DD/MM/YYYY play the Theatre Centre in Toronto on August 7th.

DD/MM/YYYY's Myspace

Sea Wolf announce new album, give away free bonus track

Indie folkster Sea Wolf have announced the release of their new studio album. The band's sophomore record, White Water, White Bloom will be out September 22nd.

You can download the bonus track "Stanislaus" if you give the band your email address. Do that all here.

Sea Wolf play Sneaky Dee's in Toronto on October 9th.

Sea Wolf's website

Sea Wolf's Myspace

Lightspeed Champion: "Heavy Purple" MP3

Indie artist Lightspeed Champion is making a new track available for free download. He's doing it as a way to encourage fans to visit, and sign up, at his snazzy new website

Grab your copy here:

• "Heavy Purple"- MP3

Lightspeed Champion's website

Headlights illuminate us with new album details

Illinois indie rockers Headlights have announced the release of their third album. Wildlife will be out and about on October 6th.

The track list for the record is:

• Telephones
• Secrets
• You and Eye
• Get Going
• Love Song For Buddy
• I Don't Mind At All
• Dead Ends
• Wisconsin Beaches
• We're All Animals
• Teenage Wonder
• Slow Down Town

We'll give you more details as the spew forth.

Headlights' website

Headlight's Myspace

Amanda Blank: "I Love You" album review

The anticipation surrounding the debut album from Philly rapper/singer Amanda Blank has been growing to a fever pitch. Well, I Love You finally hits the streets on August 4th.

Sometimes though, the hype can be an artists worst enemy. Anyone who's been excited by the concept of Blank's (who has worked with heavyweights like Spank Rock, Ghostface Killah, Santigold, and M.I.A.) album may be in for significant disappointment.

Rather than the inspired, fresh hip hop that we've expected, Blank gives us mostly generic mid-tempo cuts. With the exception of the pumping "Gimme What You Got" and the disco flash of "Big Heavy", the tracks are stuck hopelessly in a humdrum loop.

In what's become a true hip hop tradition (cliche?), Blank borrows liberally from early '80s artists to construct several of her tracks. "Make Up" is the most straightforward, a fairly faithful Prince cover. Romeo Void's "Never Say Never" serves as the basis for "Might Like You Better" (you know it 'I might like you better if we slept together'). Unfortunately the resulting effort is just messy and confused. More intriguing is "A Love Song", an infectious modernization of LL Cool J's "I Need Love".

Blank's vocals are a strength of the album. They are sultry, adding to the sexually-charged atmosphere of the music. This she does far more effectively than the last Peaches album. I'm not terribly bothered that she actually spends more time singing than rapping.

When all is said and done however, one can't help but feel disappointed by I Love You.

Amanda Blank plays the Kool Haus in Toronto on August 4th and 5th opening for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Best tracks: "Big Heavy", "Gimme What You Got"

Track listing for I Love You:

• Make It Take It
• Something Bigger, Something Better
• Make Up
• Gimme What You Got
• Lemme Get Some
• Shame On Me
• A Love Song
• DJ
• Might Like You Better
• Big Heavy
• Leaving You Behind

4.0/10

Amanda Blank's Myspace

3 More To Explore: Stonefox, Gregory Pepper, Megan Hamilton

Here's a look at a few bands that we've talked about recently who deserve a second look:

Stonefox

For those who like: The Black Keys, B.R.M.C.

This south Florida band has just released their second full length of blues/garage/psych rock monster jams.

Stonefox's Myspace

Gregory Pepper and His Problems

For those who like: Beck

The Guelph resident has created an album of ecentric indie folk fun.

Gregory Pepper's Myspace

Megan Hamilton

For those who like: Regina Spektor, Julie Doiron

Stripped down indie gems are what you should expect on this Toronto artist's latest.

Megan Hamilton's Myspace

State Radio: "Calling All Crows" EP review

Boston rock trio State Radio are preparing their third album, Let It Go, for a September 29th release. In anticipation they are dropping the three-song Calling All Crows EP on August 11th.

The EP sees the band play its traditional reggae/ska blend of indie rock. The title track is a full on reggae number, better than anything we've recently heard from Canada's own Bedouin Soundclash. "Evolution" is a more ska-oriented track. Unfortunately it's little more than a tepid going-through-the-motions track.

The most sonically interesting track is "Knights of Bostonia". The song sees the band blend their reggae-ska back beat with a Boston-celt party feel seemingly borrowed from Dropkick Murphys.

Two out of three ain't bad. We'll have to see how this all comes through on the full length.

Best track: "Knights of Bostonia"

Track listing for Calling All Crows:

• Calling All Crows
• Knights of Bostonia- MP3
• Evolution

State Radio's website

State Radio's Myspace

Kevin Hearn & Thin Buckle: "Coma" featuring Lou Reed MP3

Is there an odder match-up than a Barenaked Lady and the godfather of all things cool? Well that's what we've got on the track "Coma", from BNL Kevin Hearn's new album Havana Winter. On the track Hearn, backed by Thin Buckle, is joined by the living legend Lou Reed.

You can download the track here:

• "Coma"- MP3

The album is out now.

Kevin Hearn plays the Dakota Tavern in Toronto tonight (July 30th) and the Enwave Theatre on September 26 & 27.

Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle's website

Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle's Myspace

Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket's Jim James): "Tribute To" EP review

I've never been a huge fan of My Morning Jacket. However, when I heard that frontman Jim James was releasing an EP comprised solely of George Harrison covers, my curiosity got the best of me. The EP, released under the oh so clever moniker Yim Yames, comes out on August 4th.

The first thing that strikes you about the EP is the hollow, echo production of the vocals. James definitely leans on the MMJ sound for this aspect.

It takes patience, or perhaps barbiturates, to sit through the entire EP. The songs, particularly "Long, Long, Long" and "Behind That Locked Door", move at a glacial pace. With minimal instrumentation that makes it difficult to keep engaged with the music. That's made even worse because James does not really add anything to the covers. The versions are generally limp and lifeless affairs.

There are a couple of exceptions. "Love You To" is turned into a fairly plucky ghost roots number while "My Sweet Lord" features the record's most lovely vocals.

The pair of songs aside, Tribute To is a curiosity but not much more.

Jim James also has an album coming out on September 22nd with Conor Oberst and M. Ward as the Monsters Of Folk. That tour pulls through Massey Hall in Toronto on November 2nd.

Best tracks: "Love You To", "My Sweet Lord"

Track listing for Tribute To:

• Long, Long, Long
• Behind That Locked Door
• Love You To
• My Sweet Lord
• Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
• All Things Must Pass

3.5/10

Yim Yames' website

Yim Yames' Myspace

Echo and the Bunnymen return with new album, tour

Ian McCulloch and company are returning. That's right a new Echo and the Bunnymen album, The Fountain, is set to be released on October 13th.

Four tracks: "Do You Know Who I Am", "Drivetime", "Prozy", and "I Think I Need It Too" are currently previewing on the band's Myspace page.

Echo and the Bunnymen play the Queen Elizabeth Theatre inToronto on October 20th.

Echo and the Bunnymen's website

Echo and the Bunnymen's Myspace

El Perro Del Mar: new album details

El Perro Del Mar, Swedish singer Sarah Assbring, has announced the North American release of her third album Love Is Not Pop. The album will be available here on October 20th.

The track listing for the record looks like this:

• Gotta Get Smart
• Change Of Heart
• L Is For Love
• Let Me In
• Heavenly Arms
• It Is Something (To Have Wept)
• A Better Love
• L Is For Love (Low Motion Disco's Additional Love Remix)
• Change Of Heart (J Rintamäki Remix)
• Let Me In (Nhessingtons Remix)

The album's release will be followed by a tour with Peter Bjorn and John. We'll keep you updated for Canadian dates.

El Perro Del Mar's website

El Perro Del Mar's Myspace

Howling Bells: "Radio Wars" album review

Radio Wars is the sophomore release from transplanted Australian indie rockers Howling Bells.

Ideally the album's core would be shimmering indie power pop songs like "Digital Hearts". Too often though, Radio Wars turns into a polished product. Tracks like "It Ain't You" and "Let's Be Kids" are slick numbers with all the rough edges rounded off. The overproduction sucks the soul from these songs.

The shiny guitar lines can just be too much to take at points. The shiny guitars on "Treasure Hunt" or the passive sleepwalker "Nightingale" make the album come across often as Silversun Pickups being played at half speed.

Singer Juanita Stein's vocals aren't strong enough to make up for the lake of emotion in the music. Most of the time she is pleasant, but undistinguished. Only near the end of the album she smolders with the more sultry "Into The Chaos".

There is untapped potential here though. Slow electronic beats propel, but don't overpower "Golden Web", turning it into a Goldfrapp-esque gem.

When all is said and done Radio Wars is not an album you can hate. There's just not enough to love about it either.

Best tracks: "Golden Web", "Into the Chaos"

Track listing for Radio Wars:

• Treasure Hunt
• Cities Burning Down
• It Ain't You
• Nightingale
• Let's Be Kids
• Ms. Bell's Song/Radio Wars Theme
• Golden Web
• Into the Chaos
• Digital Hearts
• How Long

5.5/10

Howling Bells' website

Howling Bells' Myspace

Carolyn Mark: new album, tour details

Canadian roots singer Carolyn Mark has announced two releases. The first is her new album, Let's Just Stay Here, which will hit streets October 13th.

The new album sees Marks (who has previously worked with Neko Case in the duo Corn Sisters) team up with N.Q. Arbuckle. The album will consist of six Mark originals, three Arbuckle songs, and three covers.

The second release announced by Mark is her second cookbook Terrible Hostess: Recipes For Disaster Vol II.

Carolyn Mark has a number of tour dates in the area including:

• Peterborough- The Spill, Aug 13
• Kingston- The Mansion, Aug 17
• Toronto- The Horseshoe, Aug 19
• Waterloo- The Starligh, Aug 20
• Guelph- The Green Bottle, Aug 21
• Hamilton- The Casbah, Aug 22
• Guelph- Van Gogh's Ear, Aug 23
• London- The Richmond Tavern, Aug 30

Carolyn Mark's website

Carolyn Mark's Myspace

BOAT reveal new album details

Incredibly catchy Seattle indie pop band BOAT have announced the release of their new album. Setting The Paces will hit the ground running on October 27th.

The track listing for the album looks like this:

• 100 Calorie Man
• We've Been Friends Since 1989
• We Want It, We Want It
• Tough Talkin' The Tulips
• Prince of Tacoma
• Name Tossers
• Lately
• Jeff Fell Dream #48
• Interstate 5
• God Save The Man Who Isn't All That Super
• You're Muscular
• Reverie
• (do the) Magic Centipede
• Calcium Commuter

BOAT's Myspace

Barton Fink Band give away album for free download

Quebec's Barton Fink Band are offering up their debut album, GEAR, for free download. It's a combination of new wave, funk, and electronic beats all played with a punk attitude and energy.

Just ignore the fact that they are named after a god awful movie and enjoy the music!

Grab your free download here.

Barton Fink Band's website

Barton Fink Band's Myspace

Library Voices: live at the Horseshoe review

Regina's Library Voices pulled into the Horseshoe in Toronto last night to play their second consecutive week at the New Music Night. Despite missing one member, bringing them down to a manageable 9-piece, the band a solid performance.

New material, including the track "Drinking Games" which is currently streaming at the band's Myspace page, was played alongside older material. The new songs lack some of the expansive harmonies and umph of their previous work. Songs like "Step Off The Map and Float" and "Things We Stole From Vonnegut's Grave" (my personal favorite) are more instantly catchy and rewarding.

The show wrapped up again with a tremendous sing-along cover of Neil Young's "Unknown Legend". Great stuff there.

Overall it wasn't as strong as their Canadian Music Week performance in March, but it was definitely an evening well spent.

Toronto act Too Many Sisters opened up the evening with an intimate, stripped down set. The highlight was a fairly honest cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice". Definitely an act to keep an eye on.

Update: Pete Nema has some great pics from the show here.

7.0/10

Library Voices' Myspace

Too Many Sisters' Myspace

St Helens: "Heavy Profession" album review

Some bands just try way too hard. That certainly seems to be the case with Australian band St Helens and their debut album Heavy Profession.

This album is the sound of a band unsure of its direction, even its own identity. The songs are stuck in a limbo of half-rock, half-art music, and never really ever commit to being one of the other. The result is songs like "Heavy Profession" and "The Only Ghost In the Room" which at best come across as rag tag and at worse an unfocused mess.

There is the occasional bright spot. "Coffin Search" for example begin with a near rip-off of Neil Young's "Like a Hurricane" but morphs into a decent, intense midtempo effort.

Unfortunately those spots are few and far between. All too often instead we hear a song like "St Luke", which oddly enough also bears a resemblance to Neil Young. This time though it sounds like Young singing lead for a spit polished and sterilized Sonic Youth. The album closer "Summer Is Forever" shows potential with Hannah Brooks assuming lead vocal duties, but ends as a disappointing cross between Patti Smith's "Redondo Beach" and the Velvet Underground's "I'm Sticking With You".

Best to leave St Helens aside for now and hope for a more focused and original effort down the road.

Best tracks: "Coffin Search", "

Track listing for Heavy Profession:

• Don't Laugh
• Heavy Profession
• How To Choose Your Guru Pt 2
• St Luke
• Coffin Search
• Pharaohs Tomb
• The Only Ghost In The Room
• Get Up
• One In Seventeen
• Positivity
• Summer Is Forever

3.5/10

St Helens' Myspace

KaiserCartel: "Rock Island" EP review

The NYC indie pop duo KaiserCartel charmed us with their 2008 album March Forth. New the band is poised to return on September 1st with the five-song Rock Island EP.

Four of the tracks included on the EP are KaiserCartel originals. It's remarkable how the pair manage to pen gripping pop melodies, in a seemingly effortless manner. The vocal harmonies between the pair on songs like "Memphis" and the slightly twangy "Carroll Street Station" are astounding. There's an intimacy to the music that is fairly unique to the duo.

The remaining song is a cover of Lucinda Williams' "Something About What Happens When We Talk". At first the track sounds like a fairly listless cover. But there's something about what happens with repeated listenings. Kaiser's voice reels you in deeper and deeper each time.

The strength of the songs on Rock Island bode very well for the prospects of KaiserCartel's sophomore album, due early next year.

Best tracks: "Carroll Street Station", "Memphis"

Track listing for Rock Island:

• Carroll Street Station
• Stella
• Something About What Happens When We Talk
• Memphis
• Shira

8.5/10

KaiserCartel's website

KaiserCartel's Myspace

Lou Barlow gives away "Gravitate" MP3

Sebadoh frontman and Dinosaur Jr guitarist Lou Barlow is poised to release his next solo album, Goodbye Unknown on October 6th.

To wet your appetite, Barlow is offering a free download of the track "Gravitate". All you have to do is give him your email address.

Get your copy of the track here.

Lou Barlow opens for, and plays with, Dinosaur Jr at the Phoenix in Toronto on September 30th.

Lou Barlow's website

A Sunny Day In Glasgow: "Ashes Grammar/Ashes Math" MP3

As previously reported, A Sunny Day In Glasgow are set to release their new album Ashes Grammar on September 15th. The band however is offering up the first track for free download now.

Grab it here:

• "Ashes Grammar/Ashes Math"- MP3

A Sunny Day In Glasgow's website

A Sunny Day In Glasgow's Myspace

Timber Timbre: "Timber Timbre" album review

Timber Timbre is the moniker taken by Toronto musician Taylor Kirk. His new self-titled release, his third in total, came out in Canada on June 30th and gets its international release today.

The sound of Timber Timbre's lo-fi folk music has won over local audiences. It good that a broader audience of indie fans will be able to experience tracks like the supernaturally swirling "We'll Find Out" and the soulful "I Get Low".

Many of the tracks are built atop a unique organ pulse. That turns an otherwise run-of-the-mill folk song like "Lay Down In The Tall Grass" into a methodical trance waltz. The music is further fleshed out by well placed string arrangements and deftly minimalist guitar work.

Not every track on the album is a winner. The opener "Demon Host" is a tediously dull ghost folk walk through. "Magic Arrow", while possessing a decent ominous sound, does come a little too close to Nick Cave's "Six Strings That Draw Blood" riff for my comfort.

Anyone who believes that indie folk has hit a creative and artistic wall should welcome Timber Timbre.

Best tracks: "I Get Low", "Trouble Comes Knocking"

Track listing for Timber Timbre:

• Demon Host
• Lay Down In The Tall Grass
• Until the Night Is Over
• Magic Arrow
• We'll Find Out
• I Get Low
• Trouble Comes Knocking
• No Bold Villian

7.5/10

Timber Timbre's Myspace

New releases for July 28th: Les Handclaps, The Dodos

Here's a look at what's new today:

• Adam OST- Review
• Bella Clava- Review
• The Dodos- Review
• Felix da Housecat
• Les Handclaps
• Kevin Hearn & Thin Bundle
• Love & Rockets tribute
• The Rifles- Review
• Stonefox- Review
• Timber Timbre- Review

LAKE: new album details, "Madagascar" MP3

Coming out of the Pacific Northwest are indie band LAKE. The band have just announced the release of their new studio album Let's Build a Roof for October 6th.

The first track "Madagascar" (alas not a Chinese Democracy cover) was recently posted for download on Pitchfork. You can grab it here.

The track list for the album looks like this:

• Breathing
• Gravel
• Madagascar
• Sing 99 and 90
• Acorn
• The Roof Caves In
• Loose Wind
• Winking Sign
• Remote Control Cars
• Don't Give Up
• Christmas Island
• Collapsing Homes

LAKE's website

LAKE's Myspace

Kid Koala: new tracks "It's All Over", "You Turn Me Cold"

Renowned Montreal DJ/turntablist Kid Koala is back with a new project. The Slew: Live sees the Kid team up with unlikely duo of bassist and drummer Chris Ross and Myles Heskett, both formerly of Aussie psych-rockers Wolfmother.

There will be a tour and an album, 100%, which will be available on the tour only.

But guess what? You can grab a couple of samples right here:

• "It's All Over"- MP3
• "You Turn Me Cold"- MP3

Kid Koala plays Lee's Palace in Toronto on October 3rd.

Kid Koala's Myspace

Funny People OST: album review

Am I the only one out there who thinks that Judd Apatow may be churning out the movies a little bit too quickly? His latest one is the Adam Sandler/Seth Rogen trip Funny People. The soundtrack for the film comes out this week.

The soundtrack is a bizarre collection of mostly '70s AM rock performers (James Taylor, Neil Diamond, Warren Zevon, etc) and former Beatles solo material (where's George in all this?). A sprinkling of current indie favorites are included to attempt to appeal to the kids.

Most of these songs are throwaways or otherwise unnoteworthy. Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind" is sterile. Robert Plant makes "All the King's Horses" dull as dishwater.

There are a handful of bright moments. Zevon's "Numb As a Statue" is inspired rock and Ringo Starr's "Photograph" shows he was under appreciated as a songwriter. The intriguing combination of Wilco and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird provide a catchy live rendition of "Jesus, etc". Most surprisingly, Maude Apatow and Larry Goldings' cover of "Memory" from the musical Cats isn't half bad.

All that said it's hard to ignore that the normally indie pop perfect Coconut Records contributed a pair of clunkers here and there are two incredibly unfunny Adam Sandler songs and you need to steer clear of this soundtrack. Here's hoping the film is better.

Best tracks: "Numb As a Statue", "Photograph"

Track listing for Funny People OST:

• Great Day- Paul McCartney
• Wires- Coconut Records
• All the King's Horses- Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation
• Carolina In My Mind- James Taylor
• Keep Me In Your Heart- Warren Zevon
• Real Love- Adam Sandler
• We- Neil Diamond
• Jesus, etc- Wilco with Andrew Bird
• Gene Simmons Soon Will Be Gone- Adam Sandler
• I Am Young- Coconut Records
• Memory- Maude Apatow and Larry Goldings
• Numb As a Statue- Warren Zevon
• Photograph- Ringo Starr
• Watching the Wheel- John Lennon

3.0/10