Bright Eyes announces new album "The People's Key"

After some rock solid solo work, Conor Oberst is getting the band back together.  That's right, Bright Eyes will be releasing a brand new album, The People's Key, on February 15th.

Joining Oberst in this incarnation of Bright Eyes are Mike Mogis and Nathaniel Walcott.  Guests popping in include Matt Maginn (Cursive), Carla Azar (Autolux), and many more.

Here's the track list for the album:

• Firewall
• Shell Games
• Jejune Stars
• Approximate Sunlight 
• Haile Selassie
• A Machine Spiritual (In The People’s Key)
• Triple Spiral
• Beginner’s Mind
• Ladder Song
• One For You, One For Me

Bright Eyes' Facebook

Volcano Playground prep new 7" (MP3)

Toronto shoegazer band Volcano Playground have announced plans to release a new 7".  The record, out in February, will see the tracks "Anywhere" and "Waiting" from the group's recent EP, remixed and tweaked by producers Eric Broucek (LCD Soundsystem, Massive Attack) and Dave Newfeld (Broken Social Scene).

It should be interesting to see how the songs, more or less self-recorded basement tapes originally, sound with a fuller production.

Grab the new version of "Anywhere" now.

Volcano Playground plays The Twist Gallery in Toronto on December 16th as part of the Wintergaze Festival.

Volcano Playground's Myspace

CONTEST: Win passes to see Justin Jones and Badly Drawn Boy @ The Great Hall

It's a long way from Rawley Springs, VA to Toronto, but singer/songwriter Justin Jones is making it.  On December 8th, Jones brings the rootsy songs from his new EP The Little Fox to The Great Hall as he opens for Mercury Prize winner Badly Drawn Boy.

You can get a taste of Jones' heartfelt songs streaming on his website and pick-up the record here.

I've got a pair of passes to give away to the show.  If you think those should be yours, hit me up one of these ways:
Email
Twitter
Myspace
Facebook

Justin Jones' website

The Eatons: "The Handover" (EP review)

You don't see Scarborough, ON on many band's bios.  That's why it's great to see The Eatons' wear there inner suburb origins on their sleeve on The Handover, the debut EP from the quartet.

The self-produced record boasts a combination of fuzzy guitars and melodic vocals that evoke memories of the heyday of Sonic Unyon bands in the '90s.  Nowhere is that more pronounced than on the seriously hook-laden "One More Night" and featured single "Destroyer".

Despite showing obvious promise, the band still has a ways to go still.  Tracks like "Some Emergency" and "This Little Scene", with their very deliberate pace, sound a little too much like the generic commercial music that passes for 'new rock' on 102.1.  As a result the band runs the risk of having their music lost in the shuffle of countless other bands that have that sound.

I'm interested to see where The Eatons go from here.  I like the foundation of what they've got, and they have a back story that gives them a fresh perspective on indie rock.  Here's hoping they can pull it all together.

Best tracks: "One More Night", "Destroyer"

Track listing for The Handover:

• The Handover
• One More Night
• This Little Scene
• Some Emergency
• On the Line
• Summer Again
• Destroyer
• I Knew You Would

6.0/10

The Eatons' website
The Eatons' Myspace

New releases for Nov 30th: Thurston Moore, The Boy Least Likely To

Things really tighten up new music wise over the next few weeks.  Here's a brief look at what you can expect on shelves this week:

• The Boy Least Likely To
• Zac Crouse- MP3
• Abby Gojo
• Jenocide- MP3
• Thurston Moore
• Dave Norris/Local Ivan- Review
• Solvents

Todd Snider to release live album "The Storyteller"

Part musician, part comedian, all entertainment.  That's Todd Snider in a nutshell.  On February 1st Snider will release a double live album entitled The Storyteller.

Check out Snider's introduction of the set that makes up the double live recording:


Here's the track list for the album:

DISC 1

• Greencastle Blues
• Is This Thing Working?
• Just Like Old Times
• Eighteen Minutes Speech
• Tension
• Doll Face
• Rose City
• Stuck on the Corner
• Sunshine
• Bill Elliot Story
• Sideshow Blues

DISC 2

• 45 Miles
• Looking For A Job
• Play A Train Song
• KK Rider Story
• Don't It Make You Wanna Dance
• East Nashville Skyline
• The Devil You Know
• The Ballad of the Kingsmen
• America's Favorite Pastime
• Mushroom Story
• Conservative Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males
• If Tomorrow Never Comes
• Good Fortune

Todd Snider's website
Todd Snider's Myspace

Kalle Mattson announce sophomore album details, give away "Thick As Thieves"

Sault Ste Marie by way of Ottawa indie folk rock band Kalle Mattson made quite the impression on me with their 2009 debut.  They reaffirmed that by putting on one of my favorite performances at this year's Canadian Music Fest.

On March 22nd Kalle Mattson will return with their sophomore album Anchors.

To give you a taste, the band have released the first single "Thick As Thieves".  All you have to do is 'pay' for it with a Tweet or Facebook post.  Get yours here.

Kalle Mattson's website

CONTEST: Win passes to Wintergaze (f. Memoryhouse, Foxes In Fiction, and more)

On December 16th Gold Soundz presents a night of up-and-coming shoegazer bands at The Twist Gallery (1100 Queen St W) in Toronto.

Headlining the night will be Guelph's Memoryhouse as they celebrate the release of their new 7" "Caregiver".  Also on the bill are Foxes In Fictions, Volcano Playground, Ostrich Tuning, and Heartbeat Hotel.

I've got a pair of passes to give away.  If you want to go to this show, simply hit me up one of these ways:
Email
Twitter
Myspace
Facebook

Check out the fan-made video for Memoryhouse's track "Caregiver" here:

Memoryhouse - "Caregiver" from The Tearist on Vimeo.

Tickets are $10 in advance (available at Soundscapes and Rotate This), or $12 at the door.

Wintergaze's Facebook page

Toronto musicians come together to raise money for Spaceman 3's Natty Booker

On December 4th, members of Toronto's shoegazer community are coming together for a tribute/benefit concert for Natty Booker.  The event, billed as The Perfect Transcription, has the goal of helping Booker pay his bills as he battles cancer.

Booker was a founding member of the groundbreaking group Spaceman 3, and later contributed artwork for the post-Spaceman band, Spiritualized.

Acts performing include:

• Speedway
• Flowers Of Hell
• The Hoa Hoas
• The Pow Wows
• The Blooming Rosebuds
• Drunk Woman
• The Disraelis
• Ostrich Tuning
• The Auras
• The Mighty Oaks
• Proof of Ghosts
• Panarama
• Hollowphonic
• Make Joy Cry

The tribute and benefit show takes place at The Piston on December 4th.  Admission is pay what you can.

You can watch the show live here, and send PayPal donations to hallucinatoryart@live.co.uk

This week's entertainment picks: Mike Plume Band, Stornoway w. Franz Nicolay

It's a pretty slow week for live music in the Big Smoke, but I do have some options for you:

Franz Nicolay

Stornoway w. Franz Nicolay, El Mocambo, Nov 30
UK buzz band Stornoway pull into town with the odd support of former Hold Steady keyboardist Franzy Nicolay.  It's fitting this happens on the last day of Movember.

Stornoway's website
Franz Nicolay's website

Mike Plume Band, Dakota, Dec 4
One of Canada's most under-rated country rock acts will delight you with tales of hockey and Newfoundland time.

Mike Plume Band's website

...also this week:

• Bear Hands, Nov 29
• Atlantic/Pacific, Nov 30
• Fun., Nov 30
• The Arkells, Dec 3
• Kenny Rogers, Dec 3
• David Usher, Dec 3
• David Usher, Dec 4
• Brandon Flowers, Dec 4
• Little City, Dec 4
• Jeremy Fisher w. Greg Laswell, Dec 4
• Rufus Wainwright, Dec 4

Ozzy Osbourne @ the Air Canada Centre (live review)

Were you wondering why the streets of Oshawa were eerily quiet on Saturday night?  Well, it was because they were all at the Air Canada Centre as the Prince Of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne made his return to Toronto.

It was a surprisingly spry Ozzy that hit the stage.  Sure, his voice is nearly completely shot, and his vocals were at time indiscernible,  but Osbourne proved to still be one heck of a showman.  Despite having to take an almost 25 minute break at one point, leaving his band on stage to "entertain" the masses, Ozzy was clearly having fun.  That spread like wildfire throughout the building, particularly as he repeatedly drenched those in the floor seats with a fire hose water/suds combination.

New material was greeted with polite ovations, but the hits threw the nearly sold out crowd into a frenzy.  Kicking things off with "Bark At the Moon", Ozzy hit the right chords with classics like "Crazy Train", "Mr. Crowley", and "Mama, I'm Coming Home".

Ozzy didn't shy away from his Black Sabbath oeuvre either.  "Iron Man", "War Pigs", "Paranoid", and "N.I.B." were among those getting and airing.

In contrast, opener Rob Halford seemed like he couldn't put enough distance between himself and his Judas Priest past, choosing to stick to song by his post-Priest band Fight and his current project Halford.  His voice was still strong and the band was loud, but he moved around the stage with some difficulty, looking like Ozzy's picture of Dorian Grey.

Overall it was a surprisingly good night.  Let's hope that Ozzy has more than a few more tours in him.

7.0/10

Ozzy Osbourne's website

Toronto concerts announced this week: The Weakerthans, Morcheeba, Nicole Atkins

Here's a look at the concerts announced for Toronto over the past week:

• Little City, Velvet Underground, Dec 4
• The Mark Inside, Parts & Labour, Dec 9
• Kate Makie & Frederick Squire, The Dakota, Dec 19
• Cancer Bats, Opera House, Feb 2
• Steven Page, Enwave Theatre, Feb 4
• The Weakerthans, Lee's Palace, Feb 4
• Steven Page, Enwave Theatre, Feb 5
• Morcheeba, The Phoenix, Feb 20
• Nicole Atkins, Horseshoe Tavern, Feb 26
• Levon Helm w. Lucinda Williams, Massey Hall, Mar 4
• Levon Helm w. Lucinda Williams, Massey Hall, Mar 5
• Plants & Animals w. Karkwa, Lee's Palace, Mar 5
• Vans Warped Tour, Jul 15, Flats At Arrow Hall

Quick Hits: Mr. Marblesz

Once again I bring you "the stuff I couldn't devote proper time to this week":

Mr. Marblesz
This is the self-titled debut album from the project, headed by Tom Juhas.  The guitarist for Toronto's Pure Finesse, Juhas recruited an impressive cast of supporting musicians for the album.  Between them, the group has worked with the likes of Blue Rodeo, Jeff Healey, Ron Sexsmith, and Matt Dusk among others.

The resulting album is firmly rooted on the jazz side of the ledger.  However, Mr. Marblesz brings a compelling twist by introducing more than a handful of World music influences.

It's not exactly you're grandfather's jazz music.

Mr. Marblesz' website

Last minute plans: Royal Wood w. Hannah Georgas

If you're looking for something to do in Toronto tonight, I'd recommend a trip down to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.  That's where Canadian singer/songwriter Royal Wood will be performing.

Royal Wood is sure to bring the heartfelt pop that got him named iTunes Songwriter of the Year.

Also on the bill is one of this blog's favorite female musicians, Newmarket-native Hannah Georgas.

Doors open at 7:00pm and you can get tickets at the door or order them here.

Royal Wood's website
Hannah Georgas' website

Birthday Girls: "Birthday Girls" (EP review)

A strong debut EP can build a lot of buzz and expectation for a full length album.  I have a feeling that's exactly what's going to happen with the self-titled debut EP from Ottawa post-punks Birthday Girls.

The first thing that catches your attention with Birthday Girls is their seemingly boundless energy.  All of the EP's four tracks are propulsive efforts, particularly "Let's Take the Party Downstairs", which works you up into a synth-driven frenzy.

The vocals are in-your-face, with nothing head back.  At first this didn't seem to jive with their dance-oriented flash.  After a while though, it became clear that the band had a winning recipe as they are obviously making dance music for punks who are afraid to let loose in public.  For the most part they do an exemplary job of keeping the delicate balance.  That's best witnesses on the closer "Siren", a song that brings all of Birthday Girls' elements in for a near-perfect storm.

I do have to take issue with "Balcony".  The vocals on the song are infuriatingly repetitive.  Thankfully, a mesmerizing synth part keeps it from falling into complete drudgery.

So Birthday Girls now have a rock solid EP under their belts.  It now needs to be seen if they can maintain the level of intensity and strong songwriting over the course of an entire album.

While there's no Toronto show scheduled for Birthday Girls at the moment, I'm told they are working on something for the new year.

Best tracks: "Let's Take the Party Downstairs", "Siren"

Track listing for Birthday Girls:

• Teenagers
• Let's Take the Party Downstairs
• Balcony
• Siren

7.5/10

Birthday Girls' Myspace

3 More To Explore: Peter Doran, The Foreign Films, Freeman Dre & the Kitchen Party

Here are three more artist worth considering for your weekend soundtrack:

Peter Doran
For those who like: Neil Young, Tom Waits

When it comes to writing and singing from the soul there are few who do it like the Irish.  Add Dubliner Doran to the list.

Peter Doran's Myspace

The Foreign Films
For those who like: Robyn Hitchcock, XTC

For a group of Hamiltonians, these guys are really into their '80s Anglo power pop.  That's definitely not a bad thing.

The Foreign Films' Myspace

Freeman Dre & the Kitchen Party
For those who like: The Pogues, Tom Fun Orchestra

This Toronto band may not have the same level of Celtic swagger as MacGowan's crew, but they certainly have the same spirit.

Freeman Dre's Myspace

California King: "La Belle Epoque" (album review)

When discussing Brooklyn's California King it is very tempting to take the easy way out and use comparisons to any of Fishbone, Bad Brains, or Living Colour.  After listening to their forthcoming album, La Belle Epoque (out December 14th), one would see just how any of those comparisons would be tragically overlooking the sound the band has carved out themselves.

The track "Soft and Warming" is a perfect example.  Boasting a dynamic range greater than any of those bands, California King creates a broad atmosphere of sound.  That continues with the moody rhythm of "Higher Plane" and the epic "The Reins".  Despite a hard rocking exterior, the inner soulfulness of the band comes through in unexpected ways with the gripping "Changes", and the touching love song with a twist "Homicide".

That's not to say they don't have anything in common with those iconic groups I mentioned earlier.  There's a definite funky groove that underpins songs like "Come To Me and Stay" and "Bobby Burns", on which they finally unleash the killer horns.

There are some flaws in La Belle Epoque to be sure.  The arrangements often sound thin, with tracks like "Brutal Minds" begging for just a little more punch.  A few of the songs, "Lingering" and "Sea Change", have the potential to be anthems, if their hooks were just a tad sharper.

In a season when quality new music releases are few and far between, California King will be a welcome oasis for you.

Best tracks: "Homicide", "Bobby Burns"

Track listing for La Belle Epoque:

• Solar Nights
• Come To Me and Stay
• Brutal Minds
• Homicide
• Lingering
• Sealed
• Soft and Warm
• Sea Change
• Higher Plane
• Bobby Burns
• Changes
• The Reins

7.0/10

California King's Myspace

Dum Dum Girls to release "He Get's Me High" EP

The debut album from California garage rockers Dum Dum Girls was a little bit overrated from my perspective, but I'm happy to give them another chance.

That chance comes on March 1st when they release their new EP He Get's Me High.

• Wrong Feels Right
• He Gets Me High
• Take Care of My Baby
• There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

Between looking like Kim Deal on the cover (right) and a cover of one of my favorite Smiths songs, things are looking positive.

Dum Dum Girls play the El Mocambo in Toronto on February 26th.

Dum Dum Girls' website

Destroyer: new album details, "Chinatown" (MP3)

With the New Pornographers put to bed for another year it's time for Dan Bejar to give in to his ADHD and work on another project.  Luckily for us he's doing it with a new Destroyer album.

His latest, Kaputt, comes out on January 25th.

Check out the first track "Chinatown" now.

Destroyer's website

"Mustaine: a Heavy Metal Memoir" (book review)

Now that the weather's turned colder and I can't spend time walking to and from work I've been catching up on the reading that I let slide.  One of those books I've been meaning to get to is Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir by Megadeth founder Dave Mustaine.

People are probably aware of the broader themes of Mustaine's story: his split and subsequent issues with Metallica, his drug addiction, Megadeth's success, etc.  But what are the finer points?  You'll be disappointed to know you won't find much of the insight you're looking for in this book.

Mustaine is frustratingly short on details.  He breezes through his formative childhood and teenage years, trying to get them out of the way as quickly as possible.  Much of the conflict in his personal and professional life he treats the same way.  He uses drug addiction as an answer to most of those conflicts, without taking the time to give us the detailed events that lead up to any of confrontations.  Rather than showing us his slow decline, issues simply come to an abrupt climax.  In most cases there's no cause and effect relationship drawn.  That actually trivializes the events for the reader by rendering them not that shocking or even interesting.

There's a cloud that hangs over the narrative as well.  It's clear that Mustaine is still a bitter man as a result of his dismissal from Metallica, and it seems as though he wants to use this book as a method of freeing himself from some of those feelings.  The problem is that one gets the sense that the entire process is forced and contrived.  Mustaine says the right things, but as a reader you have a hard time believing that he is actually contrite and apologetic for the things he's done.  In short, it simply doesn't feel honest.

Mustaine fails on a lot of levels.  It's not as shocking as other heavy metal autobiographies we've seen (Nikki Sixx) and not as honest as others (Slash).  In the end the book is definitely not worth the time for casual Megadeth fans.  Anyone but the most hardcore fan will find it difficult to drawn much value from the tale.

Toro Y Moi announces release of "Underneath the Pine"

One of the great things about this age of music blogging is that even a dude making bedroom recordings in Columbia, SC can become a sensation.  That's exactly what happened to Chaz Bundick, operating under the name Toro Y Moi.

Now he's going to see if he can keep up the momentum with the release of his proper sophomore album.  Underneath the Pine has been set for a February 22nd release date.

• Intro/Chi Chi
• New Beat
• Go with You
• Divina
• Before I'm Done
• Got Blinded
• How I Know
• Light Black
• Still Sound
• Good Hold
• Elise

If anything else comes across my desktop I'll let you know.

Toro Y Moi's Myspace

John Vanderslice teams with Magik Magik Orchestra for "White Wilderness"

Singer/songwriter/producer/renaissance man John Vanderslice has another album ready to go.  White Wilderness is scheduled to drop on January 25th.

The new album sees Vanderslice getting full orchestral support from the Magik Magik Orchestra.

Here's the track list for the record:

• Sea Salt
• Convict Lake
• White Wilderness
• The Piano Lesson
• After It Ends
• Overcoat
• Alemany Gap
• English Vines
• 20K

John Vanderslice's website

Hey Rosetta! to release "Seeds"

Polaris Prize-nominated group Hey Rosetta! have announced the release of their next studio album.  The record, Seeds, will be available on February 15th.

The Newfoundland band has just wrapped up a tour in support of Sarah Harmer, but I'm sure with the new album coming that we'll see them around these parts in the not so distant future.

Hey Rosetta!'s website

Shoot The Cameraman: "The Wreckage" (album review)

There's something familiar about The Wreckage, the forthcoming debut full length from Toronto's Shoot The Cameraman.  From the very first time I listened to the record I felt like it was an old standby that I'd had kicking around for years.

Shoot The Cameraman's sound is firmly rooted in Americana rock traditions.  The album opens with "The Last Time", which is guaranteed to get the toes tapping.  A grimy rockabilly bop takes hold on "Such a Fad".  "All My Plan" grabs you by the arm and takes you on a rootsy stroll.

The band certainly wear their influences on their sleeves.  The first comes through on "When You Know", a plaintive track reminiscent of Neil Young, especially with the slightly nasally vocals.  "Crack Head Baby" opens with a guitar line that reminds me of The Black Crowes "She Talks To Angels".  The wrenching "The Wire" could easily be a Counting Crows lament while the vocal harmonies on "Still Blind" are Jayhawk-esque in nature.

Impressively, there isn't much filler on the album either.  "43 Years" is an exception.  Even then it's not a bad song per se, rather it just fails to click for me.

You certainly can't characterize The Wreckage as groundbreaking.  Shoot The Cameraman aren't trying out new fandangled techniques or pushing the boundaries of humanity's aural tolerance.  What they've done though, is made an album that will keep you warm through the blistery winter months.

Shoot The Cameraman play a CD release party at the Horseshoe in Toronto on December 11th.

Best tracks: "The Wire", "Goodnight Baby"

Track listing for The Wreckage:

• The Last Time
• When You Know
• Crack Head Baby
• The Wire
• Such a Fad
• 43 Years
• All My Plan
• Still Blind
• What You Have Won
• Goodnight Baby
• The Wreckage
• Carve a Hole

7.5/10

Shoot The Cameraman's website

The Mynabirds: "All I Want Is Truth (For Christmas)" (MP3)

Here's another Christmas-themed track for you.  The Mynabirds have dropped a new 7", which includes the track "All I Want Is Truth (For Christmas)".

Grab the MP3 here:


The Mynabirds' website