Listen: Feist - "Pleasure"

Earlier this week Canadian singer/songwriter Feist announced her follow up to 2011's Metals in arguably the most understated way possible. The announcement wasn't accompanied with any taste of what was in store just a sort of vague intimation of what she had been up to and confirmation that the rumors that new music would be coming this year with a definite date of next month. Yesterday, much like the lead up to Metals, Feist released a series of teaser videos (albeit this time of classic films) featuring a snippet of the yet to be announced single and finally we get to hear more than a 5 second snippet of the chorus.

Described as planting a seed of brightness by its title "Pleasure" and its eponymous album finds Feist is a considerably different emotional state than many of the break up pop that made up Metals. "Pleasure" is a bit of a slow burn: starting from completely silence and getting more and more rambunctious as it builds to the cacophony of its climatic finale. Much like her initial announcement where Feist described the two sides of pleasure: mild and fleeting or deeply felt and lasting, she toys with both sides in the single. "Get what I want and still it's a mysterious thing that I want" Feist coos initially after nearly a minute of build up. "I, and you are the same and either fiction or dreaming we know enough to admit" and just like that she sets up the chorus and the rest of the song, describing similarities and commingling feelings and the escapism that togetherness brings. It's simultaneous romantic and also deflating. Feist does a surprising amount very swiftly. After constructing an evolving song with a patient building block like cadence, she basically knocks it all down like dominoes while giving only the briefest of hints at what's coming. "We became our needs" Feist sings and then quickly moves on and then suddenly things surge up and the chorus is all that's left; overpowering in its intensity: "It's my pleasure, it's your pleasure" warps solely into "It's my pleasure" as Feist and her guitar take center stage and stomps and claps rise up to meet chants of "Pleasure! Pleasure!". It's certainly a way to make an entrance and the lead track from her upcoming album sure does a heck of a lot towards making me even more excited for the rest of the album. Luckily for us the release of Pleasure is but a month and some change away.



Feist's fifth studio album Pleasure is out April 28th on Polydor.

Listen: Dream Country - "Radio"

One of the cooler things I've experienced from attending Teen Daze's past few Brooklyn tour stops aside from the shows themselves has been the realization that his backing band consists of talented musicians often with their own musical projects brewing elsewhere. From Kyle Reigle's Cemeteries/Camp Counselors to David Wirsig's self-titled solo project, the most unexpected discovery however occurred in the form of Jordan Kurtz, who held down synth duties, recently unveiling his indie pop project Dream Country.

My surprise of course isn't because I expected the project to be anything less than good but rather that Kurtz made absolutely no reference to it at all during our albeit brief time together. In fact the only reason I happened upon it was due to an unintended recommendation from Kurtz's fellow backing bandmate Simon. With a debut self-titled album set for early January, the project has clearly been a long time coming and yet slight feelings of musical betrayal aside, I'm just happy to be clued into Dream Country's debut at just the right time. "Radio", the first single from the upcoming record, is all breezy, easy listening vibes with just the right amount of pep keeping things moving. With everything on it from violin, trumpet, harmonica, banjo and a piano-synth hand off in addition to the standard guitar, drums, and bass, the most surprising thing about the track is just how it manages to keep all these instruments contained within. "Radio" is an enjoyably smooth jam that's simple in both its energy and feel in a way that betrays its various moving parts. "Radio" introduces Dream Country as a bunch of careful musicians able to team up in a way that's beautifully understated and effortlessly ear-catching.



Dream Country's debut self-titled record is out January 5th.

Watch: The Acorn - "Rapids (Mère de les chaudières)" (Herd Mag Session)

I mentioned on my most anticipated albums list that Canadian folk pop band The Acorn were preparing their follow up to 2010's No Ghost and since it's announcement last year, we're finally getting a taste of what we can expect on Vieux Loup. Sort of. In his original announcement The Acorn's Rolf Klausener promised a R&B, dance, and experimental infused album which we don't really see too much of in the new track. It's in progress so maybe it'll be treated a bit differently in studio. Whatever the case this live rendition of "Rapids (Mère de les chaudières) is pretty great and recalls Glory Hope Mountain. My favorite The Acorn album and the one I hope they return to for defining their band sound one day. Until then, Klausener seems content to experiment and the results sound pretty amazing so they're not complaints here.

Enjoy this live rendition of "Rapids" for Herd Magazine:

Listen: Wildlife - "Born to Ruin"

After what seems like ages of the Toronto rock fivesome Wildlife hinting at their new album dropping, this is the week everything's taking shape. Revealing their cover art and track name (albeit a bit subtly) a day ago, we finally get to hear what the lads have been up to for the past year. From lakeside cabins to seaside towns, Wildlife have been hard at work making sure their latest effort stacked up against their incendiary debut.

"Born to Ruin" is a pretty natural evolution for Wildlife. Percussive and heavy, the track pulls the balls to the wall energy the band is known for in their most ripping of tracks and live sets and instead proceeds at somewhat less intimidating level of intensity. Instead the track shuffles along with a gentler head bobbing, toe-tapping pace that allows for a far more engaging listening experience. The band's always done a great job of playing together but at the slower pace, it's far easier to make out the various parts at work and really enjoy the grand moments of music making as the occur. Wildlife's always had a rather anthemic leaning output and "Born to Ruin" is no exception. It's virtually impossible for me to be more excited for Wildlife's sophomore record ...On the Heart than I already but "Born to Ruin" is great enough to almost make me second guess that excitement. Thank heavens it's release is little more than a month away.

Get a taste of Wildlife's plodding rock scorcher "Born to Ruin":


Wildlife's sophomore effort ...On the Heart is out February 26h on Wax Records.

Listen: Cold Specks - "Post Operative #8"

Canadian singer/songwriter Al Spx continues to deliver more of her luscious, dark, soulful hymns as Cold Specks with another single from her brilliant debut album I Predict A Graceful Expulsion. But as incredible as another listen of "Hector" is, the real cause for excitement is in it's b-side "Post Operative #8".

"Post Operative #8" with its slow, melodic purl and bare, simple delivery wouldn't be at all out of place on the album proper and yet, it's brand new and hints that Spx has found her sound in evocative, slow unfurling tracks that showcase her daunting vocal prowess; her rich emotive alto pouring over you like molasses and congealing on her minimalistic but poignant lyricism.

Listen to the b-side to "Hector", "Post-Operative #8":

Watch: Cold Specks - "Hector"

It's rare that you look forward to an artists video as much as I've been looking forward to each creation from Canadian singer/songwriter Al Spx aka Cold Specks. In addition to her utterly consuming brand of stormy gospel-inspired folkiness, she has a real talent for pairing her musical talents with fantastic videography. And that's no less the case with her latest video for new single "Hector" from her debut album I Predict A Graceful Expulsion.

Very little is explained in the video and that's probably for the best. As the video begins, you're not entirely sure what you're seeing as a white figure drags a body along a grassy path before revealing the figure as a pregnant bride still in all her wedding day dressings. There's flashes of the unborn baby as well as the Spx's groom before whatever disaster befell him. There's scenes of a happy wedded union cut with those same flashes of the unborn baby and there's Al Spx in various stages of almost menacing beauty as she sits, stands, and wanders alone. Who decapitated her bridegroom? Was it Al? Was it the baby? Those are the questions you try to unravel as the cinematic music video plods a long. 

Watch the haunting and beautiful video for Cold Specks' "Hector":

Pitstop: Basia Bulat

I'm a little ashamed that it took me about 2 years to even mention Canadian singer/songwriter Basia Bulat. I was reintroduced to her Saturday night as she was one of the two splendid openers at Bowerbirds Music Hall of Williamburg show. Before having watched her play a Tiny Desk concert on NPR and before that randomly stumbling upon her at Central Park Summerstage as she opened up for St. Vincent along with tUnE-yArDs. And while I more or less missed her whole set at Summerstage due to getting lost and being unable to find the stage for an embarrassingly length of time, the sounds of her autoharp are ultimately what led me and a friend safely to the show.

While Basia has two albums out at present, Oh, My Darling and Heart of My Own, Basia is probably best experienced live. There you'll witness her skill with a variety of folk instruments; the aforementioned autoharp, hammered dulcimer, guitar, and even a small lute/ukulele-like instrument called the charango. All of these Basia plays with nimble fingers you have to see to believe all the while belting out an utterly captivating array of tunes with an absolutely demolishing amount of vocal power. While Bulat normally plays with a band, this time she went solo and the result were far more impressive I'm sure. More than holding her own as she accompanied herself flawlessly. 

Basia Bulat's live set is transportive, magical, and awe-inspiring as she proves herself a more than competent storyteller, spinning tales which whether real or not carry a deeply emotional resonance. While this feat is also achieved quite masterfully on her albums, it's the unbridled energy unleashed at just the right moments that hit you sorely in the heart and make you weak in the knees.   

Basia Bulat is currently putting the finish touches on her latest full-length record and I for one couldn't be more excited. Whether or not it incorporates more of her live energy, throws in an even more eclectic mix of instruments, or is even just more of the same, it's bound to be a good. And will be more of a reason for her to bring her enchanting live show to a city near you so do yourself a favor an start acquainting yourself now so you don't regret missing out. 

Until then you can listen to her two previous albums Oh, My Darling and Heart of My Own on Spotify.

Parlovr - Kook Soul (2012)

Since my discovery of them at We Listen For You's spectacular CMJ showcase to the release of their first new single, Parlovr have been very well within my sights. While their single "You Only Want It 'Cause You're Lonely" was certainly catchy enough to merit my paying attention, it was "Holding On To Something" which the band released as a sort of SXSW teaser that really won me over and had me practically salivating for their new album.

Kook Soul, the Montreal trio's sophomore record and their first under label contract with Dine Alone Records, is certainly not a departure from their rough-and-tumble ragged-edge rock pop but it's more than just the same old song and dance. A series of love songs, the real twist is that they're all filled with a sort of steely but not grim-faced violence that arises from keen self-awareness. No posturing or victim-playing here - the Quebec rabble-rousers offer up an astonishingly indelible set of songs that properly balances truth with pop. Opener "Do You Remember?" and "Just Marriage" have all the balls-to-the-wall energy of their self-titled debut but it's when the glorious strains of "Holding On To Something" where you truly become aware of the band's growth. Tight-knit pieces that feed off each other ravenously, "Holding On To Something" is about a perfect a pop song as the group's ever made: capturing their penchant for anthemic shout-vocals with intensely memorable melodies. "Now That You're Gone" continues with their delightful streak of dancey ear-catching pop tunes with just the barest hint of a retro-rock vibe giving the subtlest hint at a by-gone-era to keep things interesting.

"Married On A Sunday" is where the album trades in its momentum for a bit of a different track - starting with a bit of sing-talk before the track picks up and all the parts come properly together. It's a track you may not like on first or even second listen but which is poised to win you over on album listen after album listen. "You Only Want It 'Cause You're Lonely" also functions as a bit of a cool-down, slowly building up before it's big rock moments (which really aren't that big in comparison to the album's others).

"Bad Faith" functions as the album's sole ballad and to call it that is a bit of a misnomer perhaps - it's a slower more emotion-fueled song yes but it retains that trio's enthusiastic touch that keeps it from slowing things down too much.

Considering the amount of intense busy moments on Kook Soul, you have to regard the thing as a success. Is it perfect? No. But that's not really Parlovr's style anyway. Kook Soul is bold, brash, virtually unapologetic set of colorful pop songs. Some songs are better than others but none are completely unnecessary.  A charming album that gains whole new meaning when you realize it's essentially the thing that kept the band from breaking up. And considering it's dual composition - songwriters Alex Cooper and Louis Jackson essentially wrote their own songs by themselves and they remain relatively untouched by anyone but drummer Jeremy MacCuish- it's a wonder that the thing works as fluidly as it does. At no point can you tell "This is Alex's, now this is Louis'". Each of the songs all fit together in Parlovr's messy way. A solid follow up  all things considered. Here's hoping there will be more to come from the rather young Montreal threesome.

Get a taste of the album with arguable the best song on it, "Holding On To Something":



You can listen to Parlovr's Kook Soul on Spotify.

Pitstop: Matthew De Zoete

"I'm a musician who lives on a farm in rural Ontario with my wife and daughter"

Normally I avoid anything that sounds like too much of a gimmick for personal as well as aesthetic reasons and yet, this first sentence of introduction piqued my interest in Canadian singer/songwriter Matthew De Zoete. Maybe it's because it didn't actually sound like a gimmick but a sincere statement of introduction? Maybe it's because all my favorite music seems to come from rural-dwelling peoples? It's hard to say, but I knew upon reaching the end of that statement that I was hooked - pure and simple.



Matthew De Zoete's music is just that: simplistic, heartfelt, and wholly without fancy dressings even it does feature some pretty dynamite production. His music is the kind that stands by on it's own merits and Zoete's own nuanced songwriting and arresting vocals. Though Zoete's music isn't completely without innovation, his third and latest album Colour Film is designed with a short film in mind, a short film which to my knowledge doesn't actually exist. That's a feat - creating music as a sort of soundtrack that pretty much has to do all the dramatic heavy lifting itself.



Zoete's is a subtle touch, his songwriting revealing just what you need to know without telling you too much about the characters he's brought into being. Sure, their lives are fully on display on Colour Film but each song tells just the right amount while balancing it with just the right amount of raw emotion to keep Zoete's gears invisible; to keep the album from becoming too cerebral. The result is an album that isn't overbearing with its concept, an album that's enjoyable even if you don't know the concept and that you have very little to invest in order to claim your reward.

Matthew De Zoete's Colour Film is out now, you can listen to it via Bandcamp:

Parlovr - "You Only Want It 'Cause You're Lonely"/"Bad Faith"

My introduction to Montreal-based trio Parlovr happened as all great discoveries are bound to happen - through CMJ. In particular at We Listen For You's exceptional day party. They were among the multitude of bands there I went in knowing absolutely nothing about and being pleasantly surprised to find absolutely rocked. Right before heading off to SXSW, the trio announced the release of their upcoming sophomore record Kook Soul in May, and premiered a brand new single "You Only Want It 'Cause You're Lonely" over at Noisey which you can listen to here. Unlike their first single "Holding On To Something", "You Only Want It 'Cause You're Lonely" is composed in parts - slipping between slow building soft-rock narratives and full on psychedelic jam with snap, claps, and swooping falsetto.

And similarly to my discovery of "Holding On To Something", I came across "Bad Faith" while looking for ways to host Parlovr's latest single. Turns out Parlovr have been sitting on some of the tracks for Kook Soul for quite some time as the acoustic video for "Bad Faith" was filmed by Southern Souls way back in August (long before they rocked CMJ). Also a gem. And pretty much assures that Kook Soul is going to be a highly enjoyable album. Check it out:


PARLOVR - Bad Faith from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.


Parlovr's Kook Soul is out May 15th on Dine Alone Records.

Watch: The Elwins & Luke Lalonde - "Countdown" (Beyonce cover) live

I might have a new obsession: Indie-rock Beyonce covers. As if Beyonce's "Countdown" wasn't good enough, a bunch of enterprising bands and artists have decided to try their hand at the warm fuzzy-inducing pop song. First there was Sondre Lerche as a Christmas gift and now Canadian indie pop quarter The Elwins tackle the song with the help of Luke Lalonde from Born Ruffians. The result: Pure unfiltered awesome. They, like Lerche, change a bit of the words because they're men and want gender-specific correctness but the whole thing is playful indie rock romp that fun and kind of impressive.

Parlovr - "Holding On To Something"

Yesterday, Montreal trio Parlovr announced the release of their brand new upcoming album Kook Soul and premiered the first single over at Noisey. While looking for some sort of way to host the premiered track here, I stumbled upon this other song also on the upcoming album. "Holding On To Something"  follows in the footsteps of first album single "You Only Want It When You're Lonely" in that alternates unpredictably from section to section - one featuring a repetitive scalar climb, the other ramshackle rock shout vocals. Together they create an insanely catchy tune that I'm not sure I'll ever stop listening to. If I do, it'll only be to listen to that other new Parlovr song.



Parlovr's upcoming album Kook Soul is out May 15th on Dine Alone Records.

Watch: Plants and Animals - "Lightshow"

No one track has ever made me want to purchase an album as badly as Plants and Animals' "Lightshow". Even when the less impressive "Song For Love" came out, my love for "Lightshow" was unwavering. I did briefly wonder if The End of All That would be as great an album as I expected but pressing play on "Lightshow" immediately silenced all doubt. So while the album comes out today and I haven't listened to it yet, Plants and Animals have also dropped the video for "Lightshow" which I am far more excited for (the power of the amazing first single).

The video is pretty simple - The Canadian trio rock out and a team of scientists observe and make notes and because Plants and Animals rock so hard, they end up overloading all the scientists fancy equipment. There's also some cool graphics that register the bands level of rock that do some fun stuff when the band really gets into it. Overall a pretty decent video for a track I'm totally nuts about. Watch the video for Plants and Animals' "Lightshow":



(via Paste)

The Elwins - And I Thank You (2012)

There's always a little bit of disappointment that happens when you hear a band's best track before anything else. My discovery of Canadian indie pop quartet The Elwins saw me introduced to "Stuck in the Middle" which is without a doubt the strongest track in their rather short discography (and upcoming debut album and a short EP released some years ago). Listening to their latest single and going backwards however assured me that the foursome had some properly utilized potential that might very well be fully released on their debut.

"Stuck in the Middle" is definitely the most disproportionately strong track on the album, the rest of the album is rather good itself. While not quite as overtly catchy or in your face, "Forgetful Assistance", "I Miss You and I", and "Sitting Pretty" are a noteworthy highlight.

The Elwins' debut album is a reminder that every outing can't or won't be absolutely breathtakingly stellar and somehow that's okay. There's enough of the flavorful jazzy colorings that drew me The Elwins along with a much more mainlined pop sound that ultimately ensures that you'll still enjoy yourself. And that's where And I Thank You is truly successful - packed with bright upbeat jams that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a noticeable pep in your step. The other tracks might not be able to hold a candle to "Stuck in the Middle" but they at least come close several times and any band that can write such a fun romp most likely has one or two more in them. So until those get realized, And I Thank You is a more than adequate place holder for a band that's only scratching the surface of their true talent. Here's hoping their next record is a step in the right direction.

You can stream The Elwins' And I Thank You over at Exclaim! here.

Watch: The Elwins - "Stuck in the Middle"

Tomorrow sees the release of Canadian indie pop quartet The Elwins' debut album And I Thank You and to ring in the release, the band recently put out this video for, probably the catchiest song on the album, "Stuck in the Middle". It's jampacked with ill-fitting space helmets, lasers, and robot overlords. Also dogs. So if anyone of those is your thing, you're in for a real treat and if not? It's still a fun music video that strangely fits the upbeat jam.

Watch the video for The Elwins' "Stuck in the Middle":

Watch: Feist - "The Bad in Each Other"

Despite the fact that me and Leslie Feist are currently one-sided fighting about her ticket prices and how expensive they are, girl makes a good video. Considering the cinematic scope of some of the tracks on Metals (namely "Undiscovered First" and "A Commotion") the direction of her latest video for "The Bad in Each Other" isn't all that surprising. The video unfolds like a much better version of ensemble movies like Valentine's Day or New Year's Ever, with a series of vignettes based in Mexico. There's no real explanation or resolution and yet, Feist and director Martin De Thurah manage to tapdance all over your heartstrings. When the first scene is of a man burying his dead dog, you don't really stand a chance.

Watch Feist's video for "The Bad in Each Other":

Watch: Wildlife - "Sea Dreamer"

 After about two months of patience after the initial announcement, Canadian rock quintet Wildlife's video for "Sea Dreamer" (one of my favorite tracks) is out and premiered last week on Much Music. The video is simple enough: the band just trying to have a good time playing street bowling and hanging out when a roving band of well-dressed hipsters comes and interrupt their fun looking for a fight. Ever the gentle Canadians, the boys of Wildlife want no part in it and escape to a late night diner where they're force back into the streets. If that weren't enough the band is back and only after backing Wildlife into a corner do they get what they want. It's a fun video that's soundtracked by one of the best songs Wildlife have written.

Watch the video for "Sea Dreamer":

Pitstop: The Elwins

(Photo by Rachel Lee Tentcher)

You might remember my mentioning Impressionable Youth Media's Sound Effects compilation that featured that brand new Wildlife tune "Year in the Dark", well indie-pop quartet The Elwins were also featured on that eclectic all-Canadian release.

Releasing their debut EP in 2008, this year will mark the subsequent debut album's release. What struck me about The Elwins, most notably in their new single "Stuck in the Middle" (featured on Sound Effects), was a jazzy pop style reminiscent of Sondre Lerche. They don't replicate his sound exactly, instead it's just an awareness of the style that's artfully filtered into their music. Even going back to their self-titled EP, there's hints of it "Dear, Oh My", "Kristy May", and "Larry Pastorus". Other than their jazzy coloring, The Elwins craft fun toe-tapping numbers teeming with high amounts of energy cradled by guitarist Matthew Sweeney's easygoing, tuneful vocals. Enough to hint at their debut, And I Thank You, being a highly enjoyable affair.

Get a taste of The Elwins with their debut self-titled EP, latest single "Stuck in the Middle", and recent live session they did for Exclaim!:







The Elwins debut album And I Thank You is out February 21st.

Wildlife releases new tune for charity.

I've essentially been lying in wait for Canadian rockers Wildlife to do something noteworthy enough to blog about it. Anything really. But they've essentially just been touring and after awhile talking about shows they're doing that I won't be at could get a bit tiresome. So when I read that Wildlife just contributed a brand new track to Sound Effects compilation, I got intensely excited. And then I hear the track and got even more so.

Sound Effects is an all Canadian compilation to benefit War Child Canada, an organization that helps children in war torn countries. Most of the tracks were done by the five young Ryerson University students that formed Impressionable Youth Media and put together Sound Effects. If that wasn't cool enough, Wildlife's track "A Year in the Dark" is a brand spanking new rare gem. It undulates like "Sea Dreamer" but not quite as balls-to-the-wall as the band is know to be. It's a nice change of pace. And also just great to hear anything from Wildlife.

Sound Effects drops January 31st so stay tuned on more info on that. Until it releases and you can (hopefully) get your hands on it, You can stream the album (along with the aforementioned new Wildlife tune here.

Plants and Animals to release new album, premiere first single "Lightshow"

With news of new albums from Bowerbirds, Fanfarlo, and Princeton (to name a few), 2012 is shaping up to be a great year for follow ups. Well now you can add Canadian indie rock trio Plants and Animals to the list of anticipated new year album. Their new album, The End of That, will be out February 28th and if their first single "Lightshow" is anything to go off of, it's gonna be a dozy of an album. Can we just forward to February now?

Plants and Animals - Lightshow by SecretCityRecords

(via Under the Radar)