Givers "Meantime" (video)

Louisiana's Givers have released a second video this one's for "Meantime" from their debut album In Light (out now via Glassnote). They play Vancouver's Media Club on Monday September 5th. Do yourself a favour and be there. I'll know.

Destroyer "Savage Night at the Opera" (video)

Destroyer - Savage Night at the Opera from Merge Records on Vimeo.
Take a motorcycle ride through Vancouver to meet Dan Bejar at magic hour in this David Galloway directed clip for "Savage Night at the Opera" from Destroyer's latest album Kaputt out now via Merge/Dead Oceans. One of Tasty Ears Top 20 albums of 2011 (as of July 1st).

Blitzen Trapper 'American Goldwing' (stream the entire album here)

American Goldwing the latest album from Portland quintet Blitzen Trapper is set for release via Sub Pop records on September 12th. Singer Eric Earley had this to say about the new LP "American Goldwing is us letting our loves and early influences hang out for all to see. We entered into the sounds we grew up with - the hard guitar rock and country picking of our younger years mixed with glimmers of our usual space-aging technology and pawn shop Casios. Heavy guitar riffs and blasting drum fills live side-by-side with plucking banjos, wailing harmonicas and muddy slide guitars. The earthiness of these songs will make you want to get loaded and get in a fight, or find a girl and fall in love forever, simultaneously.” Stream the album in it's entirety now and try not to get in a fight at work. Go!

Check out the video for their latest single "Love the Way You Walk Away" right here.

The Drums 'Portamento' and Visiomento

The Drums are set to release Portamento On September 5th, 2011 via Moshi Moshi/ Island. In anticipation of the release The Drums have started a web TV channel Visiomento. The band will release a new episode to Visiomento every Tuesday via their website. The content ranges from interviews and live performances to guest appearances and a sneak peak at the upcoming album. Check out episodes 1 and 2 posted below.

Mr. Gnome "Bit Of Tongue" (new track)

Cleveland duo Mr. Gnome will release their third LP titled Madness In Miniature via El Marko Records on October 25th, 2011. Check out the first single off the album "Bit Of Tongue" now.
Bit of Tongue by mrgnome
The album was recorded at Josh Homme's Pink Duck Studios in Los Angeles and finds singer/guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer/pianist Sam Meister back at their own unique brand of surreal psych-rock. Here's a glimpse of the band performing another new track... well part of it.

Mr. Gnome are relentless tourers here's proof.
Mr. Gnome <- - - -> Updated Fall Tour Dates

10/05 Philadelphia PA @ Millcreek Tavern
10/06 Brooklyn NY @ Union Pool
10/07 New Haven CT @ Elm Bar
10/08 Pittsburgh PA @ Brillobox
10/20 Grand Rapids MI @ The Pyramid Scheme
10/21 Madison WI @ Frequency
10/22 Saint Louis MO @ Cicero's
10/24 Kansas City MO @ The Riot Room
10/25 Denver CO @ 3 Kings
10/26 Salt Lake City UT @ Burt's Tiki Lounge
10/27 Boise ID @ Neurolux
10/28 Portland OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
10/29 Seattle WA @ The Comet Tavern
10/31 San Francisco CA @ El Rio
11/01 Los Angeles CA @ tba
11/03 Tucson AZ @ Plush
11/04 Albuquerque NM @ The Launchpad
11/05 Oklahoma City OK @ tba
11/07 Springfield MO @ The Outland
11/08 Columbia MO @ Sideshow
11/10 Chicago IL @ Empty Bottle
11/11 Ft Wayne IN @ tba
11/12 Toledo OH @ Ottawa Tavern
11/18 Columbus OH @ Skully's
11/19 Dayton OH @ Blind Bob's
12/02 Lexington KY @ Cosmic Charlie's
12/03 Nashville TN @ The End
12/06 Little Rock AR @ Sticky Fingers
12/08 Austin TX @ Emo's
12/10 Pensacola FL @ The Handlebar
12/12 Orlando FL @ Will's Pub
12/13 Atlanta GA @ 529
12/14 Charlotte NC @ Snug Harbor
12/17 Cleveland OH @ Beachland Ballroom

Caveman release two new tracks "Easy Water" and "Decide"

Caveman will release Coco Beware on November 15th via Magic Man!/ORG Music (Dine Alone in Canada). We're stoked on these guys and have the album on regular rotation around the office. Check out "Easy Water" which premiered over at Nylon (can be downloaded below) and "Decide" which recently premiered at Stereogum (posted below).

Caveman - Decide by GirlieActionInge

Tasty Assessment - Thundercat 'The Golden Age of Apocalypse'

Thundercat is the pseudonym of legendary bass machine Stephen Bruner. You've probably heard Bruner before without realizing it as he's backed Snoop Dogg, Eryka Badu, Suicidal Tendencies and is prominently featured on Flying Lotus' epic Cosmogramma. Even if you were aware that it was Bruner on those tracks nothing could really prepare you for The Golden Age Of The Apocalypse. The debut album from Thundercat was co-produced and released by Flying Lotus and his Brainfeeder label (it drops tomorrow August 30th).

The album opens with a shout out to the cartoon Thundercats before breaking in to the single "Daylight". A dizzying bass line lays out the pocket for warm synth flurries and Bruner's jazzy falsetto. "It really Doesn't Matter To You" opens with some awesome chording on the bass. Bringing in a bass line under the chords and some chord roots come through loud and clear on some sort of saw bass that gradually morphs throughout. "Is It Love" brings dovetailing vocal lines and a groove that wouldn't be out of place on an OutKast track until the bass solo comes in making the track sound as if it might more at home on John Coltrane's Meditations. Bruner himself said in a 2008 Bass Player interview "I do believe that hip-hop can be the new jazz." Now he's done it.

 The Golden Age Of The Apocalypse sounds like the future. It is jazz, though it quite possibly won't be accepted by any elitist jazz purists. It is also hip-hop, although it ends up sounding more like Booker T. covering The Roots then enthusiasts might forgive. Thundercat is ahead of his time here. The sound world created contains a lot of familiar sounds but in combinations like never before. A kind of fusion (but not that 70's Fusion). This is true of the production as well. Some production techniques don't match the jazz idiom but there in lies their beauty. As a result, you must listen to this album through the best system you can find to really catch all the nuances. The production is out of this world. With so much happening in every track it's no easy task to carve out a space for each sound but that's what Bruner and FlyLo have done. Some of the synth sounds delicately straddle that line between hip and cheesy. When the beats drop in it can tend toward  more of a fleshed out Squarepusher odyssey. The song writing was also carefully crafted. It's clear that Bruner has a strong grasp of melody (even if it is all mainly in the lower register). He's taken music and flipped it on it's head. The bass does all the movement while the more traditional melodic instruments take on the rolls of rhythm and vamp. 


This cat really brings the thunder when he plays and he plays the shit of this album. Check out his cover of George Duke's "For Love I Come" (below) and get ready for this influential release. If your mind is a can then Bruner is the can opener.

Thundercat - For Love I Come by BRAINFEEDER

Public Records Beta Launch Party at The Waldorf Hotel

Public Records had their Beta launch party at the always fun Waldorf Hotel a few weeks ago. The party included a chance to sign up to Beta test the site as well as sets from Jordan Klassen, Behind Sapphire and Guilty About Girls (photos below). As one clever Twitterer pointed out " MySpace is no longer just for musicians, it's no longer for anyone" (I don't care who bought it, it's dead). Bandcamp is great but what if there was a site where, not only could you share your music but interact with fans and even score a recording grant, have online distribution, and connect with promoters and festivals? Enter PublicRecords. The Beta testing has a ways to go but with version 1.0 not set to drop till next year they are on a good pace. The event was very well done and lots of local industry Pubas were in attendance. It will be interesting to watch Public Records grow over the next year and how it all plays out. Use the link to try it out for yourself. Go!

Behind Sapphire

Behind Sapphire

Guilty About Girls

Guilty About Girls

Purity Ring "Belispeak" (new track)

Purity Ring and Braids are to release a split 7" on October 10th via Fat Possum. The split will also be available from the bands during their respective tours starting next month. Purity Ring will be at Vancouver's Electric Owl on September 7th opening for YACHT but they can also be caught in a town near you with the likes of Neon Indian or Com Truise too (more dates below). Check out Purity Rings half of the upcoming 7" (below) titled "Belispeak" and go see them live.
Belispeak by PURITY RING
Purity Ring Tour Dates
Sat 08/13/11 Bardot, Miami, FL
Tue 08/23/11 Mohawk Place, Buffalo NY
Wed 08/24/11 The Summit, Columbus OH
Thu 08/25/11 Mike N Molly's, Champagn IL
Fri 08/26/11 Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines IA
Sat 08/27/11 Larimer Lounge, Denver CO
Sun 08/28/11 The VFW, Santa Fe NM ~
Mon 08/29/11 Solar Culture, Tucson AZ ~
Tue 08/30/11 Rhythm Room, Phoenix AZ ~
Wed 08/31/11 Soda Bar, San Diego CA ~
Thu 09/02/11 Velvet Jones, Santa Barbara CA #~
Sat 09/03/11 FYF Fest, Los Angeles CA
Mon 09/05/11 Bumbershoot, Seattle WA
Wed 09/07/11 Electric Owl, Vancouver BC #
Thu 09/08/11 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland OR
Fri 09/23/11 Pop Montreal, Montreal QC

10-01 San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop *^
10-07 Boise, ID - Reef *^
10-08 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge *^
10-12 Kansas City, MO - The Record Bar *^
10-13 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry *^
10-14 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall *^
10-15 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop *^
10-16 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick *^
10-18 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace *^
10-20 Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall *^
10-21 New York, NY - Webster Hall *^
11-05 Austin, TX - Fun Fun Fun Fest

* w/ Neon Indian
^ w/ Com Truise
~ w/ Kuhrye-oo
# w/ YACHT

Bon Iver collaborates with James Blake on "Fall Creek Boys Choir"

The BBC recently premiered "Fall Creek Boys Choir" a dreamy collaboration between Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) on vocal detail and James Blake behind the board. On Blakes YouTube posting of the track it says Enough Thunder October 2011 which, I'm guessing, will be the release date of something new from Blake. Watch the minimalist video above now. If you look really closely you can see a fox or maybe it's a dog intently watching.... well I don't want to spoil it.

Atlas Sound 'Parallax' "Terra Incognita" (new track)

Bradford Cox is taking a little break from Deerhunter and making some time for himself and by that I mean his solo project Atlas Sound. Yep, this guy just keeps churning out the sweet sounds (Deerhunter's Halcyon Digest came in at number 5 on Tasty Ears Top 40 last year). Now Atlas Sound will drop Parallax on November 8th via 4AD. The first single "Terra Incognita" is posted below.
Atlas Sound - Terra Incognita by Pretty Much Amazing

Revolver "A Song She Wrote" (Botany Remix)

France's Revolver is heading back to North America on the Voulez-Vous tour with fellow French band Chateau Marmont. Astralwerks released Revolver's Parallel Lives EP earlier this year as well as 2009's LP  Music For A While. Botany has now remixed "A Song She Wrote" from the long player (below). The Voulez-Vous tour kicks off here in Vancouver at The Media Club on September 24th (more dates below).
A Song She Wrote (Botany Remix) by REVOLVERFRENCH
Revolver and Chateau Marmont -- 2011 Tour Dates
Sat 9/24 - Media Club (Olio Fest) - Vancouver
Mon 9/26 - Sunset Tavern - Seattle
Tue 9/27 - Mississippi Studios - Portland
Thu 9/29 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco
Fri 9/30 - The Cellar Door - Visalia
Sat 10/1 - Satellite - Los Angeles
Mon 10/3 - Casbah - San Diego
Tue 10/4 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix
Wed 10/5 - Launchpad - Albuquerque
Thu 10/6 - The Prophet Bar - Dallas
Fri 10/7 - The Mohawk - Austin
Sat 10/8 - Fitzgerald's - Houston
Mon 10/10 - The Earl - Atlanta
Tue 10/11 - 3rd & Lindsley - Nashville
Wed 10/12 - Firebird - St Louis
Thu 10/13 - Schubas - Chicago
Fri 10/14 - Grog Shop - Cleveland
Sat 10/15 - Smiling Moose - Pittsburgh
Sun 10/16 - Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto
Mon 10/17 - La Sala Rossa - Montreal
Tue 10/18 - T.T. The Bears - Boston
Wed 10/19 - CMJ Music Marathon - New York City
Thurs 10/20 - Joe's Pub New York, NY
Fri 10/21 - CMJ Music Marathon - New York City
Sat 10/22 - CMJ Music Marathon - New York City

St. Vincent "Cruel" (new track/video)

St. Vincent - "Cruel"

St. Vincent will release Strange Mercy via 4AD on September 13th. Today she has released a second single "Cruel" (premiered on the Huffington Post). The dark video was directed by long time video collaborator Terri Timely. St. Vincent plays Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom on October 12th.

Crooked Fingers "Typhoon" (new track)

When Eric Bachman isn't fronting the recently reunited Archers Of Loaf he's busy making music as Crooked Fingers. His latest effort under the Crooked Fingers moniker is titled Breaks in the Armor and is set to drop on October 11, 2011 via Merge Records. Check out the first single "Typhoon" below.
Crooked Fingers - Typhoon by MergeRecords

Jonti "Hornets Nest" (new track)

Australian artist Jonti is set to release his debut album TWIRLIGIG on October 18th via Stones Throw Records. The release is highly anticipated since Jonti has already worked with the likes of Mark Ronson, Santigold, Sean Lennon, and the Dap-Kings. Check out the newest single "Hornets Nest" from the upcoming long-player.
Jonti - Hornet's Nest by stonesthrow

The Dodos Give Away Free Live Album

On September 16th The Dodos will enter Canada touring their latest album No Color (released via Frenchkiss records). In celebration the band is giving away a recording of their live performance from May's show in Amsterdam. To get the album for free go to the Dodos website where you will also be entered for a chance to win tickets to any one of their shows closest to you. Below is the track list for the live album. Pitchfork is also showing their latest video for "Good" (embedded below).
1. “Good”
2. “Black Night”
3. “Which Way To Go”
4. “Longform”
5. “Don’t Try and Hide It”
6. “All Night”
7. “Companions”
8. “Winter”
9. “The Season”
10. “Fools”
11. “Going Under”

Florence + the Machine "What The Water Gave Me" (new track)

Florence + the Machine have announced that she will be releasing a new album in November. The name of the album and the exact release date have yet to be confirmed. The first release off of the upcoming long player titled "What The Water Gave Me" is available now.

Tom Waits 'Bad As Me'

Tom Waits is set to release his first album of new material in seven years titled 'Bad As Me' via Anti- Records on October 25th. You can pre-order the album now via the Tom Waits Store.

Bad As Me Tracklisting

01. Chicago
02. Raised Right Men
03. Talking At The Same Time
04. Get Lost
05. Face To The Highway
06. Pay Me
07. Back In The Crowd
08. Bad As Me
09. Kiss Me
10. Satisfied
11. Last Leaf
12. Hell Broke Luce
13. New Year's Eve

WATERS "For The One" from 'Out In The Light'

WATERS is Van Pierszalowski (former Port O'Brien front man) newest project. City Slang is set to release WATERS debut album Out In The Light on September 19th. The first single "For The One" gets it's own release as a single on September 12th. Check it out now and, if you're in the U.K., catch him live when he opens for EMA at London's Cargo on September 14th.
WATERS - For The One by cityslang

Neon Indian "Polish Girl" (new track)

Neon Indian has teamed up with Bleep Labs to create a "triple triangle-wave oscillator noisemaking device with interchangeable controls for maximal sonic capabilities." The mini analog synth, named PAL198X comes free with Alan Palomo (aka Neon Indian)'s new Era Extraña deluxe edition (available October 10th via Transgressive Records). The deluxe package also includes both CD and vinyl copies of the album and a T-shirt and poster. You can pre-order it now via Neon Indian's website. Check out the latest single off the upcoming album  titled "Polish Girl" now and get stoked for one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year.

Twin Sister "Gene Ciampi" (new track)

Twin Sister are set to release their debut full length In Heaven on September 27th via Domino Records. Pre-order the album here and catch them on tour with Explosions In The Sky, Wild Beasts, or The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (dates below).
Twin Sister - Gene Ciampi by DominoRecordCo

TWIN SISTER TOUR DATES

09-01 Tucson, AZ - Rialto %

09-02 San Diego, CA - SOMA %

09-03 Los Angeles, CA - FYF Fest

09-04 San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop

09-05 Big Sur, CA - Henry Miller Library %

09-07 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile %

09-08 Portland, OR - Holocene (MusicFest NW)

09-09 Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theater %

09-11 Boise, ID - Egyptian Theater %

09-13 Denver, CO - Fillmore %

09-14 Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater %

09-15 Marfa, TX - Vizcaino Park %

09-16 Dallas, TX - AT&T Performing Arts %

09-29 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge

10-01 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall +

10-02 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall +

10-04 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater +

10-13 Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck #

10-14 Oklahoma City, OK - U of O #

10-15 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone #

10-16 Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge #

10-18 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar #

% w/ Explosions in the Sky

+ w/ Wild Beasts

# w/ Pains of Being Pure At Heart

Bon Iver "Holocene" (video)

Bon Iver has debuted an official video for the single "Holocene" via National Geographic. Nabil Elderkin directs this stunning video shot entirely in Iceland including volcanic landscapes and shorelines.
"... and at once I knew I was not magnificent
 Hulled far from the highway aisle
(Jagged vacance, thick with ice)
I could see for miles and miles and miles"

Milagres "Here To Stay" (video)

September 13th will mark the release of many highly anticipated new albums. One of which Tasty Ears is really amped about is Glowing Mouth by Brooklyn's Milagres via Kill Rock Stars. The band has now released a video for the upcoming album track "Here To Stay" (above) and be sure to pick up the album when it drops.

James Pants "Clouds Over The Pacific" (new video)

James Pants released a new self-titled album (aka The Red Album) earlier this year via Stones Throw Records. Pants recently teamed up with Iasos for the video for "Clouds Over The Pacific". Get ready to trip balls.

Case Studies "Lies" (new video)

Case Studies: Lies from Case Studies on Vimeo.
Jesse Lortz (The Dutchess & The Duke) has released The World is Just a Shape to Fill the Night (via Sacred Bones) under his new solo moniker Case Studies. Check out the video for "Lies" above and pick up the album.

Kyle Andrews - Talk To The Beard (interview)

Incredibly gifted tunesmith Kyle Andrews released his latest masterpiece Robot Learn Love today (August 16th) via Elephant Lady Records. We caught up with Andrews for an insightful chat about his process and what he would bring to a desert island.

TE - You have had a great deal of success in placing songs in advertisements and on TV, were the songs that got placed written expressly for that purpose? Does past commercial success influence the way you write a track now?

KA - First and foremost I write and record music for my own enjoyment. It's just what I like to spend all my time doing. That anyone else enjoys listening or finds the music useful and valuable is really tremendous. Getting feedback from people and hearing how a certain song gets their day going or helps them through tough times is both humbling and inspiring. In terms of trying to write a certain way so that it will get used or make money? It would be difficult to guess that sort of thing, it's not always the songs you would think would get used. Also, I don't have that great of an attention span, I have to be working on something that I'm emotionally invested in. Anything I've done that has been used has just been love songs to friends/family.

TE - If you were to be trapped on a desert island for the rest of your life (I hope this never happens to you) and could only bring three albums what would they be?

KA - Ha! thanks!?
If this happens I'm not going to last long… I'd take The Beatles white album because it's really 2 records and its a lot of variety… some slow songs and some rockers. I'd take Fleetwood Mac rumors, again you get variety cuz they have 3 lead singers. At this point I'm going to be pretty dehydrated and delirious so I'm going to put on Moby's Play and just chill out.

TE - 'Robot Learn Love' is very much a concept album (the juxtaposition of analog and digital mediums), you recorded some of the vocals through laptop mics and others through top-of-the-line studio preamps and you simulated some of the drums with software but then had real, live string players record with you, how do you feel going to such lengths improves the final outcome?

KA - You just follow where the process leads you. In general you have a feel for where you want to go but once you start the process suggests what is next. I put down a drum beat and if I listen close enough it will say "hey kyle, play a really buzzy keyboard part over me" or "I would like to hang out with some syncopated electric guitar" So there are no real rules or guidelines. I love working with that freedom and disregard for the what is the "right" way to go about things. 
TE - What is your favourite piece of "gear"?

KA - If I had only my computer and no other gear I would still be able to make something that expresses what I want. 

TE - Would you rather be able to hear any conversation or be able to take back anything you say?

KA - For a quiet person I say many foolish things. I would like to take it back.
You'd drive yourself nuts trying to listen to every conversation ever.

TE - Congratulations on the release of Robot Learn Love today. We've been really digging it and have had it on regular rotation around here for some time now. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today and we hope you make it up to Vancouver soon. Keep it going!

WATERS "O Holy Break Of Day" (new track)

WATERS forthcoming album Out in the Light was recorded in just 10 days and produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Explosions in the Sky, The Walkmen). The second single "O Holy Break Of Day" is all rock n' roll complete with big, fuzzy guitars, crashing drums and vocals that sit perfectly atop it all. The album drops September 19th via City Slang, check out the single below.
WATERS - O Holy Break Of Day by cityslang

CANT "Believe" (new track)

CANT (aka Chris Taylor) (you know, from Grizzly Bear) is set to drop his solo debut Dreams Come True on September 12/13 via Terrible Records/ Warp Records. A second single titled "Believe" is posted below for your listening pleasure. CANT hits the road in October to playing 20 shows in 29 days (schedule below).
CANT - Believe (taken from Dreams Come True - Terrible Records / Warp Records) by Warp Records

Dom - Talk to the Beard (interview)

Dom released a new EP titled Family Of Love on August 9th via Astralwerks. We caught up with Dom back in New York after a quick trip to play Montreal. Here's what he had to say about the new EP, doing his own mix, and hamsters versus rhinos.

TE - You recorded 'Family Of Love' in a "proper studio" with producer Nicolas Vernhes (Animal Collective, Deerhunter, Bjork), what was it like working with him?

D - Nicolas was great. We're all sort of new at this so, when we recorded the old EP we really didn't now what we were doing. Just seeing somebody who has so much experience and so much wisdom, it was just great. He taught us so much about recording. He has all these interesting methods of actually getting sound. We did a lot of analogue as well as digital stuff. It was just really cool and a learning experience. It was a lot of fun. I think Nicolas is "The Man."

TE - I understand you're also working on a new EP already. How far along are you with that?

D - Well, 'Family Of Love' was supposed to be released a while back but it just got delayed for a bit. We've been writing ever since and demoing stuff out so we might have a double album by the time May comes around next year and we can actually release music again.

TE - Will you be working with Nicolas again on that one?

D - I'm not sure. I know I'd like to mix it myself. We really weren't given the option to mix it with Astralwerks but Modular Records, when they heard it, they suggested that I mix it. I took a week to mix it. They're putting out an alternate mix, my mix, of 'Family Of Love.'

I think this next time around we might just do the same thing. We might just work with a producer, it would be great to work with Nicolas again but, with someone and mix it ourselves.

TE - Now you said a double album, you've only done EPs up to this point but this would be a proper full length?

D - Yeah, I think, just because of how long it's been, I feel like people would feel cheated if we didn't come out with a lot of music. It will be at the very least two EPs.

TE - Given your latest studio experience, do you have a favourite piece of gear?

D - Probably the echo-reverb. There is just so much cool stuff that we did with that thing, it was a lot of fun to use. It has a lot of different capabilities.

TE - I'm going to put you on the spot here, if you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring three albums, what would they be?

D - I'm consulting with my bandmates on this one.

Slowdive's - 'Souvlaki'

Stone Roses' - 'The Stone Roses'

King Tuff - 'Was Dead'

TE - Do you have any plans to come to Vancouver?

D - Oh I hope so. I love Vancouver. Vancouver is, like, the coolest place. We all love it. Every time we go there it has just been a great time. The first time we went up was with Ratatat and we got to play a bigger venue. We didn't know what to expect the next couple of times, playing some place smaller, but it was just awesome. The people are awesome, the food was awesome, everything. It was just great.

(Horn honking!)

TE - Here's kind of a weird one for you, would you rather be a giant hamster or a tiny rhino?

D - Giant hamster for sure.The tiny rhino, you know the rest of the rhinos would be like "yeah." You'd be inadequate. You know? But, as a giant hamster you would sort of rule the hamster world and nobody could do shit about it.

TE - Now you've got a pretty crazy salad, would you rather be completely covered in hair or completely bald?

D - Completely bald probably. I've already got enough hair. I don't know, I'm thinking of cutting it so… Bald is more arrow dynamic and smoother. I'd be like, at least twenty percent faster.

TE - I've been really digging the 'Family Of Love' EP

D - Right on. Did you get my mix or did you get the Astralwerks mix?

TE - I've just got the Astralwerks mix. Is your mix available now as well?

D - Not officially but it got leaked so it was all over the internet until it got taken down left and right. It kind of sucks because it's like "Oh, it got leaked" but at the same time I was excited about it. They're my mixes and I want people to hear them. It's just unfortunate that it's taken so long to actually get them out there but they will be out there.

TE - Due to the leak has there been much feedback on your mixes, have you heard?

D - Yeah, I've heard a lot about it actually. A lot of people have been really psyched on my mixes because the other ones are a bit too clean. Nothing quite sits right. It's just more radio friendly I guess is the politically correct way of putting it. It doesn't sound like us. It doesn't have texture, it doesn't have personality or dynamic. It's just, guitar. Vocals. You know?

TE - So your mixes are more raw?

D - No, no, no, no. Ours is more coagulated. Ours has a lot more effects. It's still very audible it's just, if we didn't have a third party chiming in on what the mixes should sound like, then, I feel like (our mixes), that's what Nicolas and I would have come up with in the studio.

TE - Tell me about how the track "Some Boys" off of 'Family Of Love' came to be? Who wrote the lyrics?

D - My friend Emma was over at my house one day and she was just fiddling around on some keyboards. I thought it was great. She has a better insight, obviously, into the female character, the female heart. I felt like it was a perspective I didn't have. I thought it was sweet, as simple as it was, I felt like it held a bit of gravity so I figured why not share it with the world. I thought it was a cute song and to do something with it and to sing on the record and she did. She was a really good sport about it. I hope she's as happy with it as we are. I think it's a good song. 

She's not a musician really but I would encourage her to do more after this. I think she has a sweet voice and I thought she was coming from a very sincere place when she was writing that. I think that's most important when you're a musical artist, to be sincere.

We don't play it live because we play everything else and we're excited about some of the new stuff I've been writing and we're going to continue forward.

TE - And continue forward you have, your writing gets stronger and more adventurous all the time. "Telephone", "Family Of Love", "Damn", and "Happy Birthday" are all very well crafted gems and I'm stoked to hear your mix of the EP when it's available. Thanks for taking the time for us today and hopefully we'll catch you in Vancouver soon.

D - Ok, sweet. Thank-you so much man.

PS I Love You + Diamond Rings "Leftovers" (new video)

PS I Love You is set to release a collection of rarities titled Figure It Out on August 30th via Paper Bag Records. "Leftovers", the collaboration between PS I Love You and Diamond Rings is one of the eleven tracks on the LP. The video (above) was directed by Colin Medley who was recently on the road with the bands to document the tour. The video features... well, just watch it. You'll figure it out. Catch PS I Love You on tour starting September (dates below).

PS I Love You Tour Dates: 

  SAT 9/03 Seattle WA - Bumbershoot Festival 

MON 9/05 Pullman WA - Bell Tower *

WED 9/07 Victoria BC - Lucky Bar *

THU 9/08 Vancouver BC - Electric Owl *

FRI 9/09 Portland OR - Backspace

SAT 9/10 San Francisco CA - Hemlock *

MON 9/12 Santa Barbara CA - Muddy Waters *

TUE 9/13 San Diego CA - Casbah

WED 9/14 Visalia CA - All Pro Pizza *

THU 9/15 Los Angeles CA - Echo *

SAT 9/17 Boise ID - Neurolux *

TUE 9/20 Nelson BC - Hume *

WED 9/21 Edmonton AB - Pawn Shop *

THU 9/22 Calgary AB - SAITSA *

FRI 9/23 Saskatoon SK - Walker's *

SAT 9/24 Winnipeg MB - Royal Albert *

SUN 9/25 Minneapolis MN - 7th Street *

MON 9/26 Iowa City IA - Gabes Oasis *

TUE 9/27 Chicago IL - Schubas *

SAT 10/01 Toronto ON - Great Hall   

MON 10/03 Hamilton ON - This Ain't Hollywood #

TUE 10/04 London ON - Call The Office #

WED 10/05 Ottawa ON - Mavericks #

THU 10/06 Montreal QC - Il Motore #

FRI 10/07 New York City NY - Mercury Lounge #

SAT 10/08 Boston MA - Great Scott #

MON 10/10 Washington DC - DC9

TUE 10/11 Charlotte NC - Snug Harbour

WED 10/12 Atlanta GA - 529

THU 10/13 Orlando FL - Backbooth

FRI 10/14 Pensacola FL - DeLuna Festival

SAT 10/15 Birmingham AL - Bottletree

MON 10/17 Durham NC - Motorco (small room)

TUE 10/18 Philadelphia PA - Kung Fu Necktie

SAT 10/22 Halifax NS - Halifax Pop Explosion

SAT 10/29 Kingston ON - Grad Club

* with Balkans

# with Suuns

Com Truise "Ether Drift" (new track)

Com Truise dropped Galactic Melt via Ghostly International on June 28th 2011 and hasn't looked back since. Now he's about to hit the road with Neon Indian and Active Child for an extensive North American tour before heading over to Europe in November. Check out the latest single "Ether Drift" (below) now.
Com Truise - Ether Drift (Taken from Galactic Melt) by ghostly

Beirut at The Commodore Ballroom August 10, 2011

Beirut

Beirut transported the audience through space and time for the two consecutive nights at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom. We traveled through French cafes to the Balkan hills out onto the streets of rural Mexico and back again. The crowd was genuinely ecstatic for the back to back sold out shows. Much like singer Zach Condon and company the bulk of the fans were so cool they were post-hipster. The stage show consisted mainly of the band standing in a row across the stage, horns in hand with leader Condon at the centre. There was little stage banter just song after song of beautifully arranged melodies and gorgeous baritone voices.

If it's pyrotechnics and costume changes you want then then you can stop reading here for I prefer to preach to the converted. For those of you who can appreciate a good accordion vamp this band is not to be missed. With most songs coming in somewhere around the three minute marker you can understand how the band moved through a lot of material during their roughly hour long set. Blasting through "Elephant Gun" "Nantes" "Postcards From Italy" "Mimizan" "Scenic World" (involving some serious accordion shredding) "The Shrew" and "East Harlem" (to name a few) the catalogue was well represented. The whole band were constantly putting down one instrument to pick up another with trumpets, french horn, trombone, tuba, ukulele, keys, and of course bass and drums (the drummer wears an amazing shit-eating grin for the entire show) all featured.

After a short break the band returned to the stage for an encore. I wasn't sure what they had left, much to my surprise and elation Condon sat at the keys and played "Goshen" from the latest album The Rip Tide. That was a real highlight... the girl next to me even broke into tears during the performance. When you are as talented as these cats, to simply play the songs is more than enough to keep the crowd completely enthralled. The moral of the story is "see this band live!"

Zach Condon

Caveman "Thankful" (free download)

Caveman are set to release their debut LP CoCo Beware via their very own Magic Man! Records label on September 13th (which is setting up to be one hell of a day for indie music fans with many highly anticipated albums dropping). The physical release will follow on November 15th via Magic Man!/ORG Music (and Dine Alone Records here in Canada). The band is about to hit the road again, this time with The War On Drugs (dates below). This album is getting some heavy play around the Tasty Ears offices. Do yourself a favour and download "Thankful" now and grab the album on September 13th.

Upcoming Caveman Dates: * w/ The War On Drugs 8/14 – West Wardsboro, VT @ Royal Family Affair (w/ Soulive, Chromeo etc) 08/18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's * 08/19 - Brooklyn, NY @ Cameo * 08/21 - Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall * 08/22 – Burlington, VT @ Monkey Bar 08/23 - Montreal, CAN @ Casa del Popolo * 08/24 - Toronto, CAN @ Drake Hotel * 08/25 - Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig * 08/26 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern * 08/27 - Milwaukee, WI @ Club Garibaldi * 08/28 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry * 08/30 - St. Louis, MO @ The Biliken Club * 08/31 - Lexington-Fayette, KY @ Cosmic Charlie's * 09/01 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe * 09/02 - Washington, DC @ The Red Place * 09/15 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (Digital Album Release) Ticket Info

Ganglians "Drop The Act" (new track)

Sacramento's Ganglians are set to release Still Living on August 29th via Souterrain Transmissions. In anticipation of that release they are giving away "Drop The Act" now (below) with an official release of the single on August 22nd. Put your sunnies on and crank up your stereo for a blast of psychedelic summertime. Go!
Ganglians - Drop The Act by souterraintransmissions

Mwahaha "Rainbow Diamond" (new track)

Oakland's Mwahaha are set to release their self-titled debut full length on December 6th via their own Mwahaha Music imprint. The bulk of the album was tracked at the bands own studio and recorded mainly by Eli Crews (Tune-Yards, Deerhoof, WHY?). The nine track LP also features the vocal stylings of Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards on one track. Check out "Rainbow Diamond" (below) now.
02 Rainbow Diamond by Mwahaha