I am a huge fan of these guys and after many months of email tag and a major line-up change for the band, the Shimmering Stars and Tasty Ears had arranged to do an On Location video. The band is currently rehearsing in the basement of a funky, old, artists space in East Vancouver and we thought that would work nicely for the shoot. When we arrived, Rory asked us how are day was going and assured us it was "about to get worse!" While artists and friends popped in and out of the space to diminish or replenish the beer supply we got set-up. They wanted to do East Van Girls and Sabians for the cameras and we couldn't have been more excited. Despite there tendency for biting fans they are super nice guys and made us feel very welcome... I can still taste the espresso vodka. Make sure to check them out this Friday March 4th at The Waldorf.
The Shimmering Stars have also just released 2 new songs "Dancing to Music I Hate" and "Walk Away". The as yet unnamed LP will drop sometime this summer on Almost Musique. Have a listen to the new singles here.
Shimmering Stars are also making there way down to SXSW this year to showcase their music. If you're heading that way be sure to check them out. I'll be the one at the back of the room telling everyone"I told you so!"
left to right: Rory McClure, Andrew Dergousoff, and (newest member) Brent Sasaki
I also took advantage of the opportunity with Shimmering Stars to ask them a couple of ( well actually 3) questions. It went like this:
TE: 1) What's with the biting at live shows?
SS: Biting is a display of affection towards audience members. Those standing with their ams crossed looking bored are most likely to be bitten or have their drinks stolen. This helps to get them more involved in the show. TE: 2) How has the band dynamic changed with the the new line-up? (3 piece vs. 4)
SS: The new band is definitely different. It's easier to work with fewer people, though there's more space to fill. This line-up is noisier and a little more thrashy than the last line-up, which was more restrained. Also, everyone in this line-up is from Merritt, BC - Country Music Capital of Canada. So we're all on the level. TE: 3) What other local band would you most like to tour with?
SS: Local bands we'd love to tour with include (impossible to limit to one): Manic Attracts on myspace, Dirty Beaches On myspace, Lost Lovers Brigade myspace, Mode Moderne you get the idea.
So the new Radiohead album King of Limbs is out. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of hearing about it. I like it (dibs), but should you care? Not really, listen to it, form your own opinion or don't, but you can't have my opinion cause it's mine. I called it, fair and square. That being said I'm not yet sick of watching the video so here it is.
Update: Portage and Main finished mastering their debut album last week. Mixed by local Georges Couling of Knuckleduster Music Inc. I got to listen to the album the Sunday night and I love it. Can't wait for the CD release party Friday March 18th at the Anza Club. More info here. It's a little bit rock and roll, it's a little bit folk, it's a little bit country, but most of all it's a whole lot of rad. I hear comparisons to Blitzen Trapper and Dr. Dog to Neil Young and The Band. It's a polished and epic first album from a couple of really great and talented local boys.
Update: Shimmering Stars On Location with Tasty Ears will drop Monday morning so stay tuned for that beauty. More here at Shaine Jones Photography Blog. If you're making your way down to SXSW this year make sure and check them out. They are totally rock and roll live. In fact, if you find that you're headed down to SXSW and have way too much room and money, I will let you sponsor me. That's right, I will tag along and spend your money and all you have to do is contact me.
Update: Rock super group Middle Brother are set to release there debut, for pre-sale go here. Speaking of pre-sale The Black Keys tickets for Deer Lake park June 27 go on sale tomorrow for the general public. Since you are not general but very special there are a few ways to get pre-sale tickets right now. If you have an Amex card Live Nation has a pre-sale for you. If you have an iPhone download the Live Nation App and get pre-sale that way or go to The Peak and sign up for there pre-sale offer. Go!
Update: Antony and the Johnsons announced a new EP. Antony and the Johnsons will release the “Swanlights” EP digitally and on 10”via Secretly Canadian on April 26. A CD version is forthcoming. The 10” vinyl will be available on Record Store Day, April 16. The EP includes a remix of the title track by Oneohtrix Point Never as well as two exclusive b-sides. Remember to hit up your local record store April 16 for this and many other special releases.
Music: here are some new tunes for you. TV on the Radio has announced a new album to drop in April here is the first single off that called Will Do. TV On The Radio - "Will Do" by Interscope Records
Lykke Li is streaming her new album over at Hypemachine. While your there make sure to check out the Tasty Ears Hot 100 tracks of the day. For those of you too lazy to click a link here is a track off Wounded Rhymes titled Get Some and a couple of remixes. Lykke Li - Get Some by LykkeLi
J Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr. fame) is releasing a solo album with tons of rad guests soon. Here's a taste. J Mascis - Not Enough by subpop
Upcoming shows: Feb. 25 The Zolas at Performance Works Feb. 27 Debra Jean and The Means at Performance Works Feb. 28 - Wild Nothing at the Biltmore Cabaret Mar. 5 Cold War Kids at The Vogue Mar. 11 Diamond Rings at The Biltmore Cabaret Mar. 16 Miami Device at the BiltmoreMar. 17 Destroyer at the Commodore Mar. 19 Warpaint at The Biltmore Mar. 31 The Dodos at The Rickshaw theatre Apr. 10 The Foals at the Commodore Apr. 21 The Cave Singers at The Biltmore (moved from the Rickshaw) Apr. 21 Tame Impala at the Commodore Apr. 29-30 Fleet Foxes at The Vogue May 3 Zola Jesus at The Biltmore May 4 Mother Mother at the VogueMay 8 The Kills at The Commodore May 17 The Low Anthem at Biltmore Cabaret (check out their new album) May 11 Peter Bjorn and John at Venue May 25 Sleigh Bells at The Vogue May 27 Lykke Li at The Vogue May 31 Adele at The Commodore Wild Nothing Feb 28 at Biltmore
The above headline is true. That being said, Lululemon is one of Oprah's Favourite Things and (thanks to local artist Zoe Pawlak) a Tasty Ears video is looping in their flagship store on Broadway and Cambie in Vancouver. Here's the video! If you've watched the video you know that the song is Unless it Kicks by Okkervil River. Okkervil River has been slowly leaking songs from their upcoming album (including one on Fallon last week). Below is there newest release called Mermaid, check it. Oh, and... Zoe Pawlak is having an opening tonight for her new show, for more information click here. Okkervil River - Mermaid by weallwantsome1
EXCLUSIVE! This just in the Arcade Fire has won the Grammy for Album of the Year with The Suburbs. Yep! You heard it here first folks. No, but seriously this is HUGE! An indie band taking an award that typically goes to a Major Label? I think it was Kanye West who tweeted "Does this mean there is hope for music?" Congrats to the Arcade Fire and their label Merge Records, you totally earned it. Arcade Fire are label mates on Merge Records with a band I've been digging lately Wye Oak. Wye Oak has a hotly anticipated new album titled Civilian dropping in a couple of weeks. Check out the title track from the album here. Wye Oak - Civilian by cityslang
The other Big News that I'm sure we all know but can't go unsaid is that Radiohead "quietly" tweeted on Sunday night "thanks for waiting" and this link to a website where you can pre-order their new album King of Limbs which will be available Saturday! This is the most retweeted tweet I have ever seen (it was well over 4000 retweets... on Monday).
Superstoked to announce that Tasty Ears has finally hooked up with the Shimmering Stars to do another instalment of On Location. The shoot is this weekend so keep it locked for the exclusive video here.
On Monday night Vancouver Is Awesome hosted a Valentine's Day show at Sitka Surfboards called Get Your Heart On. For those of you paying attention, last weeks Tasty Ears On Location video was part of that series. Well, the show had a great turn out and tons of local artists performed. Great show all, check out all the videos that were made to promote this show or download any of the tracks here at VIA.
Tonight at the Rickshaw theatre is Wavves with Best Coast and No Joy. Should be a rad show as all three bands are, well, rad! Here's a new one from Wavves called TV Luv Song Wavves - TV Luv Song by serpentinepadd
Another upcoming show that will be worth your hard earned $14 is Tune Yards at the Biltmore April 29. Here's a, wait for it, amazeballs new track from Tune Yards titled Bizness. Tune-Yards - Bizness by The Wounded Jukebox
More must see shows:
This Saturday at Red Room is Rococode and Bend Sinister with The Racoons
Feb. 27 Debra Jean and The Means at Performance Works
Feb. 28 - Wild Nothing at the Biltmore Cabaret
Mar. 5 Cold War Kids at The Vogue
Mar. 11 Diamond Rings at The Biltmore Cabaret
Mar. 17 Destroyer at the Commodore
Mar. 19 Warpaint at The Biltmore
Mar. 31 The Dodos at The Rickshaw theatre
Apr. 30 Fleet Foxes at The Vogue
May 3 Zola Jesus at The Biltmore
May 8 The Kills at The Commodore
May 11 Peter Bjorn and John at Venue
May 25 Sleigh Bells at The Vogue
May 27 Lykke Li at The Vogue
May 31 Adele at The Commodore
Zach Gray (of The Zolas) and Laura Smith (of Rococode) team up for a Valentine's Day duet of Serge Gainsbourg's song Bonnie and Clyde.
Late one rainy night, in an old stable, lit only by the moon, a solitary horse is serenaded with the tale of the famous, outlaw lovers Bonnie and Clyde. At least that's how it went down last Monday night in Vancouver. The song was originally recorded in French, (in 1967 by Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot) the lyrics based on the the poem "The Trails End" by non-other than Bonnie Parker herself. Laura and Zach use the original poem for the lyrics in this version. As we know Bonnie and Clyde loved two things, robbing banks and each other. Their lives ended the only way they could, in a hail of bullets. Romantic no? Well at least that's what Zach and Laura thought as this video was made as a special Valentine's Day duet for Vancouver Is Awesome.
If The Zolas and Rococode merged would they be The Rococolas or The Zolocode? Or wait, maybe ZoRo? Something deep for you to consider till Monday (gentlemen, Monday is Valentine's Day, don't forget). This year may you all find the love that Bonnie and Clyde had but not the bullets.
Monday night at Sitka Surfboards in Vancouver many of the artists participating in the Valentine's duet project will be performing for free, so get there.
Tomorrow night at Massey Theatre The Zolas are performing with Dan Mangan, Hannah Georgas, and Corina Corina for The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Benefit
February 19 Rococode plays with Bend Sinister at The Red Room
RIP The White Stripes! This has to be the story of the week. Late 2010 there were rumours of a new album in 2011 and now... they're just done. Now, much like the Hotel Yorba, I have a "vacancy" inside, where The White Stripes once were. I failed to see them live. Epic fail!
Good news this week, Fleet Foxes released a new single and tour dates. Pre-sale sold out fast and general admission tickets go on sale today. Don't delay. The show is at the Vogue April 30. If you're sitting on the fence just check out their new track Helplessness Blues
Another big story this week is Exclaim Magazine (online edition) a Canada wide publication, reviews Tasty Ears On Location with the SSRIs.Check it! Okay, maybe not a big story and I really shouldn't toot my own horn (but toot! toot!).
Feb 01, 2011 marks the kick off of a film collaboration between Efterklang and La Blogotheque's Vincent Moon. There are small screenings happening around the globe over the next couple of months (including an already sold out one here). The film is called An Island and is a documentation of Efterklang's musical exploration of an island off the Danish coast.
Another band with ties to Denmark The Raveonettes are releasing a new album in April titled Raven in the Grave. There have already announced some North American tour dates. In further Raveonettes news The Dum Dum Girls have released a new track this week produced in part by one half of The Raveonettes.
The only album release this week that I will address is Young Galaxy's Shapeshifting. Go! Their dreamy, spacey sound fits nicely under the strong, female vocalist. Another gem of a band hailing from Montreal.
Another band from Montreal you may have heard of is The Arcade Fire. I mentioned Vincent Moon earlier in this post (the mastermind behind La Blogotheque) came out this week and called The Arcade Fire and their management "awful, awful people" Pow! The bands manager wrote a letter back accusing Moon of stealing some of their equipment and having a drug problem. Smash! I'm a huge fan of both artists so I'm not going to get involved except to say "Hey Arcade Fire come do a video with Tasty Ears."
The Dodos are back with a new album No Color (their spelling, not mine) on March 14. The Dodos are in Vancouver on March 31, at the Rickshaw. They recruited Neko Case to help out with her amazeballs vocal stylings. Check out the first single Black Night now.
Local indie band Mother Mother are releasing their new album Eureka! Check out their latest Baby Don't Dance. (relax, just give it a sec. it will play eventually)
Another local band Said the Whale is touring with Tokyo Police Club and Dinosaur Bones. They play the Commodore April 23. Here's the latest from Dinosaur Bones titled Royalty
Upcoming shows:
Pineapple plays at Interurban Feb 18
The Zolas are at Performance Works Feb 25
Zola Jesus is at the Biltmore May 3
Peter Bjorn and John are at Venue May 11
I'll leave you with the latest from The Kills, here's Satellite
Despite the rainy weather forecast the members of SSRIs convinced us to shoot outside. Not just outside mind you but deep in the woods. We scouted out an undisclosed location near Vancouver and started the laborious task of trekking in all the gear. Once the band and recording gear were set up the clouds parted and the forest got rocked. The performance was well worth a few mosquito bites and risk of soaking all our gear. Had too much fun with these guys. Thanks SSRIs. Note: my apologies to Georges Couling of Knuckleduster Music Inc. (not knockleduster, sorry bud).
There is another local band bursting onto the scene right now that I want to give some Big Ups to and that is Portage and Main. Portage and Main are long time friends John Sponarski and Harold Donnelly. Sponarski has said that they wanted their songs to fit "like his favourite pair of Levi's jeans" and let me tell you these are very cozy songs. I must confess, I have never tried on his jeans but... I was fortunate enough to catch up with Sponarski in a short online interview where I asked "How did two Vancouverites end up calling themselves Portage and Main?"
He had this to say: "The name is basically.. We thought it was funny that us two city kids were writing a pretty country-ish record... So we wanted a name that juxtaposed something urban and rural.. In conversation we accidentally discover that we both have roots in portage la prairie manitoba.. As soon as we figured this out I was immediately reminded of when I was a kid and I was in Winnipeg for the first time walking around with my aunts and my nana and we came to the corner of portage and main. We stood there for a second and they told me the tale of portage and main and how it was thought to be the coldest street corner in Canada. I said we should name the band portage and main! we have portage (portage la prairie = rural) and main (a street you would find in any major urban area). So that was kinda that....
Ummm yeah I dunno what else you'd wanna say, the release is Friday march 18th at the anza with the sumner brothers... Also we would totally love to do a tasty ears vid! I've been keeping up with what you guys are doing and it's great!
Keep it locked here for more on the upcoming Tasty ears On Location with Portage and Main. In the meantime check out their websitehere and have a listen to the track Rocky Mountain Wanderer in the player
Where to Beard About Town upcoming shows (check past blogs for more shows):
Smith Westerns Feb 16 at Biltmore
Godspeed You Black Emporer Feb 16 at Vogue
Wild Nothing Feb 28 at Biltmore
Born Ruffians March 12 at Rickshaw
Warpaint w/ PVT March 19 at Biltmore
Dodos March 31 at Rickshaw
Pixies performing Doolittle May 3 at The Orpheum
The SSRIs
On Location with Tasty Ears
(Video coming soon)
If someone had asked me a week ago, "What are you up to for the next seven days?", I don't think I would have answered, "Listening to a shit ton of new music, buying a bunch of concert tickets and having a silly time with the SSRIs on Sunday out in the woods, of course. But, that is what I did.
This last Sunday we connected with Vancouver punk rockers the SSRIs at an undisclosed location in the forest. We trucked in all the band gear and a generator plus recording gear and a camera, to shoot an upcoming episode of Tasty Ears On Location. Stayed tuned music fans! For more photos and a review of the shoot check Shaine Jones Photography .
Tuesday was like my birthday, with releases from Cold War Kids, Destroyer, Iron & Wine, and Cloud Nothings (please understand it was not my actual b-day). I'll start with a few words on the new Cloud Nothings album. A fun, fresh, pop-punk, full length debut from Cleveland's Dylan Baldi and co. Watch the video below. Spoiler Alert! Just when I thought it was just another "innocent teenagers, through the lens of 8mm video cameras" it gets fun.
Iron & Wine's new album "Kiss Each Other Clean" is another solid album from the indie veterans (gone major label). Sam Beam is back with the full band again this time only bigger. The first single Walking Far From Home is good example of what Iron & Wine do best.
Amazeballs new album from Destroyer titled Kaputt. Go buy it. This new album from Vancouver's own Dan Bejar is easily my favourite Destroyer so far. The style is, what I believe would have fallen into, Adult Contemporary in the late eighties/early nineties record shops (whatever those are). Lots of reverb and trumpets, what more do you want? Bejar is cool, I read somewhere that he recorded some of the vocals while lying on the couch. I know right? Give it a listen on today's mixtape.
The Cold War Kids have long been a favourite of mine. There new album Mine Is Yours is what I was hoping their last album was going to be. And I liked the last album so... The song writing has matured nicely, Royal Blue (hear it on the mixtape) being a fine example. I don't care for the producers choice to "over produce" this album, like every song is coming over the airwaves of some Top 40 radio station. I can't wait to see these songs performed live. Go!
It was pointed out to me that I forgot to mention the upcoming release from Middle Brother. Made up of the lead singers from Deer Tick, Delta Spirit, and Dawes. Check out a track from there upcoming album on the mixtape.
Jack White's Third Man Records is about to release an album from Sweden's First Aid Kit. The B-side of the single is a cover of Buffy St. Marie's Universal Soldier. It rounds out this weeks mixtape.
Upcoming shows
Diamond Rings is coming back March 11 at The Biltmore
Sharon Van Etten March 29 at the Media Club
The Foals April 10 at the Commodore
Yes, dear readers (all 5 of you) we were right. Stereogum (one of the blogs that gave Kanye West album of the year) has started a new column called Double Take where they re-review an album and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is up first. Here is the link to the story but I'll save you the trouble with a quick redux, as I don't want to give this album any more attention. Basically they decide that upon further consideration it wouldn't have made the top 50 and that maybe Kanye just has the biggest promotional budget etc. If you remember 3 out of 3 readers agreed that it was not The Best album. Go team!
Moving on, 2011 is upon us and the new releases started this week with a great full length album from Tennis. I really enjoyed the EP they put out last year and although all the songs from the EP are also on the "new" album Cape Dory is still worth picking up. If you don't have time to do this sooner, I recommend buying it at their show Jan 31st at The Media Club.
Another early year release is Tapes n' Tapes' Outside. Not quite the impact of 2008's Walk It Off but I dig it.
One more album I should mention, this one doesn't officially drop till February but James Blake's self-titled album is hotly anticipated. So much so that it was leaked to the internet. Tinymixtapes is already suggesting a possible album of the year. It's a piano driven sort of Soul/R&B kind of thing. I'm sure you'll hear a lot of James Blake this year (for better or for worse, you have been warned). I don't see it making the top of my list but... check it out.
Here is a list of other albums I'm looking forward to.
The Decemberists - The King is Dead (out next week) The single is awesome
Ducktails: Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics (next week)
First Aid Kit "Universal Soldier" (next week)
Smith Westerns "Dye it Blonde" (also next week)
Cloud Nothings -self-titled (loving this band right now) (Jan 25)
Cold War Kids - Mine is Yours (Also playing Mar 5 at the Vogue, see you there. So good live).
Destroyer - Kaputt (local indie darling)
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
February
Young Galaxy -Shapeshifting (not sure yet but good potential)
Bright Eyes - The People's Key
Dom - Sun Bronzed Greek Gods (re-released with a proper label, loved it the first time)
La Sera - self-titled (of Vivian Girls fame)
Beach Fossils - What Pleasure EP
The Cave Singers - No Witch (can't wait)
March
Devotchka -100 Lovers
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes (So curious, what's she going to do next)
The Rural Alberta Advantage - Boys and Diamonds
Dodo's - TBA
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo
The Death Set - Michel Poiccard
April
Surfer Blood -I'm Not Ready EP
Unsure of when but...
Fleet Foxes
Okkervil River
Aphex Twin
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee (Keep 'er going Adam)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong
Panda Bear (from Animal Collective)
Radiohead (finally)
Santigold
The Shins (yes, that's right there coming back)
Bibio
Mister Heavenly
Upcoming shows
Local artist Vince Vaccaro is at The Vogue on Jan 27
Local rocker's The Pack A.D. at The Biltmore Jan 28
Wavves/Best Coast/ No Joy at The Rickshaw Feb 17
Devotchka at The Commodore Mar. 4
Crystal Castles at the Commodore Mar 7
Born Ruffians at The Rickshaw Mar 12
Destroyer/ War on Drugs at The Commodore Mar 17
Bright Eyes at The Commodore Apr. 8 (tickets went on sale today)
The Cave Singers at The Biltmore Apr 21
Lykke Li at the Vogue May 27
Not exactly a show but...
Record Store Day Apr 16 (Many artist make exclusive releases for indie record stores available only for this one day. It's pretty epic so check it out.)
