Week 17: OMC - How Bizarre

Can't believe I had forgotten about this gem.

OMC - How Bizarre

Week 16: The Strokes - All the Time

This week is all about sneak peaks. But first there was an exciting announcement as well - The National will be releasing the much anticipated follow up to 2010's smash success High Violet. Mark your calendars as Trouble Will Find Me will be released May 10th.



Now, back to the sneak peaks. The lads that once saved rock 'n roll from rap-rock's horrid claws, saw away with baggy trousers and brought the sex and swagger back into guitar music. They haven't exactly been quiet since, but The Strokes haven't regained their top-of-the-heap status since the early noughties. Will Comedown Machine thrust them back into the shinny, bright lights? So far the reviews have been consistently good, but thanks to Pitchfork you can decide for yourself! Stream the album ahead of its release (released in the UK March 25 and NA March 26) here.

 What's my favourite so far? Well, there's one in particular that brings me back to 2002 and makes me want to buy a collar-less leather jacket... so I think it's got to be...


The Strokes - All the Time

They have proven themselves in the UK and just tore SXSW to pieces - Peace are hot to say the least. The West Madland boys are starting to garner widespread media attention, speculation and expectations for the four skinny lads is growing almost daily. So when I saw they were streaming their upcoming LP, In Love, via NME's website I was hesitant. The EP, Delicious was good, but definitely felt like a band who hadn't quite discovered their own sound yet. How would the album proper hold up? Remarkably good in fact. You can see for yourself here.

And if you don't want to go that far, here's a sampler:

Peace - Wraith

Lastly, remember those posh whipping boys, The Virgins? Well, apparently they are back...with a decent album. Hard to believe? Check for yourself as they are streaming the upcoming album, Strike Gently, here. Being released on Julian Casablanca's label, Cult Records, this is a nice little piece of indie pop. I mean, clearly from the above track, Julian is still with it, so if he backs these guys, there's got to be a least something to them, right?

The Virgins - Flashbacks, Memories and Dreams

Week 15: The Cure - Boys Don't Cry

Big week! Osheaga lineup announced! As the festival that I've attended more than any other (three times now), I had already decided that I'd be backing out this year... but there was always the chance of too good a lineup to pass up. I'd say I was 78% convinced that I wouldn't be attending..... BUT with all the amazing bands putting out albums this year, I thought that maybe it would be a biggee. Sure, the other big guys (Coachella et al) didn't have lineups reflecting all the big acts who are putting albums out this year, but maybe the lure of Montreal would be different. God I love Montreal.

Now not that the lineup is bad - with so many acts is basically impossible for any of these big festival to be bad, but it's easier for me to pass up then I had thought. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of acts I'd love to see, such as Phoenix, Alt-J, Father John Misty, Frightened Rabbit, Jake Bugg, DIIV, and Oberhofer. And also a handful I'd love to see again like Vampire Weekend and Gaslight Anthem. But the only real blow to the musical abdomen is missing The Cure. I was going to write a paragraph explaining my love of their music and exploring all the aspects of their gloomy pure pop bliss, but instead I'll just let Robert do the talking.

The Cure - Boys Don't Cry

Week 14: Swim Deep - Honey

So VERY 1990s

At first I didn't think this was that great. But then I found myself listening to it over and over and over and over again. After about 29 listens, I realized that yes I must really like it. It's got the jingly-jangly love-fest feeling of the Stone Roses, a young and carefree spirit that doesn't take itself too seriously, the swagger of many a non-London band that's come before them (see: Oasis, Stone Roses, The Verve and we can also add Miles Kane to that list) and the dress sense of the early 90s.

So, perhaps there is something a brewing in the West Madlands (they no longer want to be known as from B-Town) and maybe contrary to much speculation it is Swim Deep that is riding the crest of the wave and not their contemporaries Peace or Jaws.

Swim Deep - Honey

Week 13: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacriledge

Back to the grind after a nice stint to the land of music.

Although it's depressing back here in Canada, back in my office at 7 AM to start making up the work, and back to not seeing my lady except through a screen - there is reason to be joyous! SO MANY MUSICAL REASONS! Let us count the ways...

1

Karen O of YYYs doing that thing she do.

Have you looked at the list of bands putting out albums this year?! I keep going over it in my head and it still fills me with absolute joy every single time it crosses my mind cogs. Not sure what I'm talking about? Well see if any of these names will get your feet itching:

Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kings of Leon, The Strokes, Babyshambles, MGMT, Suede, Eminem, David Bowie, Atoms for Peace (Tom Yorke from Radiohead), The Horrors, The Klaxons, Queens of the Stone Age, Vampire Weekend


It's really all quite ridiculous. All I'd need is another Kills album and maybe something with Jack White featured heavily on it (I wouldn't count that out either considering how much he works) and I'd be spitting rainbows. Not to mention that there are some very exciting lesser-known bands putting out potentially huge albums (some debut, some sophomore, some further along..):
 
 Wild Beasts, Tribes, PEACE, Palma Violets, White Lies, Warpaint, Howler, HAIM, Savages..

It's all very crazy. I will delve farther into the big names in later weeks.

2
I've spent a lot of money on shows already. I'll put the full list up soon, but the fact that I have Foals, Bloc Party, Broken Social Scene, BRMC, a couple of punk legends on acoustic guitars and more is enough to get my mojo running.

3
I don't want to say too much because some folks (ahem, Halifax lads) may still be a bit sensitive to it... but the NME Awards Tour gig that T and I went to in Bristol was pretty fantastic. Loved the age-mix and excitement of the crowd. LOVED Palma Violets and Django Django (although Miles Kane isn't all he's cracked up to be). I'm still high off this beautifully English experience.


So after all this blabber, how does one pick a song of the week?! Well, although I'm being weighed down by the amount of amazing music coming out (haven't even had a chance to listen to the Bowie album proper) there is one track that spellbounded people all over the globe upon its release Tuesday. Give it up for those New York art-punks:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacriledge