Artist updates: Stars, Kevin Drew, Metric

Metric have (finally) just released their very first album (which was never released to begin with) - yes, that's right, Grow Up And Blow Away has finally hit the shelves. If you hadn't already downloaded it all (and even if you have), go out and pick it up!

Next up would be Kevin Drew, as part of the "Broken Social Scene Presents..." series - personally, I'm most excited for the Brendan Canning album slated for a 2008 release. One of the most underrated out of the BSS camp; and I think the most likely to have a wicked "solo" release. And I say "solo", since these albums feature none less, then the rest of the Broken Social Scene crew doing the rest of the noise on the tracks. Who are we to complain though; there's an awesome new Kevin Drew song floating around. Album to be released on September 18th; it's called Spirit If...

And last but not least; my second most anticipated album for the next little while (first, of course, going to Radiohead's new album) is Star's In Our Bedroom After the War (September 25). Arts and Crafts have quite recently posted a song from it titled The Night Starts Here. The song is nothing spectacular; pulling more from their Nightsongs days than the more focused sound found on Heart and Set Yourself on Fire; but I'm still quite hopeful that the rest of the album will make up for it. Oh, and the entire album is available for download at GalleryAC.

While we're on the BSS crew, I suppose it's only proper to mention all the things we've missed: Young Galaxy released their self-titled album, and it is the things that dreams are made upon; Jason Collett has released Prodigals, which I haven't actually heard, but really do plan to; and Feist's The Reminder came out to underwhelm those of us who actually expected her to move on after Let it Die (don't get me wrong; it's not Let it Die all over again. It's just she hasn't actually moved on from there.) Oh, and Stars released quite possibly the best titled remix album - too bad only about half of the mixes bring anything new to the originals.

Metric - Raw Sugar
Kevin Drew - Tbtf
Stars - The Night Stars Here
Feist - My Moon My Man
Jason Collett - Parry Sound
Final Fantasy - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead (Stars remix)

So, we at WHYH have proven that we can have the most underwhelming relaunch ever, seeing as it was less of a relaunch and more of a "oh look, a post." More things to come; including full coverage of the Calgary Folk Festival at the end of the month, and many a band review once I go through the suggestions piling up in my inbox (speaking of; do tell us your favourite underrated bands - or the overrated ones you think we'd like. We're music junkies. We need our fix.)

Local Feature: Azeda Booth, Hot Little Rocket, SIDS

So much for the epic relaunch. >.>

For the uninitiated, the new and (we hope) improved look of the blog was supposed to be a massive and life-changing event. In the original plan, there was fanfares, and dancing, and fire, and clowns. Yes, clowns. We'd just about finished ordering the mini bikes and everything.

Plans seemed to have changed last minute, however, due to the scarce nature of human being willing to incinerate themselves while riding a miniature bicycle for free. Instead, this feature on some thumping-good Calgary outfits, following the event by a good week or so, will have to do.

Azeda Booth
This experimental indie pop gathering is loosely describable as what would result if you took the most fragile-sounding beautiful female vocals, dusted them across the glittering shards of traditional instruments backed with just a tad of synth melodies and percussion...and then confused everyone by not actually having any female members in the band. Yes, those beautiful breathy vocals floating over what is surely what angels would sound like if they played guitars and synth on "Dead Girls"? That would be vocalist Jordon Hossack. And not Jordon in the androgynous, "can also be a girl's name" sense.

Regardless, the melodies and absolutely captivating ebb and swell of sound will draw you in. You'll drown in it, forget your confusion over how male vocal chords can create those sounds, and let the music speak for itself, especially if you have the great good fortune to witness the band live.

Myspace: http://myspace.com/azedabooth
Website: http://www.azedabooth.com/


Hot Little Rocket
If ever there was a band to pay its small-town dues, it's Hot Little Rocket. Despite the fact that they've been rocking local Calgary venues for some time period akin to ten years now, things are only beginning to happen for these straight-ahead rockers very recently. Good things DO, apparently, come to those who wait, and in this case, that would be having their new album How To Lose Everything produced by Steve Albini. That's right, b**tches. Steve "The Pixies and Nirvana" Albini. Furthermore, they're opening for those loveable-yet-not-actually-on-an-indie-label indie lads, Spoon, for their slot on local music 'Fest Sled Island on June 29th.

Who cares about any of that! (you might say) What do they sound like? Are they awesome, like all those other bands you tastemakers on WHYH deign to grace us with features on? Or have you (gasp!) stumbled, just this once?

Have no fear. HLR is, though the melodies might sound deceptively simple at first, a musically solid outfit with a knack for composing good melodies with enough interesting rhythms and counter-melodies to keep you singing along without feeling mortified embarrasment if anyone were to catch you doing it.

Keep in mind, just like...just about every band covered on here, there's a certain something special to seeing them live. XD

recommended listening: "Down With Safe", "Spill It"
Myspace: http://myspace.com/hotlittlerocket
Website: http://www.hotlittlerocket.com/


Sudden Infant Dance Syndrome (SIDS)
And here we see my addiction to live shows rear its ugly head in earnest. Yes, it's made its appearance from time to time, but here we see a band that must REALLY be seen live to be enjoyed. The pure zany energy, the hyperactive keyboards, the short gym shorts...merely describing it does the reality no justice.

I also think that, somehow, hearing the recorded version also does the live no justice. You just don't get the same feeling of surreality watching the members flail and jump offstage with the mic AND the mic-stand to sing a cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division while getting everyone in the front two rows to sing along to the chorus at top volume about a billionty times faster than the original, yet somehow managing to NOT blaspheme the original.

...If you have to ask, you probably won't get it, anyway.

XD

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/suddeninfant

~Ju