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

Abernethy - College Grove

This music is the dream you have after the most intense day of your life. The music is fierce, yet whimsical at the same time. From the driven opening piano of Astronaut, to the closing (what sounds like a) violin in Flowers, the musicality and melody of College Grove will pick you up, and sweep you away.

I couldn't begin to think how to classify this album; Abernethy seems to be a genre upon himself. Indie folk would be the technical term for it, I suppose, but that hardly seems to cover it. Abernethy switches seemlessly from moving ballads (such as The Voice), to something that wouldn't sound too out of place in Sufjan's playlist - very playful, like Unforgettably Young. However, it works in a way that most musicians cannot capture.

But the music will speak for itself more eloquently then I ever could.

And if anyone could possibly need more convincing; Everyone Who Knows You from his first album, He Teeny She.

Myspace \ Website \ Purchase

[Local Feature] Remote Kid

Greetings. Ohayo. Hola. Guttentag. Bonjour. (insert-greeting-in-some-other-steriotypical-language-here)

Yes, I am aware that it has been a while. Quite a while. >.>

I am also aware, however, though you dear little ducklings may not be, that if I don't start working on all those projects I SHOULD have been doing during Reading Week, I will very soon be in a very large amount of trouble.

Thus, I have decided to balance my guilt over NOT doing what I should be by attending to another aspect I feel to have been woefully neglected.

(This is the excuse I maintain, instead of the real reason, being that it took me a full week to figure out/remember how to log into Blogger again. *feels rather like an idiot*)

...Upon reading what I have just written, it is clear to me that I am making little, if any sense. Thus, let us move onto the point. "Cut to the chase", as those industry types would have it. (Yes, I was just watching the Oscars...and I STILL think Pan's Labyrinth should've won the little statuette thingy for Foreign Language Xp). Oh dear, I'm rather bad at NOT rambling, aren't I? O_o

Remote Kid.

Yes. That was, rather, the point.

Witness here the beginning of a change in the focus of at least MY contributions to this blog; having this wonderful space to rant and pretend someone cares what I think, I have decided to create yet another section, focusing on some of the local talent happening right here in our fair city of Calgary.

Once again...Remote Kid.

Despite the underwhelming name, this little band has managed to impress me live not just once, but TWICE. For cheap, too...O_o Can't underestimate the importance of an art student's budget in determining what, exactly, is a worthwhile pursuit. ^^;

What do they sound like, you ask? Well, rather like everything good and pure that we love about indie music. Those little melodies and fragile things that make us hold our breath when we listen to something beautiful. Yes, there's the glockenspiel, and the sweet guitar riffage, and mellow (yet multiple members singing) vocals and...what? Is that...a violin? Why, yes! Yes it is! And thank God, because good violin is something that makes everything better.

EVERYTHING. *narrow eyes*

Now, I know there's probably a few skeptical minds in the audience...I mean, some small-time Calgary band can't be THAT good, right? Their wonderfully heart-stopping shoegazing and sighs of iridescent ambient indie pop couldn't be THAT arresting, right? Of course, in thinking this, you would be calling our friends over at I (heart) Music ignorant clods, since they seemed to like our wonderfully local Woodpigeon so very much.

Who, coincidentally, recorded a split 7" with Remote Kid.

Take that.

B*tches. Xp

So yes, you have no choice BUT to check out these guys. I mean, Woodpigeon thinks they're good. And I (heart) Music thinks Woodpigeon's good. And you wouldn't want to gainsay those guys, would you? Xp I thought not.

Remote Kid can be found on their Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/remotekid). Or on their website, at http://www.cardboardboxrecords.com/remotekid.

~Ju

The Acorn - Tin Fist EP

I was all excited to make a post about the new Feist song that's surfaced off her upcoming album The Reminder - but I was beaten to it. So go check that out, it's really worth a listen.


But now onto The Acorn's latest release, Tin Fist EP. Again proving how slow I am on the draw, this album was released Dec 2, 2006. It's among my favourite albums last year, hands down.

The intensity this band captures never ceases to imaze me. Which is why I'm absoultely thrilled to see they're stopping by Calgary on their Canadian tour.

This album is a journey; alebit a short one (which really is a shame). It starts off hauntingly with Heirlooms, a song that I promise you, will make your skin crawl if you listen to it somewhere alone with all the lights out. Hauntingly beautiful would be a good way to describe it.

From there, Tin Fist EP continues to grow, twisting and turning, giving and taking. Dents takes us on a softer ride, but the intensity returns in Spring Thaw.

Brokered Heart and Spring Thaw are both available to listen to on the band's myspace; along with some earlier songs (one of which, Blankets, you'll recognise from a WHYH mixtape).

Lets also throw in some links here: Go Jeff!!! is a band from Saskatchewan, who are going to do big things this year; Manic just recently released their EP Floor Boards, and I'll have a review of that up here shortly.

I can't promise that posting here will become more regular, but I am trying.

Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

Emily Haine's debut solo disc, Knives Don't Have Your Back was released on September 12th of this year, making this review exactly a little late.

Her first foray from her band Metric, and then the Broken Social Scene (and all related) collective shows Haine's softer side: the lyrics do not differ much from Metrics, however the music is definately not only driven from a different place, but driven to a different place. Instead of a rock out and have a good time sort of feel, this album lets off a quiet desperation. Tracks like Doctor Blind and The Lottery both slowly grow, to then slowly fade away, as if they were never there at all.

To hear Doctor Blind, The Lottery, and Our Hell check out Emily's myspace. Trust me, it's worth it.

Now, the reason this review is following the cd so many months later: when I first heard this cd, I hated it. It didn't seem worth it. Roughly three days ago, I threw the cd in my cd player after not listening to it since September, and something clicked. It all made sense. I'm putting it down to me thinking that it's more of a winter album - it just does not give off an autumn feel.

[Purchace Knives Don't Have Your Back from the Metric Online Store.]


Coming soon to WHYH: Something vaugely holidayesque. Tis the season!

Feature: The Golden Dogs

Hey all...Ju here. And no, I am not, in fact, dead.

I am UNdead. As in, the witch administrators of art school killed me with cut paper assignments, then resurrected my corpse for their own, evil purposes.

*shrugs* You'll all get used to the change eventually. I already have; you wouldn't BELIEVE how much you save on food when all you consume is human flesh. In fact...I highly doubt you'll even notice the difference.

Anyways, my new lifestyle is not the topic here. What IS the topic is The Golden Dogs...a wonderful rock/pop/indie band from Toronto. Which means, of course, that they're right close-by. And they tour, once in a while. ^^

Not for those who require every member of the band to possess and eight octave singing range and the lungs of a sherpa, but the rest of you should be just fine. Bouncy and exuberant music, without ever being trite or overly studied. The one impression you get when listening to these songs is that somewhere in the world...people still have fun making music.

I know. I thought fun was dead, too. O_o

Jangling guitarwork over female/male vocals with more hooks than an Alberta slaughterhouse (I lied. You WILL be able to tell the difference, what with the disturbing imagery >.>)...you've heard it all before. And while the Golden Dogs never sound like something you've never heard coming through your eardrums before, it's a good thing. This is the kind of pop music that doesn't get made much, anymore, and trust me, it's nice to have it back.

Also, the absent Philip once told me that they sounded like the Ramones. Which is a bald-faced lie, but a comparison like that can never be a bad sign, since THAT band wrote some of the loopiest pop music ever. *grins*

The Golden Dogs can be found at their Myspace. Yes. Um...probably on a website, as well. They probably have a website, too. O_o

...

Wow, it's been so long I've forgotten how one commonly ends these things. A handshake? Is that...um...does that work?

*coughs*

>.>

~Ju

Mixtape: Again for the Winter

Yes, it has been a while, but we're taking a fresh start here at WHYH. Things are going to be a bit sporatic until a schedule can be found, so please bear with us, and accept our apologies for making you (if any of you still bother with this) wait.

Here's a little mixtape - it's not as organized as the other ones; there's no cover art, and the order and album isn't in the ID3 tags. All of the files are mp3 except the Death Cab ones, which are m4a. (Apologies to those who haven't discovered the bliss that is Macintosh, and don't already have any Death Cab. You should be ashamed.) Also, there doesn't seem to be a theme for this one. I was just rather annoyed that no album has jumped out at me as a "winter album" (like Arcade Fire's Funeral did last year), so I decided I must make my own.

Without any further ado; Again for the Winter.
01. Kid Dakota - Ten Thousand Lakes
02. Jonas Bonnetta - Ebb and Flow
03. The Acorn - Blankets
04. Death Cab for Cutie - A Lack of Colour [m4a]
05. The Album Leaf - Wishful Thinking
06. The Decemberists - Right Red Ankle
07. Woolly Leaves - Sans Luis Rey
08. VAST - Cello Song*
09. Howie Day - She Says
10. Great Lake Swimmers - Song for the Angels
11. Death Cab for Cutie - Stable Song [m4a]

Zip file with all the songs.

Enjoy

*The track is labelled as Cello Song, but that is not the actual title. I believe it is actually called Flames. When I first heard the song a few years ago, it was introduced to me as Cello Song, and being as stubborn as a mule, I still refuse to call it anything else. Again, apologies.

Slow Runner

I'm going to let these guys sum themselves up, rather then struggle to write something that not only describes the band's sound, but comes across coherently (and, in doing so, probably fail miserably.)

this is what we hope our music sounds like: interesting, lyrical pop music shot out into space, bouncing around the satellites and getting mixed in with all their beeping and blipping. like if r2-d2 had an aching heart and a love for the noisiest beatles songs. ideally, if you took out the depressing lyrics and substituted in educational stuff about sharing with others and the states and capitals, you could sit down at a piano and have a classroom of kids singing along within minutes. that’s the idea anyway. weird sounds get added later. and then we get to play live and see if we can make every heart in the room burst with pent-up feelings. it’s a good job.

Now, I've taken that from the Slow Runner website. Well, I think that about sums up all that there is to be said.

from No Disassemble
01. Break Your Mama's Back
02. Streamlined
03. Moody Suburban Teenage Love Song

Enjoy!

A Quick Apology, and some Tapes 'n Tapes

Yes, I realize there hasn't been a post in about two weeks. I'm working more then full time hours, and Ju is settling into a new job (and celebrating her birthday, which is today! So, if anyones reading this, they should take a second to leave a comment wishing her a happy birthday. *nods*). So, there are many apologies.

Unfourtinately, things don't look good for the next couple weeks. We're both starting school, and I, for unfathomable reasons, am keeping up working full time in addition to this. Yes, I know, I don't get it either. I think insanity runs in my family.

Don't give up on us just yet though! I'm going to be trying my hardest to start posting more regularily.

So, just because I can't post without some songs, here are some Tapes 'n Tapes songs for you:
01. Omaha
02. The Iliad

Please excuse the lack of fanfare around the songs. I figure that by now most people have heard of Tapes 'n Tapes, as they've made the rounds on the music blog circuit long ago (I'm just slow on the uptake, that's all.)

So, while you're listening to (and enjoying!) those songs, take a second to wish Ju a happy birthday, and maybe let us know what you'd like to see from WHYH, or what you wouldn't like to see (if you're that way inclined).

Again, my apologies!