Toronto’s Diamond Rings aka John O. has released a charming little electro-acoustic love song that sounds nothing like the way his MySpace page looks (or the pic above for that matter), which may or may not be a good thing.
With what could easily be a song in some new horror movie trailer, Metric have returned with “Help I’m Alive”, an intense song that may be one of their best to date and is the lead-off track to their (awesome) new album Fantasies. Have a listen:
Fantasies is out 4/14. Pre-order it from their site.
I expected Human Highway’s video for the breezy song “The Sound” to feature sun, green stuff and rainbows. Instead I get the heads of Nick Thorburn and Jim Guthrie floating around a weird Art-Deco fun-house. I was tricked, but happily so.
Grab an mp3 of the song here.
Human Highway’s debut Moody Motorcycle is out now on Suicide Squeeze.
Sister Suvi’s “Desolation” reminds me of the 90s band Brainiac, except less insane. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a band thing, but I like the energy of the song regardless. BONUS: guitarist Patrick Gregoire can also be heard playing with other Canadian indie favs Islands.
Sister Suvi’s debut album Now I Am Champion will be set free this Spring. Catch them on tour with Walrus alums Takka Takka. They stop by Philly on 3/16 @ Kung-Fu Neck Tie.
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“Venom”, the b-side of Little Girls debut 7″ Youth Tunes is an up-tempo tune but it feels like it’s moving in slow motion. The bare-bones rhythm combined with buried vocals give it an almost “haunted” sound. This is pop music on painkillers.
Download the a-side from their MySpace page.
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…and sexy and fun. Yes, kind of like the above photo of Handsome Furs bandmates/luffuhs Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and Alexei Perry.
“I’m Confused” from their upcoming record Face Control features AP’s electro beats crossed with DB’s shreddy guitars and get-up-out-of-your-seat vocals. It’s the kind of song that you dance around your bedroom in your underwear to. YOU, not me. I would never ever do anything like that, ever. I take music very seriously, guys.
Face Control is due out 1/3 on Subpop.
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Swedish Italo-Disco diva Sally Shapiro released a remix companion album to 2007’s Disco Romance. It’s a great collection featuring remixes from some really interesting and talented folks like Juan MacLean, Junior Boys and Lindstom, but the one that stuck out for me was Holy Fuck’s space-rock take on the ethereal “Find My Soul”. Have a listen.
Preview + buy Remix Romance Vol.1 from Amazon.
Sally Shapiro – Find My Soul (Holy Fuck Remix)
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Ironically, there isn’t much info to be found on Montreal-based band Clues except that it contains Alden Penner formerly of The Unicorns, Brendan Reed who was once a part of David Bowie’s favorite band Arcade Fire and some other talented folks from up north.
Now you might be guessing that only good things could come of this…and you you would be right. You would also be right if you guessed that it kinda sounds like Unicorns and kinda sounds like Arcade Fire. Seriously, you are really good at this! Check out “Perfect Fit” below and look out for their debut record in 2009 on Constellation.
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These days I’d rather catch a buzz from a good record than from a plant and the new project from Unicorns/Islands/Human Highway member Nick Thorburn is nothing short of euphoric.
A collaboration between Thorburn and hip-hop producer Daddy Kev (Busdriver, Freestyle Fellowship, Awol One), Reefer’s debut mini-album is a chilled-out, tropical adventure filled with down-tempo beats, steel guitars and ukuleles that are guaranteed to ease your mind. The gentle sway of “May Baleen” may put you to sleep, but you’ll wake up wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a smile on your face.
Reefer’s self-titled debut is available now on Alpha Pup.
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While checking out our new fav blog The Unusual Times the other day we stumbled upon the new video from Chad VanGaalen. After witnessing its awesomeness, we figured it would be a good time to do a little retrospective on his video work.
Along with each of his album releases, VanGaalen, who also creates his own album art, illustrates and animates short films to coincide with some of his songs. His style is a strange and compelling mix of Liquid Television and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Have a look:
“Clinically Dead” from 2004’s Infiniheart:
“Red Hot Drops” from 2006’s Skelliconnection:
“Flower Gardens” from 2006’s Skelliconnection:
VanGaalen’s newest short film, and perhaps his finest, was created for the song “Molten Light” from his soon to be released album Soft Airplane. The haunting nature of the music combined with the surreal, more story-based visuals leaves us in amazement:
For more of videos, visit his YouTube page. To purchase his music visit Sub Pop Records and Flemish Eye Records.
We are pretty stoked on this new video for our favorite Crystal Castles song “Crimewave,” which is a remix for the much more brutal HEALTH original. It’s that classic 28 Days Later meets Weird Science story of a disgruntled zombie dork, but instead of wearing bras on their heads, CC wears fishnet stockings. Kinky. Check it:
(via Stereogum)
The remix is featured on CC’s self-titled debut, available from Insound and HEALTH’s remix album HEALTH//DISCO which is available from Lovepump United.
Koushik’s “Lying in the Sun” is a glowing and youthful kaleidoscope of horns, bells and beats that recalls the music of 60s pop bands like Sagittarius and United States of America, as well as Native Tongues-era hip hop.
Now if you are like us, you may notice the uncanny similarity between this song and pretty much every song on Caribou’s immaculate album Andorra. That aint no coinkydink, friend. Northerner Koushik lends his voice to a few of those tracks, and now it seems as though he is catching Snaith fever. Jeez I hope he doesn’t get sued by a legendary punk-rocker too.
“Lying in the Sun” will be featured on Koushik’s new album Out My Window, out 9/30 (my niece’s b-day:) on Stones Throw.
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