Montreal’s’ Hexes & Ohs have just released a video for tune Wildfire, taken from their debut album Bedroom Madness. It’s pretty adorable.
The band play Chart Magazine’s CMW showcase at the Horseshoe on March 14th.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
It’s Blittz
Yet another high-profile, highly anticipated album leaked this week. This time it was Yeah Yeah Yeah’s third full-length It’s Blitz. Words cannot express how excited and in love with this album I already am. This after a mere three listens all the way through. The album opens with lead single Zero, a dance in your underpants, disco-infused bombast. Wicked amazing synth build up. Heads Will Roll is up next, again, another song to inspire kitchen dance parties (favourite line “Glitter on the wet streets/Silver over everything”), the tune features a wicked chorus guitar riff that is classic Nick Zinner. And Karen sings, like really sings, no more angst-ridden screaming found here. The closest sounding song to their old material has to be Dull Life, where Karen is able to reign in her energy and turn out a fantastic vocal performance. Brian Chase’s percussion shines and grounds the track. Other highlights on the album Soft Shock, Runaway (Maps-esque ballad), Skeletons and Dragon Queen.
It’s Blitz is going to be immediately labelled by immature fans as YYY’s sellout record. It’s much more digestible, listenable and poppy. But in my mind it’s a logical next step for the band, they’ve shown that they can do loud, abrasive and in your face. With It’s Blitz, they reveal that there is raw songwriting talent behind the band, and also that they can create something mature, fun and insightful. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were playing large arena venues in a year’s time. It’s their time to be hated.
The Presets have released a brand new video for my favourite song taken from last year’s Apocalypso If I Know You. The Presets play Mod Club on April 6th. Tickets, $18, are still available at Rotate This.
The Presets - If I Know You from Modular France on Vimeo.
The Pet Shop Boys were given a lifetime achievement award at the Brit Awards last night. Watch their performance below, it’s a medley of a bunch of their hits and features appearances by Brandon Flowers and Lady Gaga (WTF?).
YYY’s new single has leaked onto the interwebs. Listen to it below. I really really like it. From the forthcoming album It’s Blitz!, out April 14th on Interscope.
In anticipation for tonight’s show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, please take a gander at Antony performing a heart-breaking version of Hope There Is Someone from the Mercury Music Prize winning I Am A Bird Now. For those attending tonight, enjoy the show. It looks to be 100% sold out.
Video link via TOBlog.
MSTRKRFT
Fist Of God
This is probably one of the most anticipated Canadian dance/electronic albums of the year (other than Junior Boys new disc) and I can honestly say that it lives up to the hype. Fist of God is similar to their debut The Looks, the same buzz saw basslines can be found as well as many of the dirty French electro (Daft Punk/Justice etc.) elements. But Jesse and Al-P have taken their sound to new places with the addition of many great vocalists/guest appearances. For instance Bounce features N.O.R.E. and Isis (MC from Thunderheist) and includes the line “All I Do Is Party” (the song is streaming in their myspace, check it here.) Another early favourite is Vuvuvu which has the sickest build up and breakdown I’ve heard in a long time. Then there’s Click Click featuring E-40 which sounds like the bastard child of Jesse’s old project (DFA1979) and current project: metal guitar solo loop and dirty DFA bass (which a E-40’s amazing vox). Actually this song reminds me a lot of Jesse ex-bandmate Sebastian Grainger’s collaboration with Does This Offend You, Yeah? (but much much better). With Fist of God, MSTRKRFT live up to the hype that surrounds them.
Jesse and Al-P talked to Remix back in October about the recording of the album. Read it here.
They are also going on tour in support of the new disc, dates below:
March 5: Aniversio Bombay - Cholula, Mexico
March 6: Nueva Leon - Monterrey, Mexico
March 7: Plaza Condesa - Mexico City, Mexico
March 13: Myst - Phoenix, Arizona
March 14: The Ogden Theatre - Denver, Colorado
March 19: The Independent - San Francisco, California
March 20: Pontiac Garage House of Blues - Dallas, Texas
March 21: Radio Room Patio (SXSW) - Austin, Texas
March 28: Ultra Music Festival - Miami, Florida
March 28: Louis (Undocumented Party) - Miami, Florida
April 3: Webster Hall (Late Show) - New York City, New York
April 4: Sonar - Baltimore, Maryland
April 9: Kool Haus - Toronto, Ontario
April 10: TLA - Philadelphia, PA
April 11: Metropolis, Montreal, Quebec
April 18: Coachella - Indio, California
Fist of God will be released on March 17, 2009 by Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records.
The National, supporting…I’m not sure but still incredibly excited play Kool Haus Thursday May 21. Ticket, $24.50 on sale this morning at 10am via Ticketmaster, Rotate This, Soundscapes and at the bar at the Horseshoe.
Bowerbirds play the Drake Underground on May 2nd. No ticket details as of yet.
Kings of Leon play the Air Canada Centre (how and when did they get so popular??) on April 21st. Tickets on sale February 20th.
Noah and the Whale are at the Mod Club on April 27th. Tickets, $12.50 on sale now here or at Rotate.
Ladytron are back in Toronto at the Phoenix on April 6th. Their last Toronto show was during Harbourfront’s Beats and Beats festival last summer. Wasn’t terribly impressed with their live show, and the $28.50 ticket price (which are available now here) doesn’t make this show any more enticing. Omaha, Nebraska’s The Faint are also on the bill.
Lily Allen’s Toronto show was been moved to Sound Academy.
Tickets for Thunderheist’s headlining show as part of Exclaim Magazine’s cross Canada tour are on sale now here (at least the Toronto show at the Phoenix). Tickets are $15.
This is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a while. Lil’Wayne was on Letterman last night to do the Top 10 list. Last night’s list was Letterman’s Top 10 reasons he was looking forward to Sunday Night’s Grammys. Wayne does a great job and looks blasted out of his mind. Loves it.
A slew of shows have been announced this week. Tons of seasoned acts are returning to the city and a bunch of newer bands have also confirmed shows. I’ve noticed a trend in the last year in terms of show pricing, ticket prices seem to be on the incline, even in our shitty economic times.
The Pain of Being Pure at Heart’s show at Neutral on February 12th has been moved to Lee’s Palace. Tickets will be honored for the Neutral show, tickets still available at Rotate This. The Depreciation Guild support. Put on your Chucks, grow your hair into your eyes, and be ready to stare at the floor for this shoegaze/noise-pop revival. Pitchfork reviewed TPOPAT debut album today and put it on their best new music.
Sebastian Grainger & The Mountains play the Horseshoe March 6th. Tickets, $10.50 on sale now. Grainger played an in-store at Sonic Boom this week and apparently it was great. Read TOBlog’s review here.
Julie Dorion plays the Horseshoe on March 26th with $100, and fellow Ex-Eric’s Trip Rick White. The tour is in support of Julie’s new album I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day, scheduled to be released March 24th. Tickets available now.
Toronto’s chamber-pop beauties Ohbijou play The Opera House on April 18th. Tickets available now.
British wanabee pop princess/train wreck and my vote for most annoying female musician Lily Allen plays The Phoenix on April 27th. Tickets will run you $27.50 and may be worth it to see if she gets drunk and falls head first off the stage. Get them here if they are not already sold out.
Blast from the past (well the early 2000’s) Franz Ferdinand have announced a full North American tour and back in Toronto after playing a tiny sold out show at Lee’s Palace. Toronto date is at Kool Haus on May 4th, tickets on sale Saturday at 10am here.
Bat For Lashes, who’s new album Two Suns is due out April 6th will play a spatter of North American shows in April has confirmed a show at Mod Club on April 25th. Tickets on sale now here for $15. Quite a jump in venue size if you ask me, last time through the city she played the El Mocambo.
The Kills, who’s male member is on again, off again with Kate Moss are playing the Phoenix on May 7th.
Douche Bag of the Universe aka Chris Martin’s band Coldplay play Toronto July 29th. Venue TBO but my guess is Molson Ampitheatre. I don’t understand how people can tolerate watching him live, he makes me cringe in a John Mayer-guitar-playing-orgasm-face kind of way. Date via Pitchfork.