Tuesday, June 7th, 2005

Ten Places To Die

Nottingham’s Six By Seven, on the eve of releasing Artists Cannibals Poets Thieves, have announced that after weathering eight years and five albums of lineup changes, label hassles and commercial neglect, they’re calling it quits. I’m not surprised, to be honest, but I am disappointed. They had just signed a North American distribution deal for their last two albums and there was even talk of a North American tour this Fall – not to be. In fact, I don’t know what this means for the domestic release of last year’s :04 or Artists, but I’m not going to hold off on getting an import copy of the latter on the miniscule chance that it’s still coming out. But if there’s to be a silver lining in all this, the band is offering their fans some lovely parting gifts. They will release a live best-of compilation before the year’s out and are talking with former home Mantra about digging through the vaults for some more posthumous rarities releases.

If you’ve never heard the band before, here’s a sample of what you were missing out on. The first track comes from their second album The Closer I Get, the second from its follow-up The Way I Feel Today.

MP3: Six By Seven – “Eat Junk Become Junk”

MP3: Six By Seven – “I.O.U. Love”

Sorry to see you go, guys. So long and thanks for all the rage.

But on to happier news – Teenage Fanclub have confirmed the dates of their North American tour, including a July 25 show at the Mod Club in Toronto! I’m surprised they’re playing a venue that size – last time through, they sold out the considerably larger Opera House. I’m not complaining, though. Smaller venue = better, though it also means this will sell out super fast. No ticket information yet, and I’m not telling anyone anyway, at least not until I’ve got mine. The new album Man-Made is out today and Insound has an mp3 from the album if you need some convincing.

MP3: Teenage Fanclub – “It’s All In My Mind”

It seems a certainty that Sigur Ros’ new album will be out by September because they’re already booking a North American tour to promote it. The Toronto show will again be at Massey Hall on September 19, coincidentally the exact same day they were here in 2001. Great timing, I will be out of the country at this time. I wonder how many shows I’ll miss over those two weeks in September?

Salon.com’s Audiofile is currently running a contest wherein you send in a Summer-themed mix comprised of free, legally downloadable mp3s of between 10 and 15 tracks. The best mixes, as selected by a panel of agitated rhesus monkeys, will win a shiny new 20GB iPod. I would enter, except it sounds suspiciously like work.

Stylus plays god with Belly’s Star. I don’t know if removing the hit single and adding two covers (among other revisions) necessarily makes it a stronger album, but I love this record (and the b-sides) so I’m not really able to comment objectively. Don’t mess with perfection!

My Morning Jacket have a new album scheduled for release on September 20, their first to feature the post-It Still Moves lineup.

My photos from Sunday night’s Spoon show are now up. I turn my camera on indeed.

Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, Red Dragon) has been confirmed as the new director of X-Men 3. Outrage ensues.

np – The Chameleons / What Does Anything Mean? Basically

By : Frank Yang at 8:19 am
Category: Uncategorized
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  1. Paul says:

    The new Teenage Fanclub album was in shops last week, with the Merge label so it wasn’t an import copy. I know today was the scheduled date, but I saw it all over the place last Tuesday.

  2. Frank says:

    early on-sales make Baby Jesus cry.

    I didn’t see it in stores around here, but tis a moot point now. I’m heading out after work to grab a copy.

  3. RC says:

    Any idea when the Sigur Ros tickets go on sale? I called the venue and they had no idea.

  4. david says:

    I saw MMJ last week, the new songs are pretty amazing. I’m looking forward to the album.

  5. Quinn says:

    I’m sad to hear about Six By Seven, especially amid the N.A. tour rumours.

  6. Joe says:

    I’m pleasently surprised to see that Sigur Ros is playing here in Ottawa.

  7. Frank says:

    There should be Sigur Ros ticket info later this week. Soon, anyway.

    I am very sad that I won’t be able to see this show. Ironically, I will be in Scandavia at that time (yes, I know Iceland is not technically Scandanavia, but it’s, you know – up there).

  8. Christopher says:

    I used to like Six By Seven. "The Closer You Get" is a good album. But then they released a cover of The Church’s "Under the Milky Way" (amazingly, one of the two songs you chose to post as an example of how good they are), named it "IOU Love," and claimed they wrote it themselves. I immediately lost all respect for them. I simply do not understand how they avoided becoming the scourge, or at the very least, the laughing stock of the music world as a result. It’s not merely similar to, or simply inspired by, "Milky Way." Same everything. Same hook, they just twist it (much for the worse) at the very last instant. Same instrumentation. Same. Not similar, same. Please explain why you accept this!

  9. Frank says:

    know what Christopher? You’re absolutely right. I never made the connection having rarely listened to the Church comp I’ve got, but yeah, it’s pretty obvious. But Chris Olley admits it:

    http://…/

    though not to the extent of offering a writing credit.

    Ah well, one song does not nullify an entire excellent discography.

  10. christopher says:

    True. It probably shouldn’t bother me quite as much as it does. I wonder how it would turn out if The Church decided to take them to court, like the "I Need a New Drug"/"Ghostbusters" case.

    I’ve forgotten who copied whom on that one…

  11. thomaus says:

    I thought you didn’t want an iPod. Thanks for letting everybody else know you are entering, though — so we don’t have to bother. Between your musical taste and organizational skills, the iPod is all yours.

  12. mike says:

    I picked up the new Teenage Fanclub and Coldplay Cd’s at Futureshop after work for the unbelievable one-day only bargain of $20 for both CD’s. I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for TF concert tickets. And Frank’s what’s this of Iceland you mentioned? Are you really going there?

  13. Frank says:

    I guess I wasn’t clear – I’m not going to Iceland, I’m going to Scandanavia in September.

    I’ll talk more about that at a later date.