Thanks to Skatterbrain for bringing to my attention the fact that Toronto jangle mavens The Airfields have emerged from their hiatus, somewhat, to post some new demos on their MySpace page. Their Laneways EP, released this Spring, was a real treat and certainly whetted the appetite for more.

When last I spoke to head Airfield David Lush, he said the band (in whatever configuration it was at that time) had recorded an album’s worth of material and yet the future of the band was uncertain. I’ve sent him a quick note asking if the emergence of these tracks indicates some firmer direction for The Airfields – if I get any info back, I’ll update this. But in the meantime, give the new stuff a listen. It’s good.

MP3: The Airfields – “Prisoners Of Our Love” (demo)
MP3: The Airfields – “The Longway Home” (demo)
MP3: The Airfields – “You’re So Wonderful” (demo)

And staying local, Ohbijou, Henri Faberge & The Adorables and Carmen Elle will be providing the musical component to the ALL CAPS craft show happening at the Whipper Snapper Gallery (587A College St., near Clinton) this Sunday, December 10. The craft show starts at 4, music at 7 and it’s all over by 10 – admission is $7 and it’s all-ages. It will be nice to see Ohbijou in a small venue for a change and people have been trying to get me to a Henri Faberge show for what seems like forever now – no, it’s not one of their famously rambunctious residence shows at the Embassy, but should be good regardless.

And skipping ahead a couple days, For The Records fave and Heavy Blinker Jenn Grant will be in town for a number of shows next week, though the one that I’m planning on checking out is on Tuesday night at the Drake Underground where she’ll be joined on the bill by Toronto slowcore/country act Barzin and Haligonians Down With The Butterfly. I picked up Barzin’s latest My Life In Rooms a couple weeks ago and while it’s a little over-samey start to finish, at least the sustained mood is an exceptionally pretty one and there are a few superb tracks on it. As for Grant, her other Toronto shows are at Holy Joe’s on the 10th and Supermarket on the 14th.

I Heart Music has a recent CBC Radio 3 session from Ottawa’s The Acorn. There’s selections from both of their excellent recent EPs Blankets! and Tin Fist, the latter of which they’ll be having a CD release party for next Friday night (December 15) when they open for Elliottt Brood at Lee’s Palace. Acorn singer Rolf Klausener talks a bit about the theme of the new record to Chart.

Joel Gibb complains to Washington Square News that NAFTA isn’t working for The Hidden Cameras. But having successfully navigated the border, he talks to The Portland Mercury, Minneapolis City Pages and Tuscon Weekly. And though the December 14 show in Toronto is still listed on their MySpace, there’s still no venue or ticket information. That’s next week, fellas.

Drowned In Sound talks to Final Fantasy’s Owen Pallett. Via Largehearted Boy.

The Register-Guard talks to Amy Millan, PopMatters talks to Emily Haines. Haines is at the Danforth Music Hall on January 6.

Murray Lightburn of The Dears tells Harp that the album that changed his life was by… The Dears. Okay, everyone who didn’t see that coming, hands up.

np – Forget Cassettes / Salt