Wednesday, April 11th, 2007

Separated By Motorways

Pitchfork reports that one of those bands who are all buzzy in the UK will get a chance to try and conquer the Americas this Summer when The Long Blondes’ debut record, Someone To Drive You Home, will be getting a domestic release courtesy of Beggars Banquet on June 5. It’s been out in the UK since last October and I’m pretty sure that import copies can be found in local stores for about the same price as a domestic anyway, but the new version will have four bonus tracks. Score one for the procrastinators.

I’ve sort of liked what I’ve heard from them – not instantly smitten but not repelled either. I’ll likely check out the album eventually and if the “brief North American tour in June” includes Toronto, which I have to think it will, I’ll certainly hit the show. Those of you who have been living with this record since last Fall – for real? Long Blondes singer Kate Jackson answers the equivalent of a MySpace survey for The Independent.

Video: The Long Blondes – “Weekend Without Makeup” (YouTube)
Video: The Long Blondes – “Giddy Stratospheres” (YouTube)
Video: The Long Blondes – “Separated By Motorways” (YouTube)
Video: The Long Blondes – “Once And Never Again” (YouTube)
MySpace: The Long Blondes

But one female-fronted UK band that I was immediately smitten with is Lucky Soul, who have just released their debut full-length The Great Unwanted. I don’t know if I would have discovered this act if not for this gushing PopMatters review, which prompted me to hit up their MySpace while getting ready for work the other morning. I’m not sure if the ensuing sugar buzz was really healthy or not, nor do I know if this is just infatuation or the start of something genuine, but for now it’s giving me quite a buzz. I can’t find anywhere remotely affordable to get the CD yet but eMusic has four of their singles available, and with the b-sides that’s almost album length. It’ll do for now, but expect a proper post when I do get my hands on the album and if it lives up to expectations.

Video: Lucky Soul – “Lips Are Unhappy” (YouTube)
Video: Lucky Soul – “Add Your Light To Mine, Baby” (YouTube)
MySpace: Lucky Soul

PopMatters also offers up this interview with Jarvis Cocker, who just happens to share a hometown (Sheffield) with the Long Blondes above and whose old band (Pulp, of course) the Blondes are sometimes compared to (and who Cocker “can’t listen to more than about three songs”). I think Jarvis is just jealous that Kate Jackson has much better legs than he. Sorry Jarv, it’s true.

NME reports on some of the artists taking part in an upcoming Pixies tribute album, including Mogwai (tackling “Gouge Away”), J Mascis and British Sea Power. Dig For Fire: A Pixies Tribute will be out… sometime.

TBO.com gets literary with Colin Meloy of The Decemberists. Word is there will be a new EP from the Decemberists on July 17 – specifics unavailable at the moment.

John Roderick of The Long Winters talks to The Salt Lake Tribune and The Riverfront Times (a piece which comes with outtakes). What can you say, Roderick gives good interview.

Chart talks to Calla’s Aurelio Valle. They’re at the Horseshoe tonight.

And if you didn’t note in yesterday’s comments, Wilco tickets go on sale today at MusicToday and Friday at noon at Massey Hall and Ticketmaster. Due to a computer error yesterday, Massey Hall actually began selling tickets starting from the eighth row, so it’s probably safe to assume that the presale allotment will be eight rows deep.

Also sure to be a hot ticket, the Voxtrot show at Sneaky Dee’s on June 8 – tickets are available online at Ticketweb right now and likely at Rotate and Soundscapes very soon.

Noteworthy – the May 9 Silversun Pickups show is now 100% less intimate, having been moved from Lee’s Palace to The Phoenix. And Brakes Brakes Brakes, aka Brakes, are at Lee’s Palace on June 12. Tickets $10.50. Did The Beatific Visions ever get released over here?

By : Frank Yang at 8:28 am
Category: Uncategorized
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  1. Jack says:

    The Long Blondes’ album is thoroughly enjoyable – excellent songs, good production.

  2. John says:

    The Wilco preshow tickets are becoming a bit of a joke. Second show in a row and its one minute pass ten the are no tickets….WTF

  3. Frank says:

    sorry to hear that – I got fourth row, far right side of right-centre floors and got stymied because I was trying to log in with my email address rather than my user name.

  4. Sasha says:

    Can anyone confirm that LCF stands for Left Center Floor at Massey. I think it does but can’t confirm. If so I got me 2nd row…

  5. Frank says:

    yeah, lcf = Left Centre Floor. Those are great seats. Seating plan here:

    http://www.roythomson.com/s

  6. Torr says:

    The Beatific Visions is being released in the U.S. on May 8th via Rough Trade.

    The Electric Soft Parade will also be on the tour with Brakes, which is convenient since the 2 brothers who make up ESP are in Brakes too.

  7. thomaus says:

    My bad.
    I’m sitting in a meeting that should end before 10. Then, somebody brings up a problem that is off the agenda. With nine minutes to go. Ugh. It’s unresolveable, discussion is all over the place, and I’m starting to panic. Luckily, I just recovered from a cold, so I start fake coughing a bit and looking uncomfortable. At about 9:58, I excuse myself, and quickly walk back to my office. I clicked in at 10:00 and scored these: RCF, Row C, Seats (32, 33). I filled the forms, paid, etc. and grabbed a cough drop and a kleenex, and rejoined the meeting. The unresolvable problem was still being discussed, and the meeting finally ended with no solution.

  8. Frank says:

    that’s awesome, tom. And I’ve totally bailed on meetings to do ticket presales before. I have my priorities straight.

  9. Sasha says:

    Thanks Frank…my priorities are straight too…someone was trying to ask me something here at work and I had to brush them off in order to focus on ticket buying…

  10. mike says:

    I missed out on Wilco tickets through the band’s website presale – it was sold out within 6 minutes. And Frank, yay for The Long Blondes – my most recent blog post is about them too. I’m really looking forward to seeing them live.

  11. glenn says:

    i don’t know why america would allow itself to be conquered by the long blondes. we already have more than enough musicians who can barely play their instruments in unison and who write (at best) mediocre songs. maybe us yanks will take to their scarves, i dunno. the music hurts my ears.