This is a bit of news I’ve been waiting anxiously to be able to announce – dates have been trickling out piecemeal for Swervedriver’s North American reunion tour and while a Toronto date was confirmed as happening, the when and the where weren’t being leaked… until now. Brooklynvegan has if not full then extensive tour dates for the reconstituted Swervies this Summer and that includes a June 13 stop in Toronto at Lee’s Palace, the timing of which indicates that it’ll be a NxNE-affiliated gig.

I don’t know why, but I’m as excited for this tour as I am any of the other 1997 resurrections making their way to town this year, and I wasn’t even that big a Swervies fan the first time around though that could be because I only got on board in time for their unremarkable swan song 99th Dream. But perhaps it’s that lack of heightened expectations or anxiety about being disappointed that makes me think this could be great. Adam Franklin has been doing solid work as a solo artist and I don’t know what the rest of the band has been up to in the interim, but it’s doubtful they’re doing this for a big payday so maybe, just maybe, it’s about the music. How novel would that be?

It occurs to me that I still need to find a copy of their debut Raise between now and, oh, June, but in the meantime there’s always the free downloads the band is offering of live versions of their four albums as well as a slew of b-sides and rarities. Now that’s a band that know how to take care of their fans.

MP3: Swervedriver – “Son Of Mustang Ford” (live at St Andrew’s Hall)
MP3: Swervedriver – “Duel” (live on Stockholm radio)
MP3: Swervedriver – “Last Train To Satansville” (live at Maxwell’s)
MP3: Swervedriver – “Bring Me The Head Of The Fortune Teller” (live on Stockholm radio)
Video: Swervedriver – “Never Lose That Feeling”
Video: Swervedriver – “Duel”
Video: Swervedriver – “Sandblasted”
Video: Swervedriver – “Son Of Mustang Ford”
MySpace: Swervedriver

I’ll admit it – the addition yesterday of Jarvis Cocker to the lineup of July’s Pitchfork Festival had me pricing flights and hotels to Chicago. Now if Jarv just stayed on his side of the Atlantic and minded his own business, I’d probably accept that the odds of me seeing him live are slim to none, but the fact that he is obviously willing and able to come to North America to perform and yet hasn’t come to visit Toronto is a bitter pill to swallow. I’m just hoping that this Pitchfork date is part of a proper tour and we’ll be basking in the glow of his Cocker-ness before the year’s out. Fingers crossed. And now’s as good a time as any to link that Archie vs Pulp cartoon thing that everyone was talking about… what, two weeks ago? An eternity. Which reminds me of Jamie Hewlett’s comic version of the same song which made the rounds a few years ago.

Billy Bragg talks to Chart about his forthcoming Mr Love & Justice, out April 8. He plays Harbourfront Centre on June 17.

Also coming to Harbourfront this Summer is Ladytron, who play there on July 4 in support of their new album Velocifero. Check out the first MP3 from it below.

MP3: Ladytron – “Black Cat”

AllMusic gets on the Lucky Soul bandwagon.

The Grand Rapids Press Q&As Explosions In The Sky. The Riverfront Times also grabbed an interview along with outtakes.

John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats extols the virtues of Ozzy Osbourne for io9.com. NPR also offers up a session with the man. John, not Ozzy.

Exclaim! interviews Zooey Deschanel of She & Him, Paste talks to both she and him.

Paper profiles and plays dress-up with Joanna Newsom.

The Asheville Citizen-Times interviews Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers.

JAM! and The Chicago Tribune talk to Gary Louris about going solo on Vagabonds. He’s at the Mod Club tomorrow night.