Archive for March, 2009

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

SxSW 2009 A/V – Viva Voce

Photo By Frank YangFrank YangViva Voce
Portland, Oregon, USA

Husband-and-wife-fronted rock outfit will release Rose City, the follow-up to 2006’s Get Yr Blood Sucked Out, on May 26
Show review
– interview at Tuscon Weekly

Photos: Viva Voce @ The Mohawk Patio – March 21, 2009
MP3: Viva Voce – “Drown Them Out”
MP3: Viva Voce – “Devotion”
MP3: Viva Voce – “When Planets Collide”
MP3: Viva Voce – “We Do Not Fuck Around”
Video: Viva Voce – “From The Devil Himself”
MySpace: Viva Voce

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

SxSW 2009 A/V – The Grates

Photo By Frank YangFrank YangThe Grates
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Hyper pop trio whose sophomore album Teeth Lost, Hearts Won was released in Australia in 2008 with a North American release planned for this year
Show review
– video interview at Undercover

Photos: The Grates @ Club DeVille – March 21, 2009
MP3: The Grates – “Burn Bridges”
Video: The Grates – “Aw Yeah”
Video: The Grates – “Burn Bridges”
Video: The Grates – “Science Is Golden”
Video: The Grates – “Rock Boys”
Video: The Grates – “19-20-20”
MySpace: The Grates

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

CONTEST – Los Campesinos! vinyl prize pack

Photo ByJon BermanAn eyebrow may have been raised last year when preternaturally perky Welsh pop conglomerate Los Campesinos! announced that they’d be following up their debut full-length Hold On Now, Youngster…, released in February, with another full-length in October. And the other eyebrow went up when it was revealed this second record would be darker in theme and tone than its predecessor.

But anyone expecting that We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed would be the band’s Closer was sadly mistaken – it’s almost as peppy and insulin coma-inducing as Youngster, but that “almost” is significant in that the glee, which made the debut almost unlistenable for me, is dialed down just enough that I can make it through this new record without wanting to go out and get in a fight. That’s progress.

The band are on tour across North America through mid-April when they play Coachella. That jaunt includes a stop here in Toronto at the Opera House on Wednesday, April 1, and while I don’t have passes to give away, I have something that’s arguably better – courtesy of Arts & Crafts, I’ve got three prize packs consisting of a copy of both full-length albums – We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed and Hold On Now, Youngster… – on 12″ vinyl and a limited-edition poster featuring artwork by Jeffrey Brown. If you want, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I am beautiful, I am doomed” in the subject line and your full name and mailing address in the body. Contest is open to residents of Canada and will close at midnight, April 1 – right about when Los Camp decamp from the Opera House stage.

The band has also been blogging work on album number three. Including pictures of poo.

MP3: Los Campesinos! – “We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed”
MP3: Los Campesinos! – “How I Taught Myself To Scream”
MP3: Los Campesinos! – “Miserabilia”
MP3: Los Campesinos! – “Don’t Tell Me To Do The Maths”
MP3: Los Campesinos! – “We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives”
Video: Los Campesinos! – “My Year In Lists”
Video: Los Campesinos! – “Death To Los Campesinos!”
Video: Los Campesinos! – “The International Tweexcore Underground”
Video: Los Campesinos! – “We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives”
Video: Los Campesinos! – “You! Me! Dancing!”
MySpace: Los Campesinos!

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover Sonic Youth

Photo via iTunesiTunesThe Yeah Yeah Yeahs made their name with abrasive yet addictive dance-punk, but have never been ones to allow themselves to be pigeonholed. For example, their latest album It’s Blitz!, out on Tuesday, finds them embracing sleek synth-rock and in the process, turning out maybe the best record of their career.

But they also excel when they go in the other direction and strip down acoustically, allowing Karen O’s voice to really shine. Case in point, this Sonic Youth cover recorded for an iTunes EP where they tackle one of Sonic Youth’s straighter and lovelier tunes and for my money, knock it out of the park. Deluxe editions of It’s Blitz! come with a bonus EP with four Blitz tracks rendered acoustically – needless to say, I think it’s worth picking up the fancy version.

Sonic Youth’s The Eternal is out June 9 and I realize this is the second Sonic Youth cover I’ve posted in three weeks – who’d have thought they’d be that coverable?

MP3: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “The Diamond Sea”
Video: Sonic Youth – “The Diamond Sea”

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

SxSW 2009 A/V – Jason Lytle

Photo By Frank YangFrank YangJason Lytle
Montana, USA

Former Grandaddy frontman returns with his first solo record Yours Truly, The Commuter, on May 19
Show review
– interview at NME

Photos: Jason Lytle @ The Mohawk Patio – March 21, 2009
MP3: Jason Lytle – “Birds Encouraged Him” (live)
MySpace: Jason Lytle