Frank YangThings move quickly these days; this I know and understand, and yet it still manages to astound me sometimes. The ascent of London’s Daughter, for example. It wasn’t much over a year ago that the trio was still largely unknown, only getting on my radar by old-fashioned word of mouth and becoming one of my favourite discoveries of SXSW 2012. When they came around to make their Toronto debut last October – still a ways off from releasing their debut album or making any real promotional push – they still managed to sell out The Drake, albeit with the help of a fairly buzzy supporting bill. Still, that was a pretty good tip off that by the time the band returned on Tuesday evening, just a week after the domestic release of If You Leave, the only surprise would be not that they had sold out the much larger Great Hall, but that they hadn’t moved the show to even bigger environs.

Benefitting from the packed house were Wilsen, a band of Americans fronted by Englishwoman Tamsin Wilson who were really as good of a RIYL pairing for Daughter as you could hope to find. Their dark, atmospheric folk music came from a similar place as the headliners, but distinguished themselves with a tonally lighter touch, not to mention Wilson’s whistling skills and guitarist Johnny Simon Jr’s penchant for playing his guitar with coffee cans, tobacco tins, whatever. Unexpected and quite effective was a stately cover of Grimes’ “Oblivion”, and by the close of their 40-minute set, many new fans were made and a more than a few copies of last year’s mini-album Sirens were sold.

I don’t think I’m the only one who, to some degree, conflates a band’s sound with their appearance. In Daughter’s case, it’s hard not to compare their sound to frontwoman Elena Tonra’s appearance: beautiful, elegant, and demure, yet with an unquestionable strength and steeliness just under the surface. They’re traits evident throughout If You Leave, which bolsters Tonra’s gorgeous vocals and emotionally raw songwriting with Igor Haefeli’s billowing guitarwork and Remi Aguilella’s subtly powerful percussion to become something expansive, yet intimate. It’s an aesthetic that fits very well with that of their European label 4AD, and that’s the context in which I tend to think of them. In North America, however, they’re on Glassnote and if you’ve no idea what difference that makes, well I didn’t give it a second thought either, until Tuesday night.

Glassnote may not have the history and personality of 4AD, but they do know how to reach the Mumford & Sons demographic. And when, midway through the set during “Landfill”, much of the room loudly sang along with “I want you so much/but I hate your guts”, did I realize that this was a Mumford audience – surprisingly young, definitely excitable, and preferring to experience the music as a boisterous community. Tonra’s songs might be delivered like a private and intensely personal conversation, but they were being shouted and cheered back. It wasn’t necessarily off-putting – okay a little – but it certainly recontextualized my experience of the songs; rather than enveloping me completely, they now needed to act as a sort of barrier to shut out the background noise.

Tonra herself may have seemed taken aback by the intensity of their reception – her “thank you”s were almost inaudible squeaks – but seemingly happily so. Opening with Leave closer “Shallows”, Daughter sounded as brilliant as ever, mixing material from the album with selections from the Wild Youth and His Young Heart EPs. The band was bolstered by a utility player on bass, guitar, and keys, but even with those extra hands, the show had no shortage of instrument swapping; their sound might be skeletal, but it’s arranged precisely and impeccably so.

Only during “Winter” were the band really knocked off their game, as The Great Hall’s lighting rig seemed to pick up a poltergeist, going from black to blinding and causing Tonra to crack up several times (Haefeli was visibly less amused), though to their credit they finished the song, even though ditching would have been totally understandable, and both stage lights and band pulled it back together to wrap up the set with a crashing, cathartic “Home”. A satisfying show, but one that left me wondering if I’d choose to see them again next time in an inevitably bigger room, or if staying home, alone, with the curtains drawn and the record turned up might not be more the Daughter experience I’d prefer.

Photos: Daughter, Wilsen @ The Great Hall – May 7, 2013
MP3: Daughter – “Love”
Video: Daughter – “Still”
Stream: Wilsen – “Dusk”
Stream: Wilsen – “Anahita”

Soundcheck WNYC is streaming a radio session with Little Boots, while Consequence Of Sound has an interview.

Sweden’s Club 8 are streaming another new song from their forthcoming album Above The City, out May 21.

Stream: Club 8 – “I’m Not Gonna Grow Old”

Cheers to Frightened Rabbit for keeping alive the tradition of releasing their singles as proper EPs with b-sides and bonus tracks and the like. Case in point – the next single from Pedestrian Verse will be Late March, Death March, and DIY has details on the EP for it that’ll be out on June 4.

The Guardian asks Romy from The xx about her experiences playing festivals; they play a sorta-fest at Downsview Park on June 6 with Grizzly Bear.

Stereogum has premiered a new track from Swedish electro act Kate Boy, who are making their Toronto debut at Wrongbar on June 9.

Stream: Kate Boy – “The Way We Are”

Interview has a feature on Palma Violets, who were just here last week but are back August 3 as part of the Grove Fest at Garrison Commons.

The Alternate Side has an interview and session with Phoenix, who are headlining the aforementioned Grove Fest on August 3.

NPR has a World Cafe session with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, who’ve premiered their new video from Push The Sky Away – recorded at their Los Angeles concert this past March – at Rolling Stone.

Video: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Mermaids”

David Bowie has released the video for the title track of his latest The Next Day, and proves not only that he can still cause plenty of controversy, but that he’s got much cooler friends than pretty much everyone else.

Video: David Bowie – “The Next Day”

Ólafur Arnalds has a new video from For Now I Am Winter, and NPR is streaming a live concert by Arnalds wherein he and an orchestra performed the whole of the new album live in New York earlier this Spring.

Video: Ólafur Arnalds – “Only The Winds”

Stereogum has premiered the new video from The Mary Onettes’ latest Hit The Waves.

Video: The Mary Onettes – “Don’t Forget (To Forget About Me)”

A Music Blog, Yea has an interview with Mystery Jets.

Anna Isola CrollaIf you were thinking that Friday meant another housecleaning, link-aggregating post – this time from all points abroad – then you are correct. You get a cookie. From someone else. I have no cookies to give.

Nor do I technically have the new single from Camera Obscura to give, since it’s not mine to allocate, but since it was rolled out in streamable form to the internet earlier this week, I can certainly point you to it. It comes from their forthcoming fifth album Desire Lines, and while it’s been four years since My Maudlin Career, that time hasn’t been spent reinventing their sound. “Do It Again” is very much in keeping with the big, buoyant pop side of their skill set, but if you have a problem with more singles along the lines of “French Navy” or “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken”, well God, Jed, I don’t even wanna know you.

Desire Lines is out June 4, and while the band had to cancel a brace of North American dates in March around SXSW, their Summer tour supporting She & Him is all systems go and will bring them to Garrison Commons at Fort York on July 4 to open the inaugural Toronto Urban Roots Fest.

Stream: Camera Obscura – “Do It Again”

Consequence Of Sound, Pretty Much Amazing, Gigwise, and DIY have interviews with Charli XCX, whose debut True Romance hit the shelves earlier this week. She opens for Marina & The Diamonds at Echo Beach on May 23.

Under The Radar and Billboard talk to Jessie Ware on the occasion of the North American release of Devotion earlier this week.

Pitchfork checks in with Anthony Gonzalez of M83 about the experience of scoring a big Hollywood film. Said film – Oblivion – is out today.

Sweden’s Junip have been streaming their forthcoming self-titled album over at Pitchfork ahead of its formal release on April 23. They’re in town at The Great Hall on May 10.

MP3: Junip – “Your Life Your Call”
MP3: Junip – “Line Of Fire”
Stream: Junip / Junip

Pitchfork and Stuff have feature interviews with Phoenix, who’ve gotten around to making their new album Bankrupt! available to stream via iTunes before it comes out on Tuesday, April 23. They headline the Grove Fest at Fort York on August 3.

Stream: Phoenix / Bankrupt!

Johnny Marr answers questions about Skrillex, Margaret Thatcher, and his solo record from Noisey, Rolling Stone, and The Chicago Tribune, respectively. He plays The Phoenix on April 27.

The Georgia Straight and Filter chat with Palma Violets, coming to town for a headline gig at Lee’s Palace on May 3 and again as part of The Grove Fest at Fort York on August 3.

The 405 interviews Victoria Hesketh of Little Boots about her new album Nocturnes, coming May 7.

Savages have released a new video from their forthcoming debut album Silence Yourself, coming May 7.

Video: Savages – “Shut Up”

Florence & The Machine’s contribution to The Great Gatsby soundtrack has been made available to stream. The album is out May 7, a few days before the film’s release on May 10.

Stream: Florence & The Machine – “Over The Love”

Swede-pop vetereans Club 8 have released the first video from their next record Above The City, coming out May 21.

Video: Club 8 – “Stop Taking My Time”

Spin points out a stream of another new song from Laura Marling’s next record Once I Was An Eagle, out May 28.

Stream: Laura Marling – “Master Hunter”

Spinner has an interview with Stone Roses biographer Simon Spence about researching his book The Stone Roses: War and Peace, while The Guardian has got a trailer for the Made Of Stone documentary coming out June 5 in the UK

Trailer: The Stone Roses: Made Of Stone

Billboard talks to Oliver Sim of The xx about the writing of their third album, Huffington Post to Romy Madley Croft about the band’s success, and Rolling Stone and MTV Hive have some words with Jamie Smith about his projects. They’re at Downsview Park with Grizzly Bear on June 6.

Empire Of The Sun are streaming the first complete sample of their new album Ice On The Dune, out June 17.

Stream: Empire Of The Sun – “Alive”

New Order details their strategy of releasing EPs of new material to justify their continued existence to Billboard.

The Quietus has an interview with Richard Thompson.

The AV Club gets Frightened Rabbit to step into their studio to cover Cheap Trick’s “Surrender”.

Veronica Falls have rolled out a new video from Waiting For Something To Happen.

Video: Veronica Falls – “Waiting For Something To Happen”

Rolling Stone checks in with the lads of Two Door Cinema Club, getting ready to work on album number three.

Filter has a conversation with Nick Cave.

Billboard has a video session and interview with Little Green Cars.

The Knife put out a new video from their latest, Shaking The Habitual.

Video: The Knife – “A Cherry On Top”

Very sad to hear about the passing of Storm Thorgerson, graphic designer of album art for the likes of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Catherine Wheel. This was always my favourite of his pieces. For purely artistic reasons, of course.

And finally, noting that tomorrow is indeed Record Store Day, The Fly interviewed record collecting geeks in British Sea Power, The Joy Formidable, and TOY, amongst others.

Frank YangIf you want to be technical about it, territories and their associated release dates being what they are, Jessie Ware doesn’t actually have any music released in North America besides the If You’re Never Gonna Move EP, but if you think she sold out The Opera House on Saturday night on the back of that… Well it’d have been plausible, since it cherry picks three superb cuts from her debut Devotion, plus a cover and a remix, but in reality the massive success of the album in her native UK last year has already made her a genuine rising star on this side of the pond, even if the domestic edition of Devotion doesn’t come out until April 16 – essentially a meaningless date unless you’re looking to not pay import prices for an LP or something.

In any case, it was a packed house and if Ware alone wasn’t enough draw, New York-based duo MS MR took the opening slot on the tour with their own respectable head of buzz. Pronounced “Miss Mister” – Lizzy Plapinger, the “miss” in question to keyboardist/vocalist Max Hershenow’s “mister” – cleared that up early on, they brought energy levels to match their day-glo streetwear aesthetic (and Plapinger’s impressively rainbow-hued hair). Under normal circumstances, MS MR would be easily filed under synth-pop, but given the way the live drums dominated the sound, that epithet felt inadequate to their heavy, earthy sound. Further, Plapinger’s vocals wasn’t the sort of light, rangy instrument you’d usually find in the genre, instead having a texture ore suited to blues or classic rock tropes – and yet here she was. The soulful set-closer “Hurricane” was probably the best synthesis of what they could and should do with the tools at hand, and while it provided a clear-cut high point, it also showed their other material wasn’t up that level yet. Maybe someday, but not yet. Their debut album Secondhand Rapture is out May 14 and they’re back for a show at Wrongbar on May 22.

Everything about Jessie Ware – from her rich, emotive voice through the sleek, 21st-century electro-soul that makes Devotion so delicious to the black-and-white jacket and pants ensemble she wore onstage Saturday night – is elegant. She sounded divine, taking up at the front of the stage alone while her three-piece backing band all set up along the back, spending the next hour delivering heart-rending and hip-moving numbers from Devotion – all but “Something Inside” made the set list – as well as the Bobby Caldwell cover from If You’re Never Gonna Move and reprising her “Valentine” single with drummer Dornik Leigh cover Sampha’s original parts. Not that there should have been any doubt that she could sound as good live as on record, the relatively stripped-down live band arrangements gave the material a different dimension and feel, but it was still gratifying to see and experience. And yet for as good as she was musically, the trait that was most on display this evening was just how wonderfully goofy she was.

If there’s any kind of manual about how an ascendant soul diva should behave onstage, Jessie Ware didn’t get a copy. Or perhaps she threw it out and instead subscribed to the Adele school of thought, which is simply “be yourself”. Ware had no airs about her whatsoever, and when not singing – and even sometimes while – was clearly having a great time bantering and interacting with the audience, posing for photos, comparing outfits, and cracking jokes; goofing with the crowd did cause a couple of flubs in the performance, but she recovered perfectly and the moments only added to the show. An argument could be made that she was more delighted to be there, for her first Canadian show, than her fans were – and they were plenty delighted.

The arguable show-stopper of the night was a breathtaking “Wildest Moments”, but it wasn’t the final word as they wrapped with “Running”; there was no encore, but the job was well and truly done. At one point in the show, Ware mentioned that though this was her first Canadian performance, she had actually been in Toronto a couple years ago as a backup singer. This was probably in reference to the 2011 SBTRKT show at Wrongbar which presently gives attendees bragging rights because of a surprise Drake appearance, but in the not-too-distant future, it might be most notable as the first time superstar Jessie Ware set foot on a Toronto stage.

Exclaim and BlogTO also have reviews of the show. The Georgia Straight, Stereogum, and Exclaim have interviews with Ware, and NPR has a World Cafe session. Both Ware and MS MR have just released new videos.

Photos: Jessie Ware, MS MR @ The Opera House – April 6, 2013
Video: Jessie Ware – “Imagine It Was Us”
Video: Jessie Ware – “Sweet Talk”
Video: Jessie Ware – “Night Light”
Video: Jessie Ware – “Wildest Moments”
Video: Jessie Ware – “110%”
Video: Jessie Ware – “Running”
Video: Jessie Ware & Sampha – “Valentine”
Video: MS MR – “Hurricane” (version two)
Video: MS MR – “Hurricane” (version one)
Video: MS MR – “Fantasy”

The San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner talk to Johnny Marr about going solo. He’s at The Phoenix on April 27.

The Guardian, Village Voice, Filter, and Clash talk to James Blake about his new album Overgrown, out now. He plays The Danforth Music Hall on May 4.

Clash profiles Daughter, whose debut If You Leave gets a North American release on April 30. They play The Great Hall on May 7.

Beady Eye appear ready to drop their Dave Sitek-produced second album on June 10. A first, horn-infused, sample from the album has been made available to stream.

Stream: Beady Eye – “Flick Of The Finger”

In conversation with DIY, Katie Harkin offers updates on what’s been happening with Sky Larkin – including lineup changes – and confirms that their third album will be coming out this Summer.

Spinner and Black Book interview head Frightened Rabbit Scott Hutchison.

British Sea Power discuss their latest Machineries Of Joy with DIY and New Statesman.

Mark SeligerApologies for going for the low-hanging fruit with this one, but I don’t have the time or energy to squeeze out something more interesting. So you get this. And pro tip: providing a current photo with credit really goes a long way towards leading off a post.

Anyways, The Rolling Stones – perhaps you’ve heard of them – finally announced their long-rumoured, basically inevitable 50th anniversary North American tour yesterday, and while it’s only nine dates long, at least for now, Toronto makes the cut – the Stones will be at the Air Canada Centre on May 25, with tickets running a not surprising but still eye-popping $147.25 to $597.25, on sale April 8 at 10AM. Update: And a second show has been added for June 6. No, it’s not any cheaper.

The Chicago Tribune has a well-timed interview with Mick Jagger where such topics as, “why arenas and not stadiums?”, “why so expensive?”, and “what special guests might we expect?” are covered – the last of which was already covered earlier in the day when it was confirmed that former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor would be making appearances with the band on all of the North American dates – good news for those for whom the early ’70s is their favourite Stones era. And who have lots and lots of money to spend on a single concert.

Video: The Rolling Stones – “Brown Sugar” (live)

To celebrate the North American release of For Now I Am Winter this week, Ólafur Arnalds submitted to an “Ask Me Anything” at Reddit, is the subject of features at Interview and Live High Five, and has a video session up at Yahoo!.

The Quietus, The Guardian, and Digital Spy talk to Guy Chadwick of The House Of Love, whose new album She Paints Words In Red was finally released this week.

Exclaim and BBC America talk to Jessie Ware, who has also compiled and annotated a mixtape for The AV Club. The makes her Toronto debut at The Opera House on April 6 and releases Devotion in North America on April 16.

James Blake has released a new video from Overgrown, out next week on April 9. He plays The Danforth Music Hall on May 4.

Video: James Blake – “Voyeur”

Pitchfork have the advance stream of Shaking The Habitual, the new opus from The Knife, while Filter has an interview. The album is due out next week on April 9.

Stream: The Knife / Shaking The Habitual

The Joy Formidable talks Record Store Day – for which they’re releasing a cover of Springsteen’s “Badlands” as a b-side on a 7″ – with Rolling Stone and answers other questions for Columbus Live, The Chicago Sun-Times, and London On The Inside. They play The Phoenix on April 12.

Charli XCX has rolled out a new video from her debut True Romance, due out April 16. She opens up for Marina & The Diamonds at Echo Beach on May 23.

Video: Charli XCX – “What I Like”

Spin, MTV, Rolling Stone, WNYC, and Stereogum talk to Phoenix about their new album Bankrupt!, which is out April 23.

And that provides a good segue into some developments with The Grove Fest that Phoenix were supposed to headline in Niagara-On-The-Lake on August 3. You’ll note the use of the past tense there, and that’s because it’s no longer happening in Niagara-On-The-Lake, but as of yesterday was moved to Garrison Commons at Fort York in Toronto, with the lineup being trimmed of Macklemore, Pretty Lights, and Bob Mould and ticket prices being dropped to $59.50. And before you chalk it up to a dearth of Phoenix and Hot Chip fans in western New York, this Hamilton Spectator piece hints that it may have been as much NIMBY-ism as soft sales responsible for the relocation and doubling-down on the GTA market. In any case, it’s a bit of 416 festival nostalgia as the lineup that felt mostly like a Rogers Picnic is now enjoying some V Fest-esque drama.

Consequence Of Sound interviews Palma Violets, who are in town at Lee’s Palace on May 3 and again on August 3 at Garrison Common as part of the relocated Grove Fest.

Clash, The Province, Vancouver Sun, The Guardian, and Beatroute have interviews with Billy Bragg, in town at The Danforth Music Hall on May 3.

Cosmopolitan and The Line Of Best Fit talk to Victoria Hesketh of Little Boots about her new album Nocturnes, out May 6.

Primal Scream have released a new video from the forthcoming More Light, out May 13.

Video: Primal Scream – “It’s Alright, It’s OK”

Still Corners have released a new video from their forthcoming Strange Pleasures, out May 7. And their previously-announced June 14 NXNE date is now the endpoint of a full North American tour – dates at Spin.

Video: Still Corners – “Berlin Lovers”

Exclaim talks to Savages ahead of the May 7 release of their debut Silence Yourself.

A Music Blog, Yea chats with Stornoway, in town at The Horseshoe on May 9.

Le Blogotheque has an Empty Space video session with Foals. They play The Kool Haus on May 11.

DIY gets a look at the making of Desire Lines from Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell. The album is out June 4 and they play Garrison Common for the Toronto Urban Roots Fest on July 4.

The xx stop in at NPR for a World Cafe session. They stop in for a big-ass show at Downsview Park on June 6.

Daytrotter have posted a session with Bloc Party, in town at Garrison Common as part of the Field Trip fest on June 8.

Spinner, Spin, and Consequence Of Sound chat with CHVRCHES, who’ve just premeired a new video from their debut full-length, due in September. They’re at The Hoxton on June 12.

Video: CHVRCHES – “Now Is Not The Time”

DIY, Clash, and Artrocker profile Peace, coming to town as part of NXNE on June 15.

At this point, I suspect only Chris Olley knows on any given day if Nottingham’s Six By Seven are a going concern or not, but for the moment it appears they once again are with a new album in Peace And Love And Sympathy slated for a June 10 release. And while it’s been a while since they’ve done anything really memorable since 2004′s :04, the two sample tracks they’ve got available to stream sound way more intense and focused on either Artists Cannibals Poets Thieves or If Symptoms Persist, Kill Your Doctor – “Truce” is all kinds of angry, and an angry Six By Seven is a potent Six By Seven. And if you’re not familiar with this criminally underappreciated band, treat yourself to a free compilation of what band principal Olley has been up to over the past decade. Or just listen to “Bochum” on repeat all day.

Stream: Six By Seven – “Sympathy”
Stream: Six By Seven – “Truce”

Polly Scattergood has a video for the first single from her forthcoming album Arrows, slated for June 14 release.

Video: Polly Scattergood – “Wanderlust”

For those waiting for some east coast Bat For Lashes dates in support of The Haunted Man, good news and bad news. The good news is word has it she’s here on September 2. Bad news is it’s at the Molson Amphitheatre opening for Depeche Mode. Now if you’re a Depeche Mode fan as well, great. If not, then… oh well.

MP3: Bat For Lashes – “Oh Yeah”

NPR welcomes Richard Thompson for a World Cafe session.

PopMatters has excerpted some of The Stone Roses: War And Peace, the new book about – wait for it – The Stone Roses.

NPR serves up a video session with Frightened Rabbit.

Spinner talks riot grrl with Kate Nash.

The Line Of Best Fit has a video session with Melody’s Echo Chamber.

A Heart Is A Spade interviews The Deer Tracks.

Jem GouldingSince their first single was released in June 2012, London post-punk foursome Savages have steadily become one of the most-talked about new bands in the UK on the backs of their ferocious live performances, the experience of which they sought to capture on the live I Am Here EP released last Fall. Now, as they come off a series of much-talked about shows at SXSW and prepare to make a similar impression with a couple of shows at Canadian Musicfest, they’ve announced details of their debut album.

Entitled Silence Yourself, it will be released worldwide on the band’s own Pop Noire label and indie giant Matador Records, coming out on May 6 in territories where new records come out on Mondays and May 7 for those who do the Tuesday release thing. Full details on the release are available at Exclaim and a first track from the album is available to stream below. NOW has an interview with the band, who play The Horseshoe on March 22 and Lee’s Palace on March 23.

Stream: Savages – “She Will”

Spin talks to Brett Anderson while The Quietus ponders the difficulty of being a Suede fan in the United States on this, the occasion of this week’s release of Bloodsports. I suppose we’re a little better off in Canada, where we don’t have to call them The London Suede, not that that’s provided enough incentive to tour over here or anything. But anyways, as a little release-week gift, the band have made a live recording from their intimate show at Camden Barfly earlier this month available to download.

MP3: Suede – “Filmstar” (live)

British buzz band Peace is streaming their debut album In Love at NME ahead of its UK release next week. They’re in town for NXNE on June 15.

MP3: Peace – “California Daze”
Stream: Peace / In Love

Depeche Mode have gone with iTunes to advance stream their new album Delta Machine, out next week. They’re at the Molson Amphitheatre on September 1.

Stream: Depeche Mode / Delta Machine

The 405 are streaming one of the tracks from Frightened Rabbit’s forthcoming Backyard Skulls EP, an alternate version of Pedestrian Verse track “Holy”, while City Pages serves up an interview. The EP is out March 31, which is the same day they’re in town at The Phoenix.

Stream: Frightened Rabbit – “Holy” (alternate version)

Pitchfork has official details on the North American release of Jessie Ware’s Devotion, which in addition to different artwork from the UK edition, will have two bonus tracks and be out April 16. Which is 11 days after her April 6 show at The Opera House. So buy a t-shirt, I guess.

The Joy Formidable have a new video from Wolf’s Law, shot from the point-of-view of Ritzy’s guitar headstock. They play The Phoenix on April 12.

Video: The Joy Formidable – “Little Blimp”

It Hugs Back return with their third album Recommended Record on April 29; they talk to The Quietus about it and have a track from it available to stream.

Stream: It Hugs Back – “Sometimes”

DIY has a feature piece on Daughter; their debut If You Leave is out in the UK this week but not in North America until April 30. They’re at The Great Hall on May 7.

Noah & The Whale have released the first video from their new record Heart Of Nowhere, due out May 3.

Video: Noah & The Whale – “There Will Come A Time”

Billy Bragg lists off some of his favourite albums for The Quietus, offers interviews to The Line Of Best Fit, Exclaim, Consequence ORolling Stone, and Canadian Press, and plays a World Cafe session for NPR. He’s in town at the Danforth Music Hall on May 3.

Palma Violets tell DIY that playing a show in Toronto is their definition of having it made. OK, then. They’re back at the high point of their career on May 3 when they play Lee’s Palace.

The Guardian talks to Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream about their forthcoming album More Light, due May 6.

Little Boots is streaming a new song from her forthcoming album Nocturnes, out May 7. Rolling Stone gets a video tour of Victoria Hesketh’s studio.

Stream: Little Boots – “Broken Record”

Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis talks to The Daily Star about their ascension to the status of festival headliners, at least in the UK. Here in North America, they’re still playing rooms like The Kool Haus, where they’ll be on May 11.

Billboard talks to Polly Scattergood about her second album Arrows, which is set for a June 14 release.

Glasvegas have released a first video from their new record Later…When The TV Turns To Static, due out this Summer.

Video: Glasvegas – “I’d Rather Be Dead (Than Be With You)”

Interview, The Village Voice, and The Toronto Star talk to CHVRCHES, whose debut album drops in September.

Tom Cowan of The Horrors tells NME to expect a new album this September.

Another Magazine talks to Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys, while NME gets some details on their forthcoming album from drummer Matt Helder; it’s due out this year sometime.

A Music Blog, Yea, The Telegraph, and The Guardian talk to Kate Nash about music, favourite things, and fashion, respectively.

Django Django have released a new video from last year’s self-titled debut.

Video: Django Django – “WOR”

Clash chats with Dev Hynes about how he came to work with Solange.

DIY has a video session with Veronica Falls.