The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart @ Il Motore ( 02.13.2009 )

Posted on | February 15, 2009 | 2 Comments

On a very cold Montreal evening, I made my way to the new Il Motore venue run by
the Blue Skies Turn Black crew on Jean-Talon street. A few blocks from St-Laurent
in a nondescript building, I attended my first show of the year with The Pains Of
Being Pure At Heart headlining and The Depreciation Guild as the opening act.
Two Brooklyn bands getting alot of attention lately.

With Pitchfork leading the way in giving their self-titled debut their “Best New
Music” tag, I knew the place would be pack for TPoBPaH.

And gosh darn it, I was right.

First up on the bill was Kara Keith, a singer/songwriter from Halifax now based in
Montreal, she used to be the lead singer in the indie pop band Falconhawk which released a great single/video titled “Olympia” back in 2004.

This time around, she was surrounded by a newly formed band with mostly
piano based songs. To be honest, I tuned out after 5 minutes.

The Depreciation Guild on the other hand, got my full attention.
Their mix of electro-shoegaze, just washed over me. “Sky Ghosts”
and “Darklooming” two of my favorite songs on their “In Her Gentle Jaws”
album, were performed and left me a very happy camper. The also
had a great video display running in the background, with purty
colors just flashing about. Sadly, the display went on the fritz
and the guy running the display was fired on the spot.

I kid. However, he did get a severe beating in the back alley afterwards.

Here’s a video excerpt of TDG doin’ their thang:

As for TPoBPaH, a very short and sweet set (35 minutes tops) of twee-tastic,
dream pop-y, early 90’s shoegaze was delivered to a fully engaged audience.

It was loud, energetic, and tight.

Sadly, no encore and what I would consider a glaring omission in not
performing “Gentle Sons” The Jesus And Mary Chain inspired ditty
which closes out their self-titled debut.

Being that they will perform many a times at South By Southwest
next month, surely I’ll get a chance to hear it then.

Here’s an excerpt of TPoBPaH performing “Everything With You”.

Bookmark This :

Category: Live Shows, Reviews, Shoegaze
Tags: > > > >

SXSW: 2009 Band List

Posted on | February 10, 2009 | No Comments

This will be my second year attending South By Southwest. I had such an
amazing time last year that it was inevitable that I would go back and
probably will do so for many years to come.

The SXSW people just released an updated list of bands that will be
present at this year’s festivities.

1800+ to be exact. A few I really really wanted to see (Rival Schools,
The Joy Formidable, Johnny Foreigner, Longwave) got dropped for some
reason.

Giving the list a quick once-over, It occured to me that most of these bands
I’ve never heard of. If it weren’t for SXSW, I don’t think any of these bands
would be on anyone’s radar.

But hey! it’s the whole reason for SXSW’s existence. To showcase as many bands
as humanly possible and find that one diamond in the rough.

The one band that will blow your mindhole.

We should hear more about the day parties at the end of the month.
I will list all of my favorites once they’re announced. Showcase info,
artists bios and mp3s (hopefully torrent style like previous years)
will be online soon.

Stay tuned.

For my own convenience, I BOLDED up the bands I plan to catch.

A

A-Alikes (Brooklyn NY)
A Armada (Athens GA)
Abalone Dots (Vastervik SWEDEN)
Abe Vigoda (Los Angeles CA)
Absinthe Minds (Madison WI)
Abstract Rude (Los Angeles CA)
ABSU (Dallas TX)
Ace Enders (Hammonton NJ)
A Classic Education (Bologna ITALY)
AC Slater (Brooklyn NY)
Action Action (New York NY)
Act Of Congress (Birmingham AL)
A Day To Remember (Ocala FL)
Akina Adderley & The Vintage Playboys (Austin TX)
Adventure (Baltimore MD)
Afghan Raiders (Las Vegas NV)
Afrikan Boy (Lagos UK-ENGLAND)
Afrodita (Mexico City MEXICO)
Afterhours (Milano ITALY)
A Good Fight (Fayetteville AR)
AIDS Wolf (Montreal QC)
The Aimless Never Miss (San Francisco CA)
The Airborne Toxic Event (Silverlake CA)

Continue Reading » SXSW: 2009 Band List

Category: Festivals, SXSW
Tags:

A Good Day For Airplay | Episode 93

Posted on | February 8, 2009 | 2 Comments

59 Mins : 50 Secs

Howling Bells “Cities Burning Down” ( independiente records )
Radio Wars [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

White Lies “A Place To Hide” ( polydor )
To Lose My Life [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

The Mary Onettes “Lost” ( labrador records )
The Mary Onettes [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

The Soft Pack “Parasites” ( kemado records )
Parasites / Walking With Jesus 7″ [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart “Gentle Sons” ( slumberland )
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

The Depreciation Guild “Sky Ghosts” ( shelflife records )
In Her Gentle Jaws [ free album ]
website | myspace | facebook

Zaza “With You” ( independent release )
My Space Release [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

A Camp “Here Are Many Wild Animals” ( reveal records )
Colonia [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

The Handcuffs “Gotta Problem With Me” ( independent release )
Electroluv [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Ian McGlynn “Small Town, Big Hearts” ( reapandsow, inc. )
This Is The Sound [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

The Nocturnes “Paper Hands” ( independent release )
A Year Of Spring [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Dälek “Street Diction” ( ipecac recordings )
Gutter Tactics [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

>>> MP3 Download <<<

Category: Podcasts
Tags: > > > > > > > > > > > >

MVs Collection #01

Posted on | February 2, 2009 | No Comments

The Acorn – “Crooked Legs”

As mentioned in this week’s podcast, this is the video directed be fellow
canuck Christopher Mills. You might have seen his other work for Interpol
(“PDA”), Broken Social Scene (“Stars & Sons”) and Modest Mouse (“Float On”).

He’s quite adept at mixing live action and animation. Won a few awards for it.

He’s worked with The Acorn before for their “Flood Pt. 1“ video. One could
say that “Crooked Legs” is a continuation of sorts to “Flood Pt. 1”.

The video is about a guided journey from the point of view of fireflies
and a bird. All very fantastical and purty.

Even Kanye digs it.

Nice to know we can agree on something but dude … the mullet as gots to go.

Animal Collective – “My Girls”


Another great use of live action and animation. The AC crew wearing what
appears to be a head to toe onesie while animated gunk drips all around them.

Very trippy and psychedelic and made of awesome.

Bookmark This :

Category: Music Videos, MVs Collection
Tags: > > >

A Good Day For Airplay | Episode 92

Posted on | January 28, 2009 | No Comments

59 Mins : 34 Secs

Animal Collective “My Girls” ( domino records )
Merriweather Post Pavilion [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Mercy Arms “Kilby” ( independent release )
Mercy Arms [ insound | itunes ]
website | myspace | facebook

Get Shakes “Sister Self Doubt” ( iamsound records )
Sister Self Doubt EP [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Late Of The Pier “Heartbeat” ( parlophone )
Fantasy Black Channel [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Friendly Foes “Couch Surfing” ( gangplank records )
Born Radical [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Locksley “All Over Again” ( feature records )
Don’t Make Me Wait [ insound | itunes ]
website | myspace | facebook

+/- { Plus/Minus } “Snowblind” ( absolutely kosher records )
Xs On Your Eyes [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Brazilian Girls “Strangeboy” ( verve forecast )
New York City [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

The Bird And The Bee “Ray Gun” ( blue note records )
Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Clare And The Reasons “Pluton” ( frogstand records )
The Movie [ insound | itunes ]
website | myspace | facebook

The Acorn “Crooked Legs” ( paper bag records )
Glory Hope Mountain [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

Into Flight “Illuminated Dream” ( rainbowbox music )
Heart And Head EP [ insound | amazon ]
website | myspace | facebook

>>> MP3 Download <<<

Category: Podcasts
Tags: > > > > > > > > > > > >
« Go Back — Older Entries »