TV Girl on Knocksteady Live

TV Girl are one of my favourite discoveries of 2011. Listen to 'em live and just smile.

Podcast #86: TV Girl - Knocksteady Live by Knocksteady

Quadron - "Ex-Factor"

Since Ms. Hill appears to be continuing her trip down the rabbit hole, we're left to other artists to do justice to her work.

Carter Tanton - "Fake Pretend"

Early Christmas present from Carter Tanton.

Miike Snow - "Devil's Work"

Brace yourself. Miike Snow have a new record due out in 2012. Expect more awesome in the form of songs and cinematic videos to match.

Lana Del Rey - "Summertime Sadness"

Not the best audio, but it points to this being another great song.

Lana Del Rey - "Born To Die"

New Lana Del Rey. The follow-up to "Video Games" and a taste of the full-length (Born 2 Die) due January 23rd. NSFW unless your workplace is cool with side-boob.

Guided By Voices - "Doughnut For A Snowman"

It's December 1st, which means I will now officially tolerate (or hesitantly welcome) Christmas music into my life again. Even if it wasn't the season for it, I would have welcomed this chestnut from Guided By Voices.

Guided By Voices - Doughnut For A Snowman by FIRE RECORDS

Rich Aucoin - "It"

Awesome. Awesome on so many levels. Including a special level where they found a dude who makes a very reasonable Wallace Shawn double.

Kendra Morris - "Concrete Waves"

This video is kinda creepy (filmed with a first-person pov it puts the viewer in a creepy stalker/murderer role), but the song is absolutely worth listening to while watching Nick Sasso's visuals. Wax Poetics is a phenomenal magazine and only rarely enters into the realm of releasing albums so you know they're not doing it for just anybody. Morris has got the goods.

Kendra Morris “Concrete Waves” from Wax Poetics on Vimeo.

The Concrete Waves EP is available on iTunes.

My Tiger My Timing - "Written In Red"

They're back. My Tiger My Timing have followed up the wonderful "Endless Summer" with another slice of guitar-pop goodness. If Hollywood decides to remake Cocktail, this song absolutely needs to be on the soundtrack.

My Tiger My Timing - Written In Red by mytigermytiming

In addition to releasing the song yesterday on Snakes & Ladders, the Tigers are releasing a series of remixes as free downloads on their Facebook page. Like 'em, download 'em, listen to 'em, enjoy 'em.

Doomtree - "Beacon"

P.O.S. may have the best verse, but Cecil Otter provides the hard, insistent beat that makes this song what it is: a flat-out banger.

Doomtree "Beacon" by doomtree

Owiny Sigoma Band - "Hello Skinny" / "Here On The Line"

Haven't mentioned the Owiny Sigoma Band before, but I've mentioned Gilles Peterson being on point when it comes to digging stuff up. Well, his label Brownswood is no less on point and have released the self-titled record from the Owiny Sigoma Band. Brownswood are about to drop a new single from the group called "Here On The Line" but have also offered up a free download of Oduor Nyagweno's techno take on "Hello Skinny" (below)

Hello Skinny - Oduor Nyagweno meets Owiny Sigoma Uptown by Brownswood

AND they've offered up a great mix that serves as a backgrounder for the OSB.

Cop 'em both now.

Adanowsky - "You Are The One (feat. Devendra Banhart)" NSFW

TOTALLY NSFW (which you should be able to tell from the image for the video), but this is legendary Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky's son Adan Jodorowsky, who abbreviated his name to Adanowsky. Unlike other famous artists' sons, he doesn't suck. In fact, Amador is quite good. And it features Devendra Banhart so it gets the freak-folk seal of approval.

You are the one (feat. Devendra Banhart) from Adanowsky on Vimeo.

His website appears to be under construction or something, but the Myspace page is still working.

Little Red - "All Mine"

Somehow it took 7 months for this band to cross the Pacific from Melbourne. Admittedly they sound a little like they crossed from England, but I guess Australia's a Commonwealth country (political machinations to the contrary).

ALL MINE - Little Red from CHARLIE PIGDOG on Vimeo.

Album came out October 25h on True Panther Sounds.

Women - "Locust Valley (8-Bit Version)"

Still reeling over the mid-tour split of Flemish Eye's Women? Take some solace in an 8-bit cover.

Evening Hymns - "Asleep In The Pews"

First song from the forthcoming LP, Spectral Dusk.

Download it now. Love it for always.

Grimes - "Oblivion"

If this is what Oblivion actually sounds like, it's not as scary as they made it seem in catechism.

Grimes - Oblivion by Arbutus Records

New song from her forthcoming LP Visions on Arbutus Records.

The Liptonians - "Destroy Destroy Destroy"

"Throwaway" song from a split 7-inch with the Zolas that's as good as their album cuts.
Turning a mattress into a canoe.
A sun-kissed video with beautiful people.

Is there anything Mennos can't do?



Tonight (Thursday, October 13).
LO Pub.
Do it.

High Places - "Sophia"

The extra little bonus of a holiday Monday is that the first day of the week is New Release Tuesday! High Places new LP, Original Colors is out today on Thrill Jockey.

First video is below:

High Places - Sophia from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

The Happy Unfortunate - "89 Vibin"

Kinda wish this dropped yesterday when the weather was all summertime-fine. But play this new video from Winnipeg's own The Happy Unfortunate and bliss out to the sunshine vibe.

The Happy Unfortunate - 89 Vibin from Nice! Productions on Vimeo.

Amtrac - "Came Along"

Caleb Cornett sounds like Erlend Øyé, and this track would've fit perfectly on Øyé's DJ Kicks compilation. It also fits perfectly in your ears. Right now.

Amtrac - "Came Along"


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Ben Westbeech - "Inflections"

You're going to have to make sure your stereo is on the pill before you play the new Ben Westbeech. We're talking baby-making music with the kind of potency that produces multiples.

Bruce Peninsula - "In Your Light"

I had the good fortune of seeing members of this band play a backyard party and there are few albums I'm more excited for this fall. Cop the first track now from their label Hand Drawn Dracula and mark your calendar for Open Flames release on October 4th.

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - "Teenage Tide"

The video is a bit too "hipster emo" for an oldie like me, but the song is great regardless. Just put it on while you're looking up fantasy football stats or something if you belong to my age demographic.



Or download it here:
Letting Up Despite Great Faults - Teenage Tide by lettingup

AM and Shawn Lee - "City Boy"

I wrote about his collabo with Bei Bei on my other blog, and now Shawn Lee has found a new partner for Celestial Electric. The results are entirely different but no less awesome.

City Boy- AM & Shawn Lee's Celestial Electric by AMSOUNDS

Gem Club - "Twins"

Gorgeous strings and french horns on a heartbreakingly beautiful song.

Gem Club - Twins by hardlyartrecords

St. Lucia - "All Eyes On You"

I've never had sex on a beach, but I imagine this might make an appropriate soundtrack for such activities.

All Eyes On You by St. Lucia

The Duke & The King

Neither the Duke nor the King are from the middle ages, or from the sixties for that matter - though you'd be forgiven for thinking the latter.

This is the best thing to come out of the Catskills since Johnny Castle and Baby got together.

The Duke & The King - Shaky from Silva Screen on Vimeo.

Check out The Duke & The King here, and download "Shine On You" here.

Veronica Falls - "Come On Over"

You've heard about a bass-line driving a song? This one has a death-grip on the steering wheel.

Veronica Falls - Come On Over by Slumberland Records

Taken from their self-titled debut LP. Out September 20 on Slumberland Records in the US & Canada, October 17 elsewhere on Bella Union.

The Funk Ark - From The Rooftops

If you dig the Budos Band, the Menahan Street Band (and honestly anything on Daptone) or the El Michaels Affair, then I'm pretty sure you'll be all over The Funk Ark and their album From The Rooftops, out now on ESL Music (with strong connections to other ESL artists, Thievery Corporation and Ocote Soul Sounds).























Take a listen to "El Beasto" and then head over to their website.

Prince Rama - "Rest In Peace"

If a Timothy Leary follower decided to make a Bollywood soundtrack.


Prince Rama - "Rest In Peace" by forcefieldpr

Prince Rama's Trust Now, comes out on Paw Tracks October 4, 2011.

Box Of Wolves - "Secret Affair"

This is one affair you won't want to keep secret.


















Listen to it here.

Download it here.

And add BoW's awesome blog, The Venom Blog, to your roll.

Fatoumata Diawara - "Son Conlo"

Gilles Peterson is always on point. So when he makes a recommendation on Twitter, it's worth looking out for the artist in question.

Fatoumata Diawara is a Malian-born artist whose debut album, Fatou, will be out on World Circuit in September. For now, enjoy "Son Conlo" and check out her EP, Kanou.

My Tiger My Timing - Endless Summer

Every summer has its share of blissful pop tunes that make you wish you owned a convertible so you could pump them while cruising down the highway.

London's My Tiger My Timing have a song just perfect for said convertible (though I didn't think driving with the top down was a big thing in the UK).

Coincidentally, it's called "Endless Summer" and it's the title track to their new EP, available on their Bandcamp page.



So effing good.

Revelstoke - L'esprit de l'escalier

French term you've never heard of if you didn't go to immersion = album title for indie-folk record you will enjoy regardless of schooling.

L'esprit de l'escalier is "staircase wit"

And the album from Revelstoke is a free download at his Bandcamp page. Go on and get it.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Kinda what Jack White might have done if he'd continued screwing around with the blues instead of divorcing his sister and producing old country artists.



Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Self-titled record available on Fat Possum.

Streaming on SPIN.

Frank Turner - Live at the West End, October 22, 2011

Mark your calendars now because the punk Billy Bragg (I know, I know, Bragg is pretty punk in his own right...) is coming to town. Frank Turner will play the West End Cultural Centre on October 22nd. I don't know if the Weakerthans will be in town, but he's apparently tight with them...



More on Frank here.

Washed Out - "Amor Fati"

If you could bottle euphoria, and then take that bottle and pour it all over your heart, you'd have "Amor Fati," the latest greatness from Washed Out.






Washed Out, "Amor Fati" by The FADER

Go 'like' Washed Out on Facebook and then hear the stream of Within and Without over at NPR.

Ariel Pink - Fright Night (Nevermore) [Dam-Funk remix]

Dam-Funk funks with Ariel Pink.


























Dude played it last night at the Pyramid as part of the Jazz Winnipeg festival and absolutely crushed an already overwhelmed audience.


Ariel Pink - "Fright Night (Nevermore)[Dam-Funk remix]"

National Parks Project - National Parks Project

National park system + centennial + artists = beautiful, reflective music that makes you long for the great outdoors.

National Parks Project - Bruce Beckons from Ryan J. Noth on Vimeo.

Proceeds from the National Parks Project album go to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Album is streaming here.


On a related note, the Globe & Mail Travel section has been visiting all of Canada's national parks, and a little over a week ago they wrote about Riding Mountain, Manitoba's own, and my summer home for two decades.

Bon Iver - "Beth/Rest"

Bruce Hornsby - the Range + the kitchen sink = "Beth/Rest"





















[Still not entirely sure of this song, but the album has grown on me.]

Mayer Hawthorne - Impressions (Covers EP)

Obscure covers + white boy soul = pre-Rapture dance party.

















It's free here, so there's no reason not to listen.

This Will Destroy You - Tunnel Blanket

Thankfully the band's name is figurative and not literal. But This Will Destroy You do everything in their power to make listening to Tunnel Blanket the latter. In a good way.



No surprise it comes from the same label that brought you Russian Circles; Suicide Squeeze (co-released with Monotreme Records in Europe)

Basia Bulat - "It Can't Be You"

This comes from the fine folks at Yours Truly.

Amazing songwriter + incredible voice = all-time musical crush.

Seriously, if you don't have Basia Bulat's Heart Of My Own and Oh My Darling go buy them RIGHT NOW, or after you watch this lovely live video.

Digits - Lost Dream

Junior Boys synth pop + even breathier vocals = swoon.























The blissful title track: "Lost Dream"

For the entire EP, visit Digits' site.

Crissi Cochrane - Darling Darling

Female singer-songwriter + catchy folk-pop + delicate, emotive vocals = right in my wheelhouse.

Take a listen to Separate Cities and Kinda Late.

Both tracks courtesy of Crissi Cochrane's official website.

Acid House Kings - Invisible Twin remix

Depeche Mode's ominous synths can't mask the inherent sunniness of Acid House Kings' latest single on the Invisible Twin remix.

Video for the actual single features Julia Lannerheim in a penguin costume:

Sonnymoon - Golden Age

Erykah Badu vocal mannerisms + Soulstice after they left the House and started dabbling in dubstep and hip-hop = Sonnymoon

Spirit Children

After watching them live, Winnipeg's Spirit Children strike me as if Pavement and the E Street Band had a child that started a band in high school.

Check the 8:20 mark on this video from their gig opening for The Luyas.

Spirit Children from Mike C on Vimeo.