Feuding and brooding… Jim and William Reid of the JAMC

If the world needs anything, it’s more music from dour Scots…

The Jesus And Mary Chain have announced tour dates this March in the United States. Scotland’s most famous musical duelling brothers Jim and William Reid will put their differences aside once again as the JAMC head to Texas to play a handful of dates, including SXSW. In between gigs in Texas, the JAMC will fly to LA for one night at the House of Blues.

Quote from today’s press release:

After playing their last gig in 1998 and breaking up in 1999, The Jesus & Mary Chain reunited in 2007 for a handful of high-profile club and festival dates in the US and Europe which began with a triumphant main stage performance in front of an estimated 10,000 fans at Coachella.

Early Mary Chain gigs were a maelstrom of brilliance, violence and unbelievable arrogance. The band could hardly play, which hardly mattered, as the gigs never lasted more than fifteen minutes. Later gigs saw them as a great live band – still unpredictable, but able to play properly as well – if they felt like it. Then they got bored. Jim and William Reid – never the closest of siblings, decided they hated each other, had a massive punch-up before a paying audience then took early retirement to spend more time with their alcohol and television sets.

The revitalized Jesus And Mary Chain are then something of a miracle – a perfect combination of their earliest incendiary nihilism, and their later musical perfection. Underpinning the Reid brothers’ three-chord assault on these 2012 dates will be (sometimes drummer and guitarist from Pyschocandy line up) John Moore on guitar, Phil King on bass and a drummer to be announced.

Jesus and Mary Chain 2012 Tour Dates:
11 March – Denton 35 Festival, Texas
12 March – New Orleans House Of Blues, LA
13 March – House of Blues, Texas
14 – 18 March – South By Southwest, Texas

Any JAMC fans may also like to check out Five New Scottish bands to hear in 2012.

© Brian Banks,  Editor, Music Vice

Internet link: The Jesus And Mary Chain

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Dan Mangan has four nom’s in the 2012 Juno Awards

The nominees have been announced for the 2012 Juno Awards. The Junos are awarded annually to Canadian musicians, with the nominees in most categories determined by record sales, and the winners chosen by members of CARAS, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Leading the pack in 2012 with four nominations apiece are Feist, City and Colour, Dan Mangan, Nickelback and Hedley.

Critically acclaimed Toronto based hardcore punk-rock band Fucked Up received their first Juno nomination in the Alternative Album category for David Comes To Life. Another stand-out nomination is Tim Hecker for Ravedeath, 1972 in the Electronic Album category.

It was also announced today that Canadian icon William Shatner will host CTV’s broadcast of THE 2012 JUNO AWARDS on Sunday, 1 April from Scotiabank Place in Ottawa.

Meanwhile, voting in the Fan Choice category begins this Friday, 10 February. Find the full list of Juno nominees below.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Video of the Year nominees Hollerado with “Good Day At The Races”:

Artist of the year: Drake, Feist, Michael Bublé, City and Colour, Deadmau5.

Album: Goodbye Lullabye, Avril Lavigne; Take Care, Drake; Under the Mistletoe, Justin Bieber; Christmas, Michael Bublé; Here and Now, Nickelback.

Single: Fragile Bird, City and Colour; Invincible, Hedley; Let’s Go Higher, Johnny Reid; When We Stand Together, Nickelback; I Don’t Know, The Sheepdogs.

Group: Arkells, Down With Webster, Hedley, Nickelback, Sam Roberts Band.

International album: 21, Adele; Mylo Zyloto, Coldplay; Born This Way, Lady Gaga; Sorry for Party Rocking, LMFAO; Loud, Rihanna.

New artist: Alyssa Reid, Dan Mangan, Diamond Rings, JRDN and Lindi Ortega.

New group: Braids, Hey Rosetta, Mother Mother, The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Sheepdogs.

Juno fan choice: Arcade Fire, Avril Lavigne, City and Colour, Deadmau5, Drake, Ginette Reno, Hedley, Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé, Nickelback.

Songwriter: Dallas Green, Dan Mangan, Feist, Jim Cuddy, Ron Sexsmith.

Country album: 16 & 1, Doc Walker; High Valley, High Valley; Everything, Jason McCoy; Forget About the World, Jimmy Rankin; Roots and Wings, Terri Clark.

Adult alternative album: Morning Comes, Cuff The Duke; Metals, Feist; Honeymoon Punch, Jenn Grant; Skyscraper Soul, Jim Cuddy; Long Player Late Bloomer, Ron Sexsmith.

Alternative album: Native Speaker, Braids; Oh Fortune, Dan Mangan; Kaputt, Destroyer; David Comes To Life, Fucked Up; Creep On Creepin’ On, Timber Timbre.

Pop album: Goodbye Lullaby, Avril Lavigne; Time To Win Vol. II, Down With Webster; Storms, Hedley; Siberia, Lights; Ever After, Marianas Trench.

Rock album: Michigan Left, Arkells; Lights of Endangered Species, Matthew Good; Collider, Sam Roberts Band; The Double Cross, Sloan; Learn & Burn, The Sheepdogs;

Vocal jazz album: To Brazil With Love, Diana Panton; Two Kites, Fern Lindzon; Le carré de nos amours, Sonia Johnson; In The Moonlight, Sophie Milman; Skin Tight, The Nylons.

Contemporary jazz album: Rest of the Story, Chris Tarry; New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges, Colin Stetson; Idiosyncrasie, François Bourassa Quintet; Cuban Rhapsody, Hilario Duran & Jane Bunnett; Changing Seasons, Phil Dwyer Orchestra feat. Mark Fewer.

Traditional jazz album: Aspects of Oscar, Dave Young Quintet; Verge, David Braid; Deep Shadows, Kirk MacDonald Orchestra; Still Rollin’, Mike Murley Septet; Live In Baden, Oliver Jones.

Instrumental album: Cats & Dogs, Andrew Collins; New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges, Colin Stetson; L’Âge du cuivre, L’Orkestre des Pas Perdus; Télescope, MAZ; Stretch Orchestra, Stretch Orchestra.

Francophone album: Le désert des solitudes, Catherine Major; Blonde, Coeur de Pirate; C’est un monde, Fred Pellerin; Le vrai le faux, Jérôme Minière; La caverne, Malajube.

Children’s album: Connecting the Dots, Bobs & Lolo; Songs, Stories and Friends: Let’s Go Play!, Charlie Hope; Sleepy Sky Lullaby, Eddie Douglas; Everyone, Music with BRIAN; My Butterfly/A Capella Lullabies, Vocal Paint.

Classical album, solo or chamber ensemble: Brahms On Brass, Canadian Brass; Louis Lortie Plays Liszt, Louis Lortie; Liszt Piano Sonata, Marc-André Hamelin; Schubert & Beethoven, New Orford String Quartet; American Flute Masterpieces, Susan Hoeppner.

Classical album, large ensemble or soloist with large ensemble: Daugherty : Fire and Blood, Alexandre Da Costa, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal; Bartók Voilin Concertos, James Ehnes; Vivaldi Cello Concertos, Jean-Guihen Queyras; Bruckner 4, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Orchestre Métropolitain; Florent Schmidt- La tragédie de salomé, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Orchestre Métropolitain.

Classical album, vocal or choral performance: Haydn Arias, Jane Archibald, Orchestre Symphonique Bienne, Thomas Rösner; Handel: Streams of Pleasure, Karina Gauvin, Marie-Nicole Lemieux; Caldara : La Conversione di Clodoveo, Le Nouvel Opéra; Marie-Josée Lord, Marie-Josée Lord, Orchestre Métropolitain, Giuseppe Pietraroia; J.S. Bach: Cantatas 70 & 154; Concerto 1060; Orchestral Suite No. 2, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra & Daniel Taylor.

Classical composition: Glass Houses #5, Ann Southam; Sepia Fragments, Derek Charke; Piano Concerto No. 2, Heather Schmidt; String Quartet No. 2, Jacques Hétu; Fugitive Colours, Jeffrey Ryan.

Rap recording: Handshakes and Middle Fingers, Classified; Jonestown 2: Jimmy Go Bye Bye, D-Sisive; Take Care, Drake; Anywhere (Ol’ Time Killin’ Part.2), Kardinal Offishall; Daggermouth, Swollen Members.

Dance recording: Brand New Chick, Anjulie; Aural Psynapse, Deadmau5; Barbara Streisand, Duck Sauce; Hello, Martin Solveig & Dragonette; Devotion, Mia Martina.

R&B/Soul recording: IAMJRDN, JRDN; Set it Off ft. Kardinal Offishall, Jully Black; Ghetto Love ft. Kardinal Offishall, Karl Wolf; Gone And Never Coming Back, Melanie Fiona; Pretty Lil’ Heart ft. Lil Wayne, Robin Thicke.

Reggae recording: Seeds of Love & Life ft. Luciano, Dubmatix; Bleaching Shop, Exco Levi; Lover’s Paradise, Jay Douglas; Woman, Steele; Rescue Me, Tanya Mullings.

Aboriginal album: Speakers of Tomorrow, Bruthers of Different Muthers; To Whom It May Concern, Donny Parenteau; One Nation, Flying Down Thunder and Rise Ashen; Lived & Life Played, Murray Porter; The Gift of Life, Randy Wood.

Roots & Traditional album, solo: Small Source of Comfort, Bruce Cockburn; Floods & Fires, Craig Cardiff; A Tribute To John Allan Cameron, Dave Gunning; Late Edition, David Francey; Little Red Boots, Lindi Ortega.

Roots & Traditional album, group: Let The Rain Fall, Good Lovelies; The Place I Left Behind, The Deep Dark Woods; Row Upon Row Of The People We Know, The Once; Bright Morning Stars, The Wailin’ Jennys; When The Wolves Go Blind, Twilight Hotel.

Blues album: Still Blue, Bill Johnson; Soul Bender, David Gogo; Shame The Devil, Harrison Kennedy; To Behold, MonkeyJunk; Me ‘n’ Mabel, Suzie Vinnick.

Contemporary Christian/Gospel album: On The Altar of Love, Downhere; Crazy Love, Hawk Nelson; Forevermore, Jon Bauer; Imperfections & Directions, Kellie Loder; Don’t Close Your Eyes, Sky Terminal.

World Music album: Afo Gné, Aboulaye Kone et Bolo Kan; Flores, Tambores e Amores, Aline Morales; From Night To The Edge Of Day, Azam Ali; Aam Zameen : common ground, Kiran Ahluwalia; Sleepover, Socalled.

Producer of the year: Bob Rock (Jann Arden); Brian Howes (Hedley, Nickelback); David Foster (Shania Twain, Michael Bublé); k.d. lang (k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang); Noah “40″ Shebib (Drake).

Recording engineer: Chris Shreenan-Dyck (Jim Cuddy); David Travers-Smith (The Wailin’ Jennys, Oh Susanna); George Seara (Michael Kaeshammer, Laila Biali); Jeff Wolpert (Sarah Slean); Michael Phillip Wojewoda (Paisley Jura).

Recording package: Metals, Feist; 12, Dinah Thorpe; Rest of the Story, Chris Tarry; Get Yourself Home, Laura Repo; Creep On Creepin’ On, Timber Timbre.

Video of the year: The Stand, Mother Mother; Rows of Houses, Dan Mangan; North Stamp, The Rural Alberta Advantage; Good Day At The Races, Hollerado; Outside Rumbleseat, The Sadies.

Music DVD: Feist: Look At What The Light Did Now; Tegan and Sara: Get Along; Rush: Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland; Peter Katz: Peter Katz Live At The Music Gallery; David Francey: Burning Bright.

Electronic album: A Little More Than Everything, Arthur Oskan; Feel It Break, Austra; Azari & III, Azari & III; It’s All True, Junior Boys; Ravedeath, 1972, Tim Hecker.

Metal/hard music album: Juggernaut of Justice, Anvil; Burning Fortune, Cauldron; Deconstruction, Devin Townsend; Die Miserable, F–k The Facts; Venerable, KEN mode.

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Other Lives

FABRUARY! Below is the Music Vice A-Z of the best concerts in Toronto this Feb. The groundhog said it’s going to be an early spring and judging by the way the concert calendar is hotting up, I agree! As ever, we’ve gone through the gig listings with a fine-tooth comb, so all the dates below can be considered safe bets.

This month’s top pick is Other Lives. The Stillwater, Oklahoma band play the Drake this month as part of their headline Eastern US/Canada tour before joining Radiohead on their US tour.

Jumple and Lemon Bucket Orchestra @ El Mocambo, Fri 3 Feb, $10 (gypsy hoedown!)
Rumer @ Virgin Mobile Club, Mon 6 Feb
The Kills @ Kool Haus, Tues 7 Feb, $28.00
Ladyhawk + Cut Flowers, Parts & Labour, Sat 11 Feb, $13.50
Other Lives @ The Drake Hotel, Tues 14 Feb $12.50
Wavelength Twelve, various venues across Toronto, Thursday – Sunday 16-19 Feb $36.00
Sleigh Bells @ The Phoenix, Sat 18 Feb, $33
The Queers @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Sat 18 Feb (come late to avoid The Ataris)
Sharon Van Etten @ Lee’s Palace, Tues 21 Feb, $15
Crocodiles @ Lee’s Palace, Thu 23 Feb, $13.50
Daps Record Review featuring Phedre, Hooded Fang, Doldrum  @  Great Hall, Fri 24 Feb, $10.00
Islands @ Music Gallery, Tues 28 Feb, $22.50
Tennis @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Wednesday 29 Feb

Tickets available via Ticketmaster, LiveNation and Ticketweb, depending on the show. Hard tickets at the usual Toronto record stores (RT/SS). All shows are +19 unless noted.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Other Lives – “12″

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The Machine Room

Happy Robbie Burns day! In celebration of Scotland’s national literary hero, here are five new bands from my homeland that you need to hear.

Django Django – “Default”. This brand new video was released last week. These guys are fab. Hoping – nay, expecting – to see Django Django on the bill of some top festivals this summer, not least at T in the Park in Scotland.

Olympic Swimmers – “Apples and Pears”. From Glasgow. Find this song on their debut EP at Bandcamp for just ₤3. Olympic Swimmers on Facebook.

Lenzie Moss – “Kelvin British Summetime”. Previously a member of Music and Movement, Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits and Speedboat. Lenzie Moss on Bandcamp.

Cleavers – “Casual Box”. Hailing from Elgin, Moray. They are generating a buzz on the DIY hardcore & punk circuit in North Scotland and broke onto BBC earlier this month. Find them on Facebook.

The Machine Room – “Your Head On The Floor Next Door”. Find them on Facebook. If the Smiths were from Edinburgh….

Your Head On The Floor Next Door by the machine room

© Brian Banks,  Editor, Music Vice

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Britpep… Los Campesinos at Lee’s Palace

The Gig: Los Campesinos
Where: Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, Canada
When: 22 January 2012
In One Word: Britpep

Sunday night in Toronto and Los Campesinos are playing the second night of their double-header at Lee’s Palace. The scene tonight at Lee’s reminds me a bit of a high school gym hall at the end-of-term disco. The geeks are sitting on the benches around the perimeter with back their backs to the walls, while on the dance-floor the cool kids boogie and fumble around a bit in the dark.

Except, Los Campesinos are no high school band.

Since originally forming at Cardiff University, Los Campesinos have gone on to get their Masters at the School of Indie Rock and they by all reports they seem to be making the grade: A growing fanbase on both sides of the atlantic, an appearance on Letterman last Friday, and Ellen Campesinos is pleasantly surprised when I inform her during our interview earlier in the evening that Los Campesinos are on the back page of the latest issue of Rolling Stone, on the chart run-down page, with the band in the top 10 of the College Radio chart.

The turnout for Los Campesinos is healthy if a bit thin; I’ll guesstimate 60-70%, with the first night being sold close to capacity. Either way, not bad for a second-nighter on a Sunday night in the middle of January.

The music of Los Campesinos is scatty, eclectic, jaggy, twinkly, shouty and bouncing with high spirits. I call it Britpep.

Brit |brit| informal, noun: a British person.
pep |pep| informal, noun:  energy and high spirits; liveliness : he was an enthusiastic player, full of pep.

And there are guitars, of course. The lyrics are pretty random too but songs about girls, angst and football are delivered with an upbeat, hyper pace. That’s what you get with a seven piece, eclectic indie-pop band.

But how does it all translate live? I’m happy to be with the geeks, as I sit back to survey the scene.

Up on a tightly packed stage, the seven members of Los Campesinos get animated and start coaxing the crowd to do the same. Singer Gareth Paisey does some gentle goading to his punters by making a joke about it being the ‘sabbath’. By the time Gareth is beating his chest to “Every Defeat a Divorce (Three Lions)” a chilled crowd is a bit more livelier, and there are a few more people jumping and clapping along on the dance floor.

Gareth Paisey is the real dynamo on stage, as he shouts and beats out his lyrics, but the real harmony is created in what might otherwise be cacophony as Gareth’s sister Kim provides light, female vocals to the mix. Those vocal contrasts between the shouting boys and softly-singing girls are a hallmark of the Los Campesinos sound.

By the time “You! Me! Dancing!” is played, things have picked up a bit more. That song is Los Campesinos at they’re best. Pure gold. By this point some of the beer-suppin’, hand-clappin’ geeks have emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room and are now cautiously obeying as they get their boogie on too.

Los Campesinos: fantastic on record, but a bit of an awkward high school disco vibe when they do it live. I think that’s what I’m getting at. Or at least on a Sunday night at Lee’s Palace when half the crowd seem to have SAD. Regardless, the geeks and cool kids both leave the show happy enough. Sweet dreams, sweet cheeks.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Set-list:
By Your Hand
Romance Is Boring
Death To Los Campesinos!
Miserabilia
A Heat Rash in the Shape of the Show Me State; or, Letters from Me to Charlotte
Every Defeat a Divorce (Three Lions)
Songs About Your Girlfriend
We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
There Are Listed Buildings
Straight In at 101
To Tundra
You! Me! Dancing!
The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future
Hello Sadness
Baby I Got The Death Rattle
————————
Ways To Make It Through The Wall
Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks

Pictures of Los Campesinos at Lee’s Palace:

Internet links: Los Campesinos

Los Campesinos interview with Ellen coming soon on Music Vice.

Special mention to cool cats Parenthitical Girls who I missed but spoke to at their merch table. They have some cool pop tunes, check ‘em out.

Are you an independent artist searching for that next step? The next rung up the ladder? That seemingly intangible ‘break’? That’s you and a million other aspiring artists.

It’s easy get disheartened but here’s an indie success story in the making that may raise your spirits on a dreary winter’s day…

Elgin, Scotland based hardcore punk band Cleavers have made a breakthrough onto BBC Radio Scotland. The band first got played on the BBC Scotland in December. This January Cleavers were included in BBC Scotland’s 35 Scottish Artists to watch in 2012 by DJ Vic Galloway. Given that Cleavers only formed in late April 2011, that’s quick progress.

(Oh… and a month before they made it to the BBC, I featured Cleavers on the Music Vice magazine podcast Radio Wunderbar. Back slaps.)

So, how do you get your band on the BBC within a matter of months? Unless you have an “in” or are sleeping with a DJ, there’s no certain short-cut to getting onto FM radio. Nothing is easy in life or music, and to make it you just have to work your tits and nuts off. I’m no mathematician, but here’s a formula that might help…

TALENT + ENERGY + BEING PROLIFIC AS A MOFO = PROGRESS

Or failing that, just ask yourself ‘What would Black Flag do?’

In their few months of existence, Cleavers have been recording and releasing music prolifically, mostly demos. Armed with a cheap mixer and free recording software, the band wrote and recorded their first EP by May and gave away hundreds of copies of Cleavers wrote and recorded their first EP by May, giving away hundreds of copies on CDR. They have also been playing any show they can, from their small town in Moray, north Scotland to the big cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Led my Danny Crombie, a DIY enthusiast and artists, they have also been promoting themselves over Tumblr by posting demos, videos and artwork.  Cleavers have also been selling their own self-made T-shirts – and I mean actually selling them.

Working hard and making music is the most important thing.

“We properly formed in May and played our first gig two weeks after that, the promoter said we’d only play 3 shows and disappear…. Hmmm.” – Cleavers frontman Danny Crombie, speaking to Music Vice today.

The latest demo from Cleavers is easily one of the best things I’ve heard out of Scotland so far this year – and infinitely more pleasant than the noises being made by Alex Salmond. Download the latest Cleavers demo for free here and check out “Casual Box” below.

And you may not be hearing about Cleavers in the NME anytime soon, but apparently the Highland Times just called them for an interview. Danny Crombie remains grounded. “All this shit is “happening” and yet we still only have 189 Facebook likes”.

And what’s next for the group?

“Mutli-mullion album deal ideally. Or tons more crude t-shirts, more vinyl, more tapes, less CDRs and more adventures around the UK, (and hopefully Europe), in the Deadmobile before it totally packs up.”

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

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Ottawa, Ontario based metal band Slyde first came to our attention when they played Indie Week music festival back in October last year. With their flying V’s, windmills and ridiculous arpeggios, the band made a big first impression. Three months later, and with half the band now relocated to Toronto, Music Vice caught up with Slyde during their January mini-tour of southern Ontario. Taking their musical inspirations from European melodic metal bands such as Soilwork, prog rock and video game music of 80s and 90s, while throwing political lyrics and ridiculous arpeggios, Slyde offer something a bit different to the current rock scene in Canada.

My first thought of Slyde was that they seemed to me to be straight out of Wayne’s World. With some geekish qualities that other rock bands may hide behind their Ray Bans or cigarettes, Slyde are a fun band to watch and provide a breathe of fresh air to a typically broody metal scene. The fun side of Slyde was reconfirmed when I met the band again earlier this month, with Nicholas Favretto warming up for the show by doing various stretches on the dance floor… Stretches that are much needed given the amount of time that Slyde spend spinning their long-haired heads in windmills on stage.

Nathan Da Silva (guitar/vocals), Sarah Westbrook (keyboards) and bassist Nicholas Favretto spoke to me about their influences, politics, social consciousness, conspiracy theories and their ambitions as a band, including taking on Europe. The full video interview is below, together with live footage from the band’s tour earlier this month.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Internet links: Visit Slyde at Slyde.ca for links to their music and find them on Facebook

Big thanks to Slyde for lending us their own video camera for this interview – that’s indie community spirit!

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Sarah Blackwood of Walk Off The Earth Youtube viral fame, on stage with The Brains

The Gig: The Creepshow, The Dreadnoughts and The Brains
Where: The Opera House, Toronto, ON, Canada
When: 7 January 2012
In One Word: Stupendous

Talk about an “I was there” concert…

48 hours after the video featuring The Creepshow’s Sarah Blackwood went viral as a member of her other project Walk Off The Earth [who we interviewed just last month... talk about finger on the pulse, eh?], The Creepshow played one of the wildest concerts Toronto will see this year. Together with Vancouver’s The Dreadnoughts and Montreal boys The Brains, this was one show that all in attendance will not be forgetting in a hurry.

My photographs below capture some of the electric atmosphere at this show – I hope you enjoy them.

Photos of The Creepshow, The Dreadnoughts and The Brains (featuring Sarah Blackwood for one song) at:

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Internet links:
The Creepshow
The Dreadnoughts
The Brains
Brian Banks – photographer

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Who says nothing good ever happens on a Monday? Coachella just announced their line-up for the 2012 festival.

The line-up for Coachella 2012 is confirmed as being the greatest line-up for a music festival since dinosaurs walked the earth. (Or, Jimi Hendrix – whoever came first.)  Radiohead, M83, The Big Pink, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Pulp, The Hives, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg, Florence + The Machine… did we mention Pulp?!? Pretty much every artist worth talking about is on the bill for Coachella 2012… just look at the poster below.

Coachella 2012 falls on two consecutive weekends this year – the weekends of the 13th to 15th & 20th to 22nd of April – with an identical line-up being repeated on the second weekend to allow more people to attend the festival. Tickets will go on sale this Friday 13 January at 10AM PST, (that’s 1PM EST (Toronto/New York and 6PM GMT (London/Glasgow) at www.coachella.com.

My reaction, in 140 characters or less? HOLYAMAZINGBESTFESTIVALLINEUPOFMYLIFETIME!GODSPEEDYOUBLACKEMPERORRADIOHEADM83PULPARCTICMONKEYSGOTYETHEHIVES!

Get excited! Must go!

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

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The Gig: Slyde
Where: Hard Luck, Toronto, ON, Canada
When: 6 January 2012
In One Word: Windmills

How apt that Canadian metal veterans Anvil should be standing at the back of the room at Hard Luck Bar, while on stage a big-dreaming young metal band called Slyde were entertaining the crowd, playing a show that could be seen as the next step of their own Anvil-like journey towards that eternal quest of all musicians: To make it.

Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow and Robb Reiner’s lifetime struggle to pursue their own rockstar dreams was captured wonderfully in the documentary Anvil: The Story Of Anvil. The success of that film, that had metalheads more watery eyed than Metallica & Lou Reed’s Lulu (but for altogether different reasons), has led to Anvil being forever immortalised in Canadian music folklore, while the band has toured extensively since and recorded their last album This Is Thirteen at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606. A poster story for determination, if ever there was one.

Anvil’s story drew lots of comparisons to the infamous metal mockumentary Spinal Tap, and the fun side to Anvil’s character added to the charm. Slyde have a comparable charm factor; a burly, Pantera-mold of metal band, they are not. They play a metal show that is actually enjoyable to watch, and in the moment it’s hard not to nudge the cute blonde nearby and inquire, “Are Slyde not the greatest band ever?!” With big hair windmills, deft keyboard arpeggios, a six-string bass, guitar tapping, face-twisting passion… it’s all ridiculous. Frontman Nathan Da Silva’s guitar case for his Flying V is even cut to the shape of the Flying V itself. Brilliant. Throw some socially and environmentally conscious lyrics into the mix, and you have an unusual – and more than just a tad geeky – metal band. Slyde are a heck of a lot of fun to watch. Yet while they are fun, none of what they do is a joke – being fun and resembling something of a caricature of a metal band is just part of what Slyde are about. With their presentation and performance, the band make a real effort to entertain their crowd. And with half the group already having moved recently to Toronto from Ottawa, they are serious with their ambitions. What really matters is the music…

At Hard Luck, the level of musicianship of this band was damn impressive. Slyde are so articulate. The classically trained Sarah Westbrook is frequently the extra dimension as she links and sets-up the guitar and bass players for all their fluctuations as the music goes from melodic metal to high-octane metal, with a distinctly European feel. The reception in Toronto was warm but if a little standoffish. If this was a rock club in Scandinavia it may easily have been a different story.  The fun, cheesy factor of their driving upbeat metal has a distinct Euro tang to it that would export well… Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, are you reading?

Without getting too carried away with poetic license, there is a bit of a sad irony seeing a band pack up their gear to the stage backdrop emblazoned with the giant letters ‘Hard Luck’. It’s still early days for this group, with just one full-length recording under their belts. At the moment they lack the one or two A songs they need to really pull a following. Yet 48 hours after seeing this show, I was still enthusiastically regaling to friends about Slyde: With some bigger hooks, Slyde could have their fans singing their tunes after the show too.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Watch out for an interview with Slyde, coming soon to Music Vice.

Video footage of Slyde performing new song “Take Us Away” at Hard Luck Bar

Internet links: Slyde

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Steve Aoki in Montreal last October, 2011 – photo credit Dim Mak

Our friends at Live Nation Canada are offering the chance for one lucky son-of-a-biscuit to win tickets and airfare to see DJs Steve Aoki and Datsik on the forthcoming Deadmeat Tour.

For the Deadmeat Tour, Aoki will be playing along with Dim Mak Records label mate Datsik plus various special dates on select nights throughout the tour of US and Canada. Deadmeat will have four stops in Canada. The stop in Montreal is on 3 March, while Deadmeat comes to Toronto on 31 March at The Guvernment.

To enter this contest, all you need to do is ‘like’ the new Electronic Music Canada Facebook page and enter the contest in Facebook application. One winner will receive two tickets to the Deadmeat Tour stop in Montreal on 3 March 2012 with roundtrip airfare and accommodation at the W Hotel from any major city in Canada.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Deadmeat Tour, Canadian stops:
01/03/12 – Ottawa, ON – Civic Center Salon
03/03/12 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
10/03/12 – Vancouver, BC – PNE Forum
31/03/12 – Toronto, ON – The Guvernment

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Title: Morbidly Obtuse
Artist: Death O’Connor
Label: Elgin Rock City (Independent)
Released: 1 January 2012
In one word: Jizz

2012. It’s officially the future. And what does the future sound like? Well, judging by this, the first record we received in 2012, the future is: Scary, annoying, backed by drum machines and loops, and a re-hash of everything that has come before. What’s new, eh? Talk about a shitty future. From the hot-mic recorded roll-call introduction by Death O’Connor band members in “x”,  to the muddy, barely audible sludge-blues in the final track “Blues Botherers”, Morbidly Obtuse is a speckled turd of many flavours, most of them crap. The only difference between this and the crap that you’ll find topping the charts this month is that Death O’Connor’s record is a DIY album: a home production that was finalized using a 14-day demo of Fruity Loops.  But alas, a turd is still a turd, no matter if it’s been polished in a studio or made at home.

But wait…

Plot twist.

Hiding among all the disturbing electropop spasms and jizz on Morbidly Obtuse are at least a couple of tracks that we can safely describe as music. Not bad music either. If you like your minimal, new wave pop then “Boy’s Gonna Cry” and “Unthink It!” should raise a smile. These moments ring the similarity bell to the tune of Devo and The Network. The real gem however, is the penultimate track “We Are The Kids”.  A couple of drum loops, some keys and a cool wee vocal ditty. This little anthem is better than anything Mike Skinner attempted on the final Streets album.

Tracks like “Circus Mullet” might fry your brain and can barely be considered music, but the harshest spaz-outs can be forgiven for the nicer moments. Definitely worth a free download, for “We Are The Kids” at least.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Free download link: Morbidy Obtuse via Elgin Rock City records

Share and discuss using the links below. Follow Music Vice on Twitter at @MusicVice. Long Live Indie.

Britain’s Los Campesinos play two nights at Lee’s Palace this January

Happy New Year, dear readers! New year, new music… and just three years left to wait until we all get hoverboards.

While so many bands hide away in their parent’s basements during the bleak winter months to write forlorn songs and get back in touch with themselves, a few dedicated musicians are out playing shows. Some slim pickings for this month, but everything you see in Shows To Go To is a safe bet. Below is the Music Vice A-Z of the best concerts in Toronto this January…

Anamanaguchi @ Wrongbar, 21 January. $10. “Anamanaguchi are a four-piece group from New York City that combines guitars with the thick, electronic tones of a Nintendo Entertainment System.” Let’s hope they’re Super.
The Box Tiger with Elos Arma and Inlet Sound @ Supermarket, 12 January. $5. Fun fact: The Box Tiger were the very first guests on our podcast Radio Wunderbar. Go see them if you haven’t already.
Caveman with Hospitality and Volcano Playground @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 11 January. $10.
The Creepshow with The Dreadnoughts @ The Opera House, Saturday 7 January. $15 advance, $18 door. A hometown show from our local faves with the ghoulish vibes.
Dada Life @ The Hoxton, 19 January. $20. Move over dubstep, house is in the house to be the new fad for 2012.
Lamb of God @ The Phoenix, 27 January. $31.75. Well, if you like that sort of thing.
Los Campesinos! @ Lee’s Palace, 21 & 22 January. $20 – My favourite band at the moment from my home (UK), playing in Toronto on my birthday?! Lucky me! Los Campesinos are touring in support of new album Hello Sadness. Don’t miss this one… the sticky sweat & beer stained floors at Lee’s await you! – Brian, Ed.
Pissed Jeans @ Sneaky Dee’s, 20 January. $19.75. Promises to be intense… here’s a preview of what you can expect…

Stark Naked and the Fleshtones @ Bovine Sex Club, 14 January. $10
Tool @ Air Canada Centre, 25 January. Sold out.

Tickets available via Ticketmaster, LiveNation and Ticketweb, depending on the show. Hard tickets at the usual Toronto record stores (RT/SS). All shows are +19 unless noted.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Dada Life – “Kick Out The Epic Motherf*cker”

Share and discuss using the links below. Follow Music Vice on Twitter at @MusicVice. Long Live Indie.

I used to waste more time making extensive album of the year lists, then I took an arrow in the knee. FUS RO DAH!

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Nirvana’s “Smell’s Like Teen Spirit” is in contention to be the 2011 UK Christmas Number One

The Military Wives Choir are currently number one at the midweek point in the race to be the number one in the UK single chart on Christmas Day.

“Wherever You Are” by Military Wives Choir with Gareth Malone entered the charts this week and leads the back.  Military Wives Choir are holding off competition from Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” which is at number six in the midweek chart. If Nirvana reach #1 then it would be a similar result to the 2009 Christmas number one when Rage Against The Machine reached number one. Jon Morter, who started the campaign to get RATM’s “Killing In The Name” to number one at Christmas believes Military Wives Choir will finish at the top of the charts.

Other competition in the race for Christmas number one comes from last week’s number one single “Cannonball”, (a dismal Damien Rice cover), by this year’s X Factor winners Little Mix. Little Mix are currently occupying the number two spot. Elsewhere, another donkey is providing competition with Lou Monte’s “Dominic The Donkey” currently at number three.

The Military Wives Choir are the bookies favourites to take number one, at 1/2 (0.5) odds, with “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at 7/1.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Download: Radio Wunderbar Episode 33 [AAC podcast. 1 hours 32 minutes (87.9 MB. Right-click and ‘save as’ to download.]

Radio Wunderbar #33 – Speedo special with Welsh bands + music from Scottish band Aereogramme

Gary Speed tribute special featuring music from Welsh bands and a couple of plays of Scottish group Aereogramme, underground alt heroes of the last decade who were once signed to Matador records. There were also football themed song titles including “I’m Not A Substitute” by Jay Reatard and “From A Terrace” by Hey Marseilles.

The inclusion of Aereogramme in this week’s show was quite random, after I recalled the band while telling a story about Funeral For A Friend. I’m grateful for RW listener J.K. for sending me some Aereogramme music live on the show – listener participation, yes!! I still have a strong memory of an intense Aereogramme set in Inverness, Scotland way back in October 2004. Aeorgramme were compelling. Their music features lots of experimentation. I chatted with Craig from the band after the show (see the picture below from the Music Vice archives). Aereogramme’s back catalogue is well worth seeking out – I am happily rediscovering their music myself.

Episode 33 ended with a status update: the first year of doing this show has been great but right now we are looking for help to continue the show. To allow the show to continue and grow to it’s full potential, we are now strongly considering taking things ‘on the road’ with mobile broadcasting from new locations. This means sourcing some equipment and locations. The search begins for possible sponsors or companies who may wish to partner with us so we can make this happen and so that we can continue to bring great new indie music to you!

Thanks for listening! Until next time: Be kind to your mothers and true to your lovers. …And long live indie! – Brian

Radio Wunderbar is a weekly radio show and podcast hosted by Music Vice editor Brian Banks since January 2011. Spinning an eclectic mix of new independent artists from around the world, including lots of new music from the Music Vice mail bag. There are also regular interviews, live guest bands and exclusive first plays. The show Broadcast live online every Sunday from Toronto, Canada on Indie Love Radio and podcasted to the world via Music Vice at RadioWunderbar.com.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

The Mercy Now – MV file photo, March 2011

The Gig: The Mercy Now
Where: The Silver Dollar, Toronto, ON, Canada
When: 19 November 2011
In One Word: Unity

Having +1 on the guest list to a concert is cool, but +7? Now that’s rock and roll.

Saturday night at the The Mercy Now at The Silver Dollar was always going to be a dead cert for a real rock ‘n roll party. The venue, while not being rundown, definitely still fits into the dive bar category and it took a bit of coaxing to get a couple of my friends to step inside. “Are you sure this place is safe?”, one asked with genuine concern, to which I gave the assurance that that there is no safer place I’d rather be than at a rock show with friends.

Dive bars are my ultimate home. The less pretentious a concert venue, the better. The vibe and atmosphere will always be better in raw venues like Silver Dollar, because the place is alive. It has a pulse. The Mercy Now came on at 12.30 and for the hour or so that they played, it was an absolute blast. Everybody in the place had a good time. We danced, we stumbled and we sung. Audience participation? This was unity. Gritty, euphoric, swaying-together, stumbling-out-the-door rock and roll unity.

/Rant… This was a stark contrast to the concert I’d found myself at the previous night. Puscifer at the Sony Centre was pretty damn tedious. I was probably the only one who stayed sitting down. Sitting or standing in one place in a big fancy concert hall full of chairs is not fun. The sound might be great but it’s definitely not rock and roll. All the security and ushers walking around making sure nobody steps into the aisle or does anything spontaneous? Boring. And the gigantic projected videos? Sure, a couple of funny clips but rock concerts are not supposed to be spectator sports. If I want to go to see a film and sit in a cramped chair, I’ll go to the movie theatre. This is the reason I miss Toronto venues like The Big Bop and Planet Kensington: total shit-holes but at least they had soul. I’m digressing horribly, but the point is I’d rather see a legit band like The Mercy Now play in some shitty dive than see some droll A/V sit-down show. …end rant./

Songs like “Cold Feet”, “Hard Times”, “The Full Story” and “Mercy” have become set staples and have established The Mercy Now as one of the best upcoming rock bands in the city. And the more I see The Mercy Now, the more I believe that this band can reach another level. There are tons of bands in Toronto, a lot of good bands, but the majority of bands begin to sound the same, as they struggle to stand out and in the end get stuck in the big listless middling void. But some bands rise above. The Mercy Now know how to kick it, and I think they are legit: a band definitely “Capable” of taking things one step further, and reaching that sacred place known as ‘somewhere’.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Internet link: The Mercy Now

Download: Radio Wunderbar Episode 32 [AAC podcast. 1 hours 54 minutes (106 MB. Right-click and ‘save as’ to download.]

Radio Wunderbar #32 – New music… and zombies!

Episode 32 of Radio Wunderbar featured first plays of new music from Los Campesinos, M83, Devon Williams, The Elwins and Cleavers. Radio Wunderbar host Music Vice Editor Brian Banks was joined by regular Wundercrew teamsters Natascha, Dave and Jeremy for music related banter and topical debate about the current season of The Walking Dead (Dave saying that the story is brilliant, with Brian agreeing but arguing that a show called The Walking Dead should really feature more than one zombie per episode… it’s turning into a bloody soap!)

Thanks for listening! Until next time: Be kind to your mothers, true to your lovers and long live indie!  – Brian

zomg!! zombie!! – photo courtesy AMC

Radio Wunderbar is a weekly radio show and podcast hosted by Music Vice editor Brian Banks since January 2011. Spinning an eclectic mix of new independent artists from around the world, including lots of new music from the Music Vice mail bag. There are also regular interviews, live guest bands and exclusive first plays. The show Broadcast live online every Sunday from Toronto, Canada on Indie Love Radio and podcasted to the world via Music Vice at RadioWunderbar.com.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

The Gig: Ludovico Einaudi
Where: St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Toronto, ON, Canada
When: 9 November 2011
In One Word: Tense

For the second time in less than a week I found myself attending a concert which was entirely instrumental: tonight, however, was a very different experience to seeing the rock band Dub Trio. A different kind of heavy. Ludovico Einaudi’s solo piano concerto saw the award-winning Italian composer and pianist make his Toronto debut. Some of his most famous work can be heard in the scores to films including Black Swan and the new Di Caprio flick J. Edgar. This concert at the intimate Jane Mallett Theatre at St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts was Einaudi’s Toronto debut, and I felt privileged to be invited to see it. It would be a new experience for me.

The formal mood and vibe of the evening was predictable, with a theatre full of smartly dressed people sitting attentively in their chairs for the 1 hour 50 minute duration of the concert. Adding to the tense mood was Ludovico Einaudi, who is an introverted and modest character – his approach to the piano is that of a dedicated maestro, with the music being delivered with a terseness that is reflected in the music. Everything was tense: Einaudi, his music and the audience, sitting stiff in their seats. The tension of the occasion is not a negative, but instead a compliment to the intense level of expression and emotion that Einaudi channels through his piano keys. The music is so physical, that you cannot fail to feel it as it tugs at your shoulders with heavy hands. I felt my back and neck tightening at the beginning of a piece, as Einaudi would weave the mood of the music and build to climaxes that brought temporary relief, lighter moments, before once again getting heavier. Each piece would provide further seconds of respite as Einaudi paused for applause, responding with a tight smile and a modest bow of the head.

In a couple of moments, Einaudia used some digital effects to add ambience to this music. I found these pieces the most interesting and enjoyable; as a fan of electronic and experimental music, I couldn’t help but wonder about the possibilities of further experimentation of piano music by utilizing effects to a greater extent.

My observation of Einaudi is that he is clearly a master of his instrument but also a man who works in his own distinct and defined range. I was hearing and seeing this music for the first time but everything Einaudi did was stamped with his unique trademark and contained within the same zone. The passion is fierce but controlled. I could almost visualize a cage around the man and his music: a cage that contains some of the heaviest, deltoid-straining and brain-prodding piano music you could hope to feel.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice

Here is a band tour announcement actually worth talking about: Radiohead are touring in 2012. Radiohead have announced initial tour dates for America, starting Monday 27 February 2012 in Miami, Florida.

Today’s announcemnet on Radiohead.com:

“Hi there we are happy to announce the first part of some live shows we will be doing next year, more to follow.  We have a number of tickets available through w.a.s.t.e on Wednesday 9th November.
The shows go on general sale on Saturday 12th November (except for Tampa FL, which is the 19th).”

The dates are as follows:

27 February  2012 – American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
29 February – The St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL
1 March – Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
3 March – Toyota Center, Houston, TX
5 March – American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
7 March – Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX
9 March – Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO
11 March - Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
13 March – 1stBank Center, Broomfield, CO
15 March – Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, AZ

Further dates are to be confirmed. It seems likely to expect some big stops on the US east and west coast, while here in Canada we will cross our fingers for visits to our big cities.

Happy Monday, Radiohead fans.

© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice