Another show this Friday worth checking out is The Tallest Man on Earth at Petit Campus. Kristian Matsson has left Sweden taking his latest release - The Wild Hunt - on the road with him. The album was released Tuesday with positive reception. I’m only part way though it and The Wild Hunt has everything I love about Deer Tick without the disappointment.

Portland’s Nurses will be opening the show, get tickets online here.

The Tallest Man on Earth - King of Spain

Added to the currently stunning Osheaga bill:

• DEVO
• We Are Wolves
• Owen Pallett
• Walkmen
• Japandroids
• The Morning Benders
• The Antlers
• Pawa Up First
• Cage The Elephant
• Kele Okerere
• Ingrid Michaelson
• Robyn
• Seu Jorge
• Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Between this and the rest of the lineup, I’ve got an uncontrollable urge for Osheaga. I’M HERE ALL NIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

I’m pretty late to the gang bang when it comes to The Morning Benders. I ignored them and their hype in 2008 but in 2010 I broke. Their latest release The Big Echo isn’t my thing, but “Promises” as a single is money and so is it’s video above.

The Morning Benders are playing La Sala Rossa tonight with Leif Vollebekk, you won’t see me there as I’ll be either belligerently drunk out of happiness or disappointment as determined by game 1 of Habs/Caps tonight. Go Habs Go!

While attending Rhode Island School of Design guitarist Jason Bartell, bassist Michael Jacober, guitarist Chris Georges, guitarist Nicholas Andrew Sadler, and drummer Marc St. Sauveur started Fang Island as an art project with the goal to “make music for people who like music.” Take a listen to “Daisy” and see if they are achieving their goal. I’m in fucking love.

Fang Island - Daisy

remember:
Fang Island are playing La Sala Rossa Friday April 16th with Red Sparowes and Doomriders. Get tickets here, be there early for Fang Island kiddies.

LA’s HEALTH are hitting the road with Indian Jewelery and Gold Panda, stopping in Montreal June 18th where they’ll meet up with JEFF The Brotherhood who are touring with Quintron to play La Sala Rossa. With those 5 bands in tow it should be a great night out. In other HEALTH news, Lovepump United will being releasing HEALTH’s second remix album entitled DISCO2 on the 22nd of June, featuring remixes by Small Black, Pictureplane, Crystal Castles and more. Above is the new video for “We Are Water”, the pound for pound best track of 2009’s GET COLOR directed by Eric Wareheim. People will tell you that it’s not safe for work, but that depends on where you work. Enjoy.

HEALTH - We Are Water

remember:
jeff the brotherhood / health / indian jewelery / gold panda / quintron @ la sala rossa JUNE 18th

High Violet is shaping up to be a great album if ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio‘ and this track ‘Afraid of Everyone’ are any clues. The National don’t stray far from their proven recipe, but when original recipe is this good who needs crispy chicken?

High Violet is out May 10 in the UK and May 11 everywhere else via 4AD.

The National - Afraid of Everyone

(via ghost ramp)

WE ALSO FINISHED RECORDING A RECORD IN OXFORD MISSISSIPPI AND ARE CURRENTLY MIXING IT. SOUNDS CARAAAZAAAAAAYYY AND WILL BE OUT THIS SUMMER. SEEEEEE YA!

Saw this on Natham Williams (aka Wavves) blog over the weekend, which put a big smile on my face early Sunday morning. Haven’t heard many rumblings in the blogosphere regarding Wavves, I guess Cults are too big right now. Wavves and his new band (really going to miss Zach Hill) will be touring this summer, so far the closest to Montreal is at Toronto’s NXNE with a Montreal stop at Il Motore June 20th and NXNE with Japandroids at Sneaky Dees June 18th.

If the new material is anything like this we all win.

Wavves - Cool Jumper

Wavves - Friends Were Gone

::: tonight @ friendship cove :::

 best coast ::: no joy

I couldn’t fathom this when I heard about it.

Vancouver has long been known as the “no fun city” but below the no fun veneer is a dedicated music scene that’s loud, experimental, and innovative, but has few venues in which to be heard. Many of Vancouver’s musicians are forced to play in undisclosed and illegal venues such as warehouses, basements and parking lots, whilst legal venues are constantly fighting city regulations to stay open. This creative community is based in the Downtown Eastside, a neighborhood that is faced with the harsh reality of addiction and poverty; these worlds collide to create a unique and often misunderstood part of the city.

No Fun City will premiere at the DoxFestival May 10, I for one am on the edge of my seat for a Montreal screening.

::: tonight @ il motore :::

small black ::: washed out ::: silly kissers

Everyday the 55 bus stops at St-Laurent and Duluth and everyday I survey what’s playing at Cinéma L’Amour. This week it’s either ‘Smoking Hot Latinas 3′ or ‘Father’s I’d Like To Fuck’, take your pick. Today though, I don’t want to discuss the theater that’s been playing hardcore porn for the past 40 years, however I’d like to discuss a local band brandishing the same moniker as Montréal’s smut institution. Dorian Scheidt and Chis Kavanagh are making some solid experimental loop-based noise that you’ve got to hear. Their debut release, The Red Envelope EP was recorded DIY in their Montréal loft and placed in handmade, individually numbered packages. The first run has almost sold out but you’ll find a few copies at local record stores like Phonopolis, L’Oblique and Cheap Thrills. The EP is a little short but Kids TV is an excellent rambunctious jam followed by Losing Focus, a lazy head-bobber packed with a synth-hook to finish you off happy. The duo has a show at the Green Room April 28th, mark it down. Until then checkout the last half of the EP.

Cinéma L’Amour - Kids TV

Cinéma L’Amour - Losing Focus

more tour dates at their myspace

Did a big order of cassette tapes from Burger Records last week and in it was Gay Singles from Hunx & His Punx. I’ve been listening and flipping this tape for a few days now, rocking out to “You Don’t Like Rock & Roll” in particular. Here is the video, it’s fabulous.

Finally back in Montreal after a most excellent long weekend in Halifax where Wolf Parade played to a sold out crowd at the best venue in Halifax, The Paragon Theatre. If you’ve been following all the latest Wolf Parade news you probably already know that they have a new album on the way out (currently titled Expo 86), Hadji has left the band (major bummer) and they are on a major tour highlighting a load of new material. The opener Contrived didn’t impress me or hold my attention - just guitars for the sake of guitars. Wolf Parade tore the place down and highlighted seven new songs from Expo, check out some rough recordings below along with the setlist.

Wolf Parade - Beyonce [download]

Wolf Parade - TV Night [download]

Wolf Parade - Cave-O [download]

Wolf Parade - Palm Road [download]

Wolf Parade - Fast Ballad [download]

Wolf Parade - Pobody’s [download]

Wolf Parade @ The Paragon Setlist:

You Are A Runner And I Am My Father’s Son
Beyonce (new song)
TV Night (new song)
This Hearts On Fire
New New F (new song)
Fine Young Cannibals
Cave-O (new song)
Palm Road (new song)
It’s A Curse
Fast Ballad (new song)
I’ll Believe In Anything
Pobody’s (new song)
California Dreamer

Sons and Daughters of Holy Ghosts
Shine A Light
Kissing The Beehive

Tour Dates:
04-06 Kingston, Ontario - Ale House *
04-07 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix Concert Theatre *
05-06 Pecs, Hungary - Europe Mania Festival
05-07 Krems an der Donau, Austria - Donau Festival
05-08 Leipzig, Germany - Pop Up Festival
05-09 Prague, Czech Republic - Matrix
05-11 Salzburg, Austria - Rockhouse
05-12 Bologna, Italy - Lokomotiv
05-13 Torino, Italy - Spazio 211
05-16 Brussels, Belgium - Le Botanique
05-17 Brighton, England - Concorde 2
05-19 Glasgow, Scotland - Oran Mor
05-20 Dublin, Ireland - Vicar Street
05-21 Manchester, England - Club Academy
05-22 Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli
05-25 Lubijana, Slovenia - Menza Pri Koritu
05-26 Zagreb, Croatia - Teatar & TD
05-27 Milan, Italy - Salumeria della Musica
05-28 Gallen, Switzerland - Palace
05-29 Dudingen, Switzerland - Bad Bonn
05-31 Paris, France - Nouveau Casino
07-08 Montreal, Quebec - Le National
07-09 Montreal, Quebec - Le National
07-11 Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
07-12 Boston, MA - House of Blues
07-13 New York, NY - Terminal 5
07-15 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
07-16 Newport, KY - Southgate House
07-18 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
07-19 Winnipeg, Manitoba - Garrick Center
07-21 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Louis (University of Saskatoon Campus)
07-22 Calgary, Alberta - Republik
07-23 Edmonton, Alberta - The Starlight Room
07-25 Vancouver, British Columbia - Vogue Theatre
07-26 Seattle, WA - Showbox
07-27 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
07-29 Santa Cruz, CA - Catalyst Club
07-30 Oakland, CA - The Fox
07-31 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
09-15 London, England - The Forum

* with We Are Wolves

Ottawa band, The Allrights, have been the latest victim of gear theft. Gear was stolen from a van in Centretown, Ottawa. Please keep an eye out for the following:

griffiths tele copy (custom made, sunburst finish and bigsby)

gibson joan jett melody maker (white, w/ pen mark at 8th fret)

epiphone sheraton II (clear finish, pick guard is loose)

alamo amp (wood-paneled, fender bassman copy-ish)

roland cube amp (100 watt)

pedal board (w/ boss tuner, mxr microamp, ibanez tube screamer, and dunlop tremolo).

More info can be obtained from the band. Any info please email:

band@allrightsband.com

Between a few rousing games of cribbage and good scotch Thursday night I got around to revisiting my Black Keys collection. Laying down the story of Akron’s greatest garage-blues band to my cribbage partner victim. The following morning I find this new gem from the Keys.

The Black Keys - Next Girl

I just don’t like that dirty look in your eyes.

For some reason, I’ve been neglecting  The Hoof & The Heel, but today a video for their track “Fireworks” came by my desk so I got to looking. The song is gorgeous and the harmony from Harris Shper and Christine Hale is something pure and beautiful. The video - directed by Bryan Schlam - tells an ordinary story of a prosperous relationship falling apart with extraordinary candid visuals, casting new light on an old tale.

[buy the hoof and the heel on itunes]

[check out more from bryan schlam]