Three parts Canadian, one part American. Here are four great videos to start off your party weekend.
Starting off with the American, here are one of my favourite bands, Grizzly Bear. They’ve caused an uproar today with their new video for “While You Wait for the Others,” directed by Sean Peknold. It portrays a stressed out fencer who just wants a bit of peace.
Now there’s Amy Millan’s “Bury This,” a slowed-down awkward look into a couple’s problems of heartbreak and deceit. Watch to see how they scare their pet birds.
Next up, Polaris Prize-short listers Great Lake Swimmers video for “Still,” which takes the music video in a new direction of behinds the scenes of a video shoot slash dinner party. You can see many hipster friends including Casey from Ohbijou.
Last up, Oh No Forest Firesbring you to Rajiv’s mom’s backyard, and into the forest (with strangely placed recreational seating…) where they sing “New Cove Road Back Home” live, not playback, with off-key charm, hand claps and stick-hitting beats.
So Canadian uber-band Broken Social Scene has already announced that they will play a wedding band in the upcoming sob fest The Time Traveler’s Wife. Yesterday they let slide that they covered the always covered Joy Division track “Love Will Tear Us Apart” for the film’s soundtrack. Front man Kevin Drew sounds eerily too similar to Ian Curtis, and it’s unusual to hear a piano this prominent in a BSS song, but it’s well done.
In a soundtrack heavy of Mychael Danna, this track will find itself getting plenty of attention, I’m sure.
I’ve been reading Imogen Heap’s tweets for months now on each and every update to her new third album, Ellipse (which finally has a release date for August 25 in North America!) I can’t take my impatience anymore! Imogen will always have a soft spot in my musical heart, especially after she was one of my first concerts I went to here in Toronto, at Massey Hall in November 2006. A friend and I couldn’t see so we were allowed to stand behind a glass barrier on the second level and it was so beautiful that we just bawled like babies into our scarves.
If you want to see Imogen Heap’s new black and white video (*which was filmed mainly in Newfoundland!*) for “Canvas” all you have to do is go to her website and submit a tweet. (This is when the people that have stuck with Twitter shout a big “ha ha” to those who ditched it or don’t get it!)
Vancouver band Said the Whale have just announced that they are teaming up with iTricks.com to make a sparkling montage of unknown secrets for their single “Camilo (The Magician)” by asking all aspiring magicians to send in videos of their work.
“Camilo” is a wonderful pat-on-your-back kind of catchy song sure to be paired with an interesting and entertaining video. You can hear the song on their MySpace or buy it on iTunes.
Watch this ridiculous video made by Justin of iTricks all about the project:
MAKE SURE they are short and contain your best VISUAL moments. Amateur or professional, stage, stand-up, street or close-up. If it’s visual it’s got a chance.
SEND the link to Justin@iTricks.com with the subject line “Said The Whale”
DANCE a jig, when we reveal all the videos that made the cut next week. The deadline for final entries is Tuesday!
WIN a free Said The Whale discography and t-shirts if you’re selected!”
It’s getting harder and harder to be patient waiting for the release of Monsters of Folk’s debut self-titled album. A collaboration turned supergroup of Conor Oberst, Jim James, M. Ward and Mike Mogis have released their first single, “Say Please,” for streaming on their website as well as a free download (password is “please”). All you have to do is go here.
The full album will be released on September 24. Can’t wait!
This week has been a good week for new Canadian music, and it’s only Thursday! Follow the links below to hear new music streaming from The Wooden Sky, a folk band from Toronto who will release their new album If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone on August 25 and Two Hours Traffic, a former Polaris Prize shortlisted pop-rock band from Charlottetown, PEI, who are finally releasing their follow up to Plaskett-produced Little Jabs, named Territory on September 8.
California thoughtful rockers The Dodos are releasing their third album, Time To Die, in North America come September 15 (or digitally July 28) and in the UK on August 31 (digitally July 27).
But you don’t need to worry about these confusing dates right now. Even though that may seem a long time to wait for an anticipated record right now, the Dodos are being quite generous by supplying the album online to listen to for free for a short time.
Unfortunately, this streaming comes from a bad background: it’s a mature response (cough, Jack White, cough) from the band to the fact that the album has leaked. They’re upset, but they know there’s a way to at least lesson the flow of said leak.
If you go to TimeToDie.net, you can see a video statement from the Dodos, listen to the album, and download a free track of “Fables.”
The Dodos recently played what I heard to be a very successful show with Beirut in Toronto at the Phoenix, but they’ll be back in the city on October 17 at Lee’s Palace. They’ll play Montreal October 16 at La Sala Rossa, and Vancouver October 26 at The Biltmore Cabaret.
Spiral Beach has been a Toronto band I’ve kept my eyes on for the last year or so; they’re unique, full of spunk/colour/jangles/toe-tapping beats and fun-loving (which leads to fun live shows) and yet still I’m sometimes in shock of their strong talent. Their two records Spiral Beach and Ball are huge hits in my books, thus I’m very excited for their next album, The Only Really Thing, due out in September.
Yesterday, the band announced on their MySpace and Twitter page that the first single “Domino” was up for grabs.
It’s similar to their usual stuff, but it’s got a vibe that calls the 90’s back a little more. This is actually not a bad thing — it’s full of yells, chaotic keyboards and a sense of thrill.
For any RoundLetters updates that came before May 09, go here.
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