The Drums

Lets rewind the clock - back past last night's dinner, way before U2's reunion tour... keep flipping it back...nope... before Thriller, and stooooopp right in the smack of the surf rock of California in the 60s. Back to the time where everyone wished they all could be California Girls, bathe in the sun and ride the waves all day long. Now, pick it up (two hands, please!) and bring it to the indie rock of today and lets put it down....lets say....in Brooklyn? BAM. Its like magic.

Ladies and gentlemen, The Drums:






I do have to say, the Beach Boys were onto something, knowing that the 'east coast girls (they really meant bands) are hip"...

"We only write about two feelings: one is the first day of summer when you and all of your friends are standing on the edge of a cliff watching the sun set and being overcome with all of your hopes and dreams at once. The other is when you're walking alone in the rain and realize you will be alone forever." via their site

Check out their myspace

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

They slowed it down this time around and released Skeleton, one of my favorite songs from Its Blitz, as their latest single...If you were looking for a slow, synth infused jam to warm you on cold nights well, I can't say this is the video because its equally eerie as it is beautiful - shiver me timbers. Its directed by Karen O's boyfriend, Barnley Clay, who, I feel, captured the essence of the song which was written in the middle of a snow storm, by making the video feel, as Karen put it "very wintery"



Making of the video:

Haiti

Its always so amazing to see how people can come together and use their resources toward the betterment of others. In support of the recent happenings in Haiti, there was a particularly special conference call that went down a few nights ago with Bono, Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz, who all wanted to get in on the helping-action. Bono came up with a phrase during the call, went back with The Edge, wrote, recorded a song and sent it back to the producers all within the 24 hour period. It will be played and released for the first time tonight during Hope for Haiti telethon and will be available for purchase, along with all the performances from the show with all proceeds going toward the relief fund. Other performers from tonight include Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Hudgson, Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews, Sting, to name a few. So keep your ears open and please give where and what you can.

To donate in Canada

Tegan and Sara

Crossed a few 'to-dos' off my list this week: seeing a band in back to back concerts. Check. Be able to tell identical twins apart. Check. Although, I crossed that off for the third time...well probably more like 2.5, but lets round that up. Tegan and Sara at Massey Hall, followed by *Drum roll please* (i bet you guessed who the band is because of my first 'to do', you genius, you...) Tegan and Sara at Kool Haus.

I think I would be happy going to sit in Massey Hall for an evening, just staring at the empty stage. It is pure magic. Add a little Tegan and Sara into the mix and it brings life to a whole other level. Its like the day I discovered the lint brush - a moment that once you know it, its hard to know how you did without. Despite that the front audience was a little lame-o and not as 'into it' as one should be at a rock show*, T&S were performing their guts out. If the music wasn't enough to keep you entertained (then imma smack you) the band chanter was certainly enough to keep you going all night. At one point, Tegan joked that “being a teenager is hard, but being an eight-year-old lesbian is even harder.”

Anywhoo, round two proved to be more of a rock show at the Kool Haus. At one point they stopped playing, asked the house lights to come up and pointed out the drunkest person in the crowd who was being a huge dick, and asked him to be escorted out. Oh Tom Foolery...what a guy. When he's around, its always a show.

*maybe thats because everyone always feels a tad more proper at Massey.

The show stealers for me:

BalconyTV

Have you ever seen a band so close?

Literally, I mean the space they are performing in is really tight. This is Abby is a bunch of dudes that sprechen Deutsch performing for Balconytv. Performances on the balcony. Love it.



Check out the rest of the series here

OK Go

OK Go love their one-shot music videos – you know that ever so infamous treadmill video they released a few years ago that was a sensation on that youtube site, which is all the craze with the kids these days. They followed it up with a video for single WTF? which didn’t get nearly as much buzz… So, only makes sense to hit us with another one-shot-er for their latest 'This Too Shall Pass'. This video has single handedly made me afraid to walk through the forest by myself AND made me wish I was part of a marching band all within 3 minutes and 51 seconds. Did somebody say ribbons? Weird. Word.

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.

Down With Webster

Almost time to punch those cards and clock out for the week. To set you assail on this Friday, I’ve got some new and old in honor of the Down With Webster show tonight at Sound Academy in Toronto. Raise your glasses and onward to the weekend, steed!

Novels

Novels. For reading, right? Wrong. Well not these Novels anyway. This one is composed of a smorgasbord musicians of Toronto indie-band fame who came together for this ever so hip project.

Click on the image to see what we're looking at here:



So why is this project different than any other compilation group?
1. These guys got together, with a clean slate to write + produce the EP in a mere 16 hours.
2. The EP is not available in stores.

Okay I know what you’re thinking. 16 hrs – either these guys didn’t put much into this album or they have really great writing chemistry. I assure you, it is the later, my dear friend.

Secondly, if the EP is not available to buy, you’re pretty much screwed if you want to listen to it. Au contraire, Watson. They are allowing anyone to download the entire EP for free from their site and ask in return, that you burn it onto a cd and leave it in places around your city. (and to document it and send them the evidence!) In addition, they’ve kicked off the game and left some cds in notebooks around Toronto. So, get burning and spread the love.

Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol’s lead singer, Gary Lightbody, is getting’ busy with two side projects: Tired Pony and Listen…Tanks! Both drastically different sounds from not only eachother, but from Snow Patrol as well. So for all y’all country folk, watch for the Tired Pony output and ‘crazy’ electro fans, a la LCD Soundsystem, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for the Listen…Tanks! (which he clarifies in the interview below that the band is from “me”) Both records are being laid down throughout January. Very interested to see what comes out of this.

On a side note, if you haven’t downloaded Snow Patrols Up To Now I suggest you get on it. It’s a beauty best-of compilation.

Spin Magazine: 10 Artists to Watch in 2010

I'll make this easy for you:
1. Go here
2. Download album.
3. Press Play
4. Once finished, repeat number 3

Vampire Weekend

Here is really all you need to know to put a smile on your face for the next while:

Vampire Weekend.
New Album:Contra
Stream now on myspace here

Also, as a bonus, they stopped my our ever favorite Juan's basement. Still waiting on our invite to chill there, but this will have to do in the mean time:

The Jay-Z Cleanse

Ringing in the new year, I think its safe to say we all tend to like to let go of any negatives and look forward to the new challenges and opportunities we're facing, to set new goals and resolutions to what we expect our life to be like. 20-10 is the first year of the double digits. Lets make it a delight. So, to start it off, lets all take a deep breath, all together now, and exhale...put your diamonds in the sky and lets be, On To The Next One...



you had me at "hov...."