Something about you...

I meant to write about this album in FEBRUARY [seriously, that's when I started the draft that included an embed of the album - sorry for abandoning ETTS, but I'm making a concerted effort to get back on the long(er) form posts going forward, including a forthcoming breakdown of my votes for the Polaris longlist].

Something About April kinda feels like it was tailor-made for me. The retro-soul vibe that dips into electronics, guest artists that include Dennis Coffey, Shawn Lee and Calibro 35, album artwork that looks like a Leroy Hutson record, released on the imprint of the only magazine I still read religiously (apart from Sports Illustrated in the can of course), Wax Poetics. Radiohead called this ages ago.

Things get off to an auspicious start with "Turn Down The Sound" (reverse psychology?) - eerie vocals and an ominous bass-line before the vamping organ drops into the mix; a simple snare and hi-hat provide the forward momentum. It's clear from the get-go that, like his bio says, Adrian Younge"has dedicated his life to the study of classic soul music" - this and so many of the other tracks on the album sound like something Numero Group or Light In The Attic might have unearthed. "Anna May" even dips further back in time to doo-wop and those lovely "ooo-oooh baby" refrains. "Lovely Lady" even pulls out the "she-bop-she-bop" stop before Dennis Coffey dazzles with his legendary licks.

Even with out the doo-wop callbacks and the vocal acrobatics from guest vocalist Rebecca Jordan, Something About April would still engage listeners, as the instrumental tracks that Younge intersperses throughout are fascinating little soundscapes in and of themselves. No wonder one of the tags on Soundcloud is Dark Soul & Psychedelia ("Mourning Melodies," I'm looking at you.).

You can pick up the wax here, but if you don't take me at my word that this is an album you should pick up, the lead-off track is below and clicking on the album title in the second paragraph will take you to a Soundcloud set of the entire record.

  Adrian Younge Sound Orchestra • Turn Down the Sound by Ghetto Blastic

Spring for a copy of this autumn act.

Not that Winnipeg doesn't have it's own great jazz scene, but Vancouver seems to be giving us here in Peg City a run for our money as a happenin' hot bed. From the more straight-ahead Cellar Live stuff to the avant-jazz of Fond Of Tigers and other Drip Audio artists, there's a lot going on in lotus-land.

It's actually through Fond Of Tigers that I became aware of The October Trio as both acts share a drummer in Dan Gaucher. The trio is rounded out by Josh Cole on double bass and Evan Arntzen on tenor and soprano saxophone as well as clarinet. While the three work best as a group, the strength of this act is Arntzen, who can really open up on his soprano saxophone ("Wide," which recalls some of Yusef Lateef's work) or pull back on tenor and let the rhythm section propel matters (the title track "New Dream"). Arntzen is versatile and talented without being showy, and he never loses sight of the melody. It's melody that lies at the heart of all eight songs on New Dream (I won't even call them "tracks" because they are really songs - you'll be hearing them in your head for days after listening to this record).

Apart from the aforementioned "Wide" and "New Dream," for me the album standout is the album's longest, "The Park," which features an ambling, bouncy line from Cole and a more meandering delivery from Arntzen that strikes a deft balance between purposeful forward motion and a relaxed, open approach to delivering the melody.

It may be spring going on summer, but I strongly encourage you to buy stocks in this autumn act (i.e. go pick up New Dream at Bandcamp).

Beauty beats all.

I've had the distinct pleasure of recording Tim Crabtree - aka Paper Beat Scissors - twice at the UMFM studio. Once in our old space and again in our new band room [you can hear the latter session here] as well as seeing him perform live.

To say I was excited to hear that Crabtree had enlisted past Ear To The Sound fave Mike Feuerstack of Snailhouse to co-produce his debut full-length is an understatement - considering what I'd managed, the thought of a talent like Feuerstack drawing out the best in Crabtree seemed like a forgone conclusion. Having listened to the self-titled record that is the result of their collaboration several times over now, I can comfortably say my expectations were met. And then some.

In addition to getting Feuerstack to lend his instrumental talents, Crabtree enlisted the help of Islands' Sebastian Chow (violin), Bell Orchestre/The Luyas' Pietro Amato (French horn!), Tanya Davis and Rose Cousins (vocals). The album credits read like the line-up card for the '27 Yankees - this is a murderers' row of Canadian indie-folk artists.

As great as the help is, this is still Crabtree's show and his statement. All the ornamentation in the world couldn't prop things up if the songs are incapable of standing on their own and it's clear in listening to Paper Beat Scissors that these songs have been born out of a man alone with his thoughts and his guitar; "Folds" is beautiful without the ghostly ringing guitar tones and backing vocals, and gorgeous with them layered in.

Do yourself a favour and download the haunting first single, "Rest Your Bones" courtesy of Pigeon Row. The album is out March 6, 2012 and you can pre-order it on vinyl or CD via Forward Music Group.

Crabtree will be heading out on a national tour to coincide with the album's release and a complete list of dates can be found here. For local readers, there will be a stop in Winnipeg on March 27th and UMFM will be presenting the show so keep it tuned to 101.5 FM for further details, and be sure to visit the official Paper Beat Scissors site for all PBS news.

I'll leave you with this beautiful video by Mitch Fillion of Southern Souls, which should convince you to check out those live dates...

PAPER BEAT SCISSORS - Live at the Shivering Songs Festival from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.

Slippery as a (Swedish) fish.

Over just seven songs, Halina Larsson crafts a captivating little album. Fires and French Horns begins with the title track [a stream of which is below], a song that hews a fine line between folk-singer and pop-songwriter. Her voice is precious and breathy, and when a xylophone augments the chorus the song risks a turn to the cloying but Larsson manages to sell a line like "I've got the right way / to tell you now / I've got the right words," and with it, the song as a whole. Though sadly, there are no French Horns to be heard.

Fires and French Horns- Halina Larsson by HalinaLarsson


Larsson's voice takes on a dusky tone on "Puget Sounds;" the record's quiet standout. The snare provides a lolloping beat that matches the efforts of the song's protagonist to pull her lover onward in their relationship. While it's not as out-and-out country as Barton Hollow, "Puget Sounds" reminds me of some of The Civil Wars' work, especially "I've Got This Friend," and "Falling."

More so than The Civil Wars, Larsson's music reminds me of Sophie Zelmani and her self-titled debut. That's a name that might ring a distant bell for some, but is likely a stranger to most (this despite having released eight albums since her debut in 1996 and an appearance on the My Best Friend's Wedding soundtrack). A fellow Swede, AllMusic described Zelmani's music as "tender singer/songwriter country" and that's likely a descriptor that will be attached to Larsson at some point if it hasn't been already.

You can purchase Fires and French Horns at Larsson' Bandcamp page, and be sure to visit her website for more info.

I narrowed it down to these...

So here it is – the crème de la crème of my 2011 listening. Now that this is out of the way, I can focus on 2012 – which is already shaping up to be pretty good from the numerous records I’ve received so far.

20 Gem Club - Breakers [Hardly Art]

I wrote about this one – twice; once on each of my blogs. Which should be a strong sign that it would end up here.
Twins by Gem Club


19 Herajika Tracks - Love Universal [Introducing Production]

Yup, same thing with this album (though just here on Ear To The Sound).
Herajika tracks - Shigure by aresistencia


18 The Middle East - I Want That You Are Always Happy [Missing Pieces]


They may want that you are always happy, but it's clear that The Middle East aren't always in a positive frame of mind. My wife referred to #20-18 as my 'mope-y' section of the Top 20. It gets more upbeat at the top!
The Middle East: Very Many by -gaga


17 Kathryn Calder - Bright and Vivid [File Under: Music]

I thought 2010’s Are You My Mother? was pretty strong, but it didn’t prepare me for how amazing Bright and Vivid is. Strong songwriting, strong voice, strong, strong, strong.
Kathryn Calder - Who Are You by File Under Music


16 Slim Moore & The Mar-Kays - Introducing Slim Moore & The Mar-Kays [Marlow Records]

Phe-nom-en-al. Fans of the Daptone label, Lee Fields, Syl Johnston, etc. should be all over this one. Moore’s got a rich baritone, and the band supporting him is stellar (it includes members of the Souljazz Orchestra – who you also need to check out).
Slim Moore and the Mar-Kays - steppin' all over me (Cosmic Groove) by SOFA RECORDS SHOP


15 Beirut - The Rip Tide [Pompeii Records]

This is Zach Condon finding his own sound after borrowing heavily from the Eastern European gypsy sound for Gulag Orkestar and The Flying Club Cup. It took a while to get into it after loving those first two records, but The Rip Tide is a great step forward.
Beirut - Santa Fe by Revolver USA


14 Dum Dum Girls - Only In Dreams [Sub Pop]

This is the Runaways produced by Phil Spector.
Dum Dum Girls - Bedroom Eyes by subpop


13 Wild Beasts - Smother [Warp]

My wife calls this “Gandalf rock” since she thinks Hayden Thorpe’s vocals are reminiscent of a certain Lord of the Rings wizard (for the record, she puts Future Islands and vocalist Samuel T. Herring in the same category). Yes, Thorpe’s vocals are peculiar, but they are perfectly married to the music.
Wild Beasts / Reach A Bit Further by Constellations Festival

Here's a bonus version of "Reach A Bit Further" live on the BBC. A bit different but no less lovely.
Wild beasts - Reach a bit further (BBC session) by mysteryfallsdown


12 Cannon Bros. - Firecracker/Cloudglow [Disintegration Records]

Alannah & Cole are twenty-years-old. This would make me sick with jealousy if I didn’t know them and know what great people they are. Look for them to blow up big in 2012.
Left in a Hurry - Cannon Bros by anecha


11 Thundercat - The Golden Age Of Apocalypse [Brainfeeder]

This is the 2011 answer to my #6 of 2010. Thundercat picks up where Flying Lotus left off.
Thundercat - Is It Love by Madison House


10 Bon Iver - Bon Iver [Jagjaguwar]

This ended up being one of the most divisive choices on year-end lists. Which kinda surprises me.
Calgary by boniver


09 Secret Cities - Strange Heart [Western Vinyl]

Fargo rock city represent!
Secret Cities, "The Park" by The FADER


08 Washed Out - Within And Without [Sub Pop]

Could’ve likely made the list on the back of “Amor Fati” alone, but the rest of the album is pretty brilliant as well.
Washed Out - Amor Fati by subpop


07 Wye Oak - Civilian [Merge]

I saw this band in Windsor several years ago when their Merge debut was about to drop. They played to a crowd that was smaller than the number of magazines that declared Civilian one of the best records of the year. Glad to see they got big.
Wye Oak - 'Holy Holy' by SpunkRecords


06 Louise Burns - Mellow Drama [Light Organ Records]

Reviewed this for Stylus, and as I said in that piece, this would’ve been my pick if I had a Polaris vote. But I don’t. Hmmmm.
Louise Burns - Drop Names Not Bombs by Light Organ


05 Destroyer - Kaputt [Merge]

Dan Bejar is one of those “love him or leave him” artists. I love him.
Destroyer - Chinatown by mouxlaloulouda

04 tUnE-yArDs - whokill [4AD]

Merrill Garbus played the West End this fall – whokill was primed to make the Top 10 anyway, but that live show pushed it a few spots higher.
My Country - Tune Yards by tracks_arte


03 James Blake - James Blake [Polydor]

One of the earliest releases of 2011, this one was unrelenting in how good it was. Probably the record I listened to most in the past year.
James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream by UMPG


02 Austra - Feel It Break [Paper Bag Records]

My toddler can sing along to “Lose It,” which speaks volumes to the number of times this album was played in my home. Katie Stelmanis’ performance at the West End was another jaw-dropper.
Austra - Lose It by Annie Mac Presents


01 Freddie Cruger and Anthony Mills are Wildcookie - Cookie Dough [Tru Thoughts]

I may be the only person with this album at the top of my list – I honestly haven’t seen it on any others. But I am happy to be out on my own on this one. I wrote a glowing entry about it ages ago, and still feel exactly the same about Cookie Dough.
WildCookie "Serious Drug" by Raven Supreme-Green

So Many Great Records, Part 4

Okay. So this is the last of the longlist entries. Once I recap my Top 20 of 2011, it's on to new things. I've actually already heard a couple albums this week I'm itching to write about, so expect the new stuff to be posted next week. Enjoy your weekend.


Sandro Perri - Impossible Spaces [Constellation]

Here’s another one I owe to Jeff Friesen. He’s been a longtime Perri-person and it was thanks to his championing of prior works that I was primed for Impossible Spaces.
Love & Light by Sandro Perri


Shimmering Stars - Violent Hearts [Hardly Art]

I owe Stylus a review of this one. I’m not going to blow the awesome analogy I’ve come up with for it here, but needless to say, the review will be a favourable one.

Listen to one of the best tracks, "I'm Gonna Try" here. [Embed not available]

Sister Crayon – Bellow [Manimal]

I could’ve sworn I wrote about this record on this blog or Reductive Reviews, but a search reveals I did not – which is a shame, because this is a really solid record. Sister Crayon has a pretty distinct sound that captivated me.
Sister Crayon "I'm Still The Same Person" (The Album Leaf remix) by terroreyes


Sleep Over – Forever [Hippos In Tanks]



Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde [Fat Possum]

I didn’t see these guys when they opened for Arctic Monkeys in Winnipeg so I can’t confirm rumours I’ve heard about their live performances not matching up to the record, but maybe that’s a good thing.
Weekend - Smith Westerns by joshuadj


Snailhouse - Sentimental Gentlemen [White Whale/Forward Music]

Me and loving Snailhouse go way back. Feuerstack was one of my favourite interviews of the year on TGIFR because we talked while he was scouting locations to play handball while on tour.
Great Storytellers by snailhouse


St. Vincent - Strange Mercy [4AD]

On a list of “just missed its” in my life, being a day late to see St. Vincent at a small club in Phoenix a few years back ranks up there.

Listen to "Surgeon" here. [Embed not available]

The Stepkids - The Stepkids [Stones Throw]

WAAAAAY back when, I wrote about a band called The Dragons. That was an old album rediscovered. The Stepkids is just an album that sounds like it was rediscovered, but was actually created by guys who have supported the likes of Alicia Keys and decided to do their own thing.
The Stepkids - Shadows On Behalf by Stones Throw Records


Sun Wizard - Positively 4th Avenue [Light Organ Records]

Not quite sure what it is about B.C. right now, but there’s a lot of classic-sounding rock coming out of that province. Yukon Blonde is the breezier AM Gold to Sun Wizard’s more muscular sound. I had the good fortune of having these guys in to play live on TGIFR this year.
Sun Wizard - World's Got A Handle by Light Organ


This Hisses - Surf Noir [Transistor 66]

Here’s one of those rare instances where the album’s title perfectly describes the sound of the music contained therein. Surf Noir didn’t exist until this Winnipeg three-piece created / coined it.
01 Lycanthrope by This Hisses


This Will Destroy You - Tunnel Blanket [Suicide Squeeze]

I actually liked this record so much I wrote about it twice. Once in Stylus and once on Reductive Reviews.
Communal Blood by This Will Destroy You


Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin' On [Arts & Crafts]

Listen to this on vinyl. You deserve it.
Timber Timbre: "Lonesome Hunter" by flavoredtrash


Tom Waits - Bad As Me [Anti-]

Everyone’s favourite creepy uncle returns.
Tom Waits - Chicago by throw_your_head


Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine [Carpark]

My countdown co-host, Jared McKetiak nailed it when he talked about this record on air. Toro Y Moi was one of the people who set the benchmark for chillwave with his first record and proceeded to jump well over it with Underneath The Pine.
Toro y Moi - New Beat by raphaelassaraf


Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra [Fat Possum]

This came out of leftfield and grabbed my attention.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Ffunny Ffrends by MODESTMODUS


War On Drugs - Slave Ambient [Secretly Canadian]

Much preferred this to Kurt Vile’s record.\
The War on Drugs - Baby Missiles by edin2sun


The Weather Station - All Of It Was Mine [You’ve Changed Records]

Delicate, beautiful, personal. Tamara Lindeman’s sophomore effort as The Weather Station slayed me from the first listen.
The Weather Station - Everything I Saw by thebrokenspeaker


Weird Owl - Build Your Beast A Fire [Tee Pee Records]

Here’s another one I’ve yet to review for Stylus (Taylor, I promise, I’ll be submitting these soon!), but have been listening to for a while. Tee Pee is a fascinating label that hews its own line rather than following what others are doing sonically. Weird Owl is – in its own way – the perfect fit for them.


Wilco - The Whole Love [Anti-]

These guys have earned a place in my year-end wrap-up pretty much any year they release a record. And the title track earned a spot in my Top 20 songs of the year.

Whole Love from Spencer Tweedy on Vimeo.

Wires Under Tension - Light Science [Western Vinyl]

I wrote about these guys here on Ear To The Sound, so it shouldn’t be a surprise they made this list.
Electricity Turns Them On by Wires Under Tension by western.vinyl


Yamantaka/Sonic Titan - Yt//St [Psychic Handshake]

Another blind find courtesy of the postal service. This album came into the station unannounced and I slipped it into my computer based solely on the fact that the band’s name piqued my interest. So glad I played it.
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan - Reverse Crystal // Murder of a Spider by Psychic Handshake


Zola Jesus – Conatus [Sacred Bones]

I resisted this one at first because it felt like everybody was raving about it. But my resistance was futile.
Night by ZolaJesus

So Many Great Records, Part 3

Well, I had hoped to have my entire longlist recapped before the New Years' Eve countdown aired, but unfortunately I developed a sinus infection over the holidays and between that and familial obligations, I didn't write a single word. So over the next couple days, I'm going to finish up the recap and get to my Top 20 (of which the word is already out on.

Happy New Year and all the best in 2012.

Les Jupes - Modern Myths [Head In The Sand]

Now that my Top 20 songs have been revealed, the cat’s out of the bag on this one. Released early in 2011, Modern Myths held strong throughout the marathon and “One Solemn Oath” never lost its resonance.
One Solemn Oath by LES JUPES by The Instrument Village


Lia Ices - Grown Unknown [Jagjaguwar]

This is a spooky record that gets under your skin.
Lia Ices - Ice Wine by hoodlem


Little Dragon - Ritual Union [Peacefrog]

The title track is amazing. How disappointed am I that Little Dragon had to cancel their Fargo show last February? That may have been the closest the Swedish act would get to Winnipeg.
Ritual Union by Little Dragon


Liturgy – Aesthetica [Thrill Jockey]

Black Metal. Thrill Jockey. Yes, please.
Liturgy - Generation by muntersinger


Low - C'mon [Sub Pop]

This may be the Minnesota band’s happiest record in a long string of epic sadness.
Low - Nothing but heart by ciaciod


M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming [Mute]

While I think Saturdays=Youth is a better record, this double-disc from the prolific Frenchman is still a very strong release.
Midnight City by M83


Mastodon - The Hunter [Reprise]

Here’s a record that Cretin Rob and I can absolutely agree on.
Mastodon - Curl of the Burl by Roadrunner Records



Matthew Maaskant - Believe It Or Not, This Is The Place [Draft Tattoo]

I wrote about being taken with this record, so it shouldn’t come as a shock to be on here.
Fireflies by M.Maaskant


Memory Tapes - Player Piano [Carpark]

Carpark always seems to be releasing interesting records, and Player Piano is a fitting album for their roster.
Memory Tapes - Unknown by jobsmit


Modeselektor – Monkeytown [BPitch Control]

According to Wikipedia, Modeselektor describe their music thusly: “Happy metal, hard rap, country-ambient, Russian crunk.”
Modeselektor - Blue Clouds by Modeselektor


Nat Baldwin - People Changes [Western Vinyl]

Chances are, if your album got a rave review from me earlier in the year, you can expect to see it find a place on the longlist at the very least.
Weights by Nat Baldwin by western.vinyl


Ocote Soul Sounds – Taurus [ESL]

Antibalas + Adrian Quesada + Thievery Corporation’s label (ESL) = one of my wheelhouses.
Ocote Soul Sounds - Primavera by INgroovesmarketing


Ohbijou - Metal Meets [Last Gang Records]

Known for Casey Mecijia’s wispy vocals, this record is surprisingly muscular.
Ohbijou - "Niagara" by indiemusicfilter


Owiny Sigoma Band - Owiny Sigoma Band [Brownswood Recordings]

More credit to Gilles Peterson for “discovering” this act and releasing it on his Brownswood Recordings label.
Owiny Sigoma Band - 'Wires' by Brownswood


Ox – Tuco [Cosmic Dave's Record Factory]

Mark Browning’s first full-length since 2007 (not counting his Christmas album), finds him further mining the dusty roots of American music. Great stuff.

Listen to "Indie Rock Radio Nation" here.


Peter Wolf Crier - Garden Of Arms [Jagjaguwar]

For some reason I used to get this band confused with Peter and the Wolf. After Garden Of Arms, I will not be making that mistake again.
Settling It Off by Peter Wolf Crier by rippleent


Quasimode - Magic Ensemble [AIS]

Classic club-jazz from Japan.
Quasimode - Giant Black Shadow by Starslicer


Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin' [Columbia]

As I mentioned in my Stylus review of this record, Saadiq is like a musical Dorian Gray moving back through rock history.
"Heart Attack" Raphael Saadiq by stantonallyson


Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip [Sonic Unyon]

Comparisons to My Bloody Valentine are warranted (although nothing will ever touch Loveless) and earned this Lone Star act a spot on the longlist.
Ringo Deathstarr - Imagine Hearts by Club AC30


Roots – Undun [Def Jam]

Pretty much the same boat as the Black Keys’ El Camino – released too late in the game for me to fully digest.
The Roots - Tip Of The Scale by dorego


Russian Circles - Empros [Sargent House]

Not as mind-blowing as Geneva and Station, a solid record from Russian Circles is always a welcome addition to my library.
Schiphol by RussianCircles