Marina and the Diamonds - Fear and Loathing (Hype 083)

Brand new track from Marina taken from the forthcoming full length Fear and Loathing. A very nice downtempo opera piece. Definately a warm up piece for the new album

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9txg0XicoJ0

Dum Dum Girls - Coming Down (Hype 082)

Brand new back to cali grinder rock track from the Dum Dum Girls forthcoming subpop release Only In Dreams.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b51scACML8M

My Tiger My Timing - Endless Summer (Hype 036R)

Here we try something alittle different and revisit and rehype a track. Since we last spotlighted this track their has been two ultra hip remixes released of the track which are available for free on their facebook page. The Kinema is the one that does it for me but the Just Say Joe one is pretty good too.

Facebook page: http://listn.to/mytigermytiming

Hear them below:

Endless Summer (Just Say Joe Remix)


Endless Summer (Kinema Remix):


Original Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttfIcU6OnTo

The Album Shortlist - August

The Album Shortlist - August (Although not that short)

Brilliant Colors - Again And Again (Slumberland Records)
Cut Off Your Hands - Hollow (Frenchkiss)
Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer (Merge Records)
Horrors - Skying (XL Recordings)
Inc - 3 EP (4AD)
Joakim - Forever Young 12 Inch (Tigersushi)
Letting Up Despite Great Faults - Paper Crush EP(Old Flame)
Pnau - Soft Universe (etcetc)
Puro Instinct - Headbangers In Ecstacy (Mexican Summer)
Queen - Hot Space 2CD Reissue (Island)
REM - Lifes Rich Pageant 2 CD Reissue (I.R.S.)
Shindu - Happy House EP (Kitsune)
Southern Shores - Atlantic EP (Cascine)
To Destroy A City - To Destroy A City (N5MD)
Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed 12 Inch (Weird World)
Zomby - Dedication (4AD)

St. Vincent - Surgeon (Hype 081)

4AD mainstay St. Vincent back with a James Bondesque new single from the forth coming album Strange Mercy.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJD7Ylf9Rqo

Goldroom - Nights In Nantes (Hype 080)

Cool downtempo groover from Goldroom for Saturday Night.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGUj1BDcqKU

Ivy - Fascinated (Hype 079)

Gorgeous brand new single from Ivy off their first album in 6 years off called All Hours

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTsAyzlgKLo

Spectrals - Big Baby (Hype 078)

Fuzzed up pop track ala sound of the chain. Off the right on target Slumberland label.

Craft Spells and Pains Of Being Pure At Heart Paint Movement Opera House Toronto August 2, 2011

Great triple bill at the Opera House last night with Canadian act Paint Movement opening the show for Craft Spells and Pains of Being Pure At Heart. Have to say Craft Spells stole the show for me. But Paint Movement surprised me with a great show and POBPAH were a okay.

Here is what they said (I think there is something wrong with Twitter Search as hardly anyone said anything about this show):

Paint Movement:

@IKvsDK: Paint Movement put on a decent show (IKDK: okay, only me with the comment on an entertaining opening show

Craft Spells:

@IKvsDK: Captured tracks shirt at opera house #craftspells

@paulinedong Opening band Craftspells is new to me but I'm really liking them. Wanted to buy CD but merchandise staff couldn't find them!? #promotionfail (IKDK: trust me they don't need promotion....one of the top albums of the year)

@IKvsDK: One more @craft_spells #toronto #operahouse

@lau_ally For the 3 songs I saw, Craft Spell out-shone Pains of Being Pure at Heart live.

@lau_ally @IKvsDK Craft Spells was mighty impressive, considering the band's average combined age is probably still younger than Dick Clarke

Pains Of Being Pure At Heart:

@imacgill At The Opera House to see The Pains of Being Pure at Heart...no more Foursquare for me. Too easy to cheat. (IKDK: Only one comment on POBPAH? Definately must be something wrong with Twitter Search)

Mogwai - Get To France (Hype 077)

Mogwai get all piano and melodic. Taken from their new Earth Division EP out soon.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3WTrEP_zpk

The Last Party - We Could Be Lovers (Hype 076)

Some nice!!!! jangily britpop from this up and coming UK band. Did I say britpop?

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFCy4wAxAjQ

I Break Horses - Hearts (Hype 075)

Washed out buzzdrone track from I Break Horses out of Sweden taken from the album of the same name on Bella Union

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZHs-9uCWlw

Upcoming Toronto Concerts as of August 1st, 2011

02 August The Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Craft Spells /The Paint Movement(Opera House)
05 August Hooded Fang (Summerworks)
06 August Bonjay (Summerworks)
08 August Doughboys (Bovine)
09 August Doughboys (Air Canada Centre)
12 August Miracle Fortress / Ruby Coast (Summerworks)
02 Sept Peter Bjorn And John Show 1 (Lee's Palace)
03 Sept Peter Bjorn And John Show 2 (Lee's Palace)
11 Sept Erasure (Sound Academy)
13 Sept Empire Of The Sun / Miami Horror (Echo Beach)
22 Sept Tahiti 80 (Horseshoe Tavern)
22 Sept Shins (Phoenix Concert Theatre)
23 Sept Marling Laura (The Great Hall)
24 Sept Peter Hook / Dirty Beaches / Frankie Rose & The Outs (Phoenix Concert Theatre)
24 Sept Kid Sister (Wrongbar)
25 Sept Yuck (Horseshoe Tavern)
26 Sept Tune-Yards (Lee's Palace)
27 Sept Horrors (Lee's Palace)
29 Sept Wild Beasts (Mod Club)
30 Sept James Blake (Phoenix Concert Theatre)
01 Oct Drums (Mod Club)
01 Oct Foster The People (Sound Academy)
03 Oct Twin Shadow (Mod Club)
05 Oct Ladytron / Sonoio (Phoenix Concert Theatre)
14 Oct Braids (Horseshoe)
16 Oct Dum Dum Girls / Crocodiles (Lee's Palace)
23 Oct Friendly Fires ((Phoenix Concert Theatre)
25 Oct Still Corners (Drake Hotel)
15 Nov Lykke Li (Sound Academy)
18 Nov M83 (Lee's Palace)
01 Dec Austra (Phoenix Concert Theatre)

Botany - Feeling Today (Hype 074)

Interesting glorious shimmering cut and paste track taken from their Feeling Today EP out on Western Vinyl soon.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IIOJ62Vr_Y

Beats Rhymes & Life - the film on ATCQ

Took in this documentary on 90s hip hop pioneers A Tribe Called Quest with DJ IKvsDK on a balmy sunday afternoon at Dundas Square. The film is the first by Michael Rapaport and succeeds in providing a perspective on this key member of the Native Tongues hip hop movements.

The doc is organized chronological, starting with a few childhood remembrances of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg and progressing through to high school where they meet the Jungle Brothers and get their first big contact in DJ Red Alert.

The group gains some profile with Bonita Applebaum but it's the release of their second album, Low End Theory, (with tracks like Buggin' Out) that blows up.

The follow up Midnight Marauders (with tracks like Electric Relaxation) was also well-received but the next two releases are less so and the band dissolved after the fifth album.

The doc does a decent job of balancing the perspectives of the two central figures Phife and Q-Tip. Pacing is very consistent. The visuals start with some interesting animation effects but this is replaced midway with a barrage of interview clips.

There was a good mix of contemporaries (Prince Paul, De La Soul, Beastie Boys, Busta Rhymes, etc.) as well as next generation (Pharrell Williams, Common, The Roots, etc.) giving their perspective. There are hints that more material is available and hopefully the full director's cut will make this available. Good job!


Memorable segments:

Q-Tip with the Lonnie Smith album
Jarobi on Phife Dawg
Phife Dawg and Wife
Candid talk from De La Soul after the 2008 Ring the Bells tour
Pharrell Williams with his unabashed respect for ATCQ