Do I even need to tell you that The Morning Benders are from Berkeley? They’re doing a tour of the America with a few stops in Canada including Montreal on April 15th at Sala Rossa. Tickets are 12$ + tax. The video below if for a song from their new album Big Echo called Excuses.

The Morning Benders – Excuses

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A few weeks ago the new Magnetic Fields album titled Realism was released and accompanied by the start of a North American Tour that includes 12 US cities. This is the band’s tenth studio album since their debut way back in 1991 and is meant to complement their 2008 album Distortion. Singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt of the Field’s says the album is inspired by British folk of the late 60s and early 70s. Don’t expect anything too traditional though since Merritt says he “can’t stand the sound of an acoustic guitar for more than three minutes at a time”.

The Magnetic Fields – Book of Love

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2/21, 22 The Aladdin Theater Portland, OR
2/23, 24 Town Hall Seattle Seattle, WA
2/27 The Fox Theater Oakland, CA
3/1 Herbst Theatre San Francisco, CA
3/2 Wilshire Ebell Theatre Los Angeles, CA
3/4 Pabst Theatre Milwaukee, WI
3/5 Buskirk Chumley Theater Bloomington, IN
3/6 The Pageant St. Louis, MO
3/7 Harris Theater, Millennium Park Chicago, IL
3/10, 11 The Town Hall New York, NY

There isn’t a whole lot of press around about Skybox, a Chicago band comprised of Tim Ellis, Mike Holtz, Christian Fields and Dan Ingenthron. But don’t get used to it because if their new album Morning After Cuts is any indication it won’t be long before the whole family’s listening to them and they’re doing iPod commercials. Check below for some 2010 US tour dates including South by Southwest.

Skybox – In A Dream

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I’m aware that this is extremely late coming – it got stuck in my drafts folder unnoticed – but here it is anyways. My thoughts on the newest effort from Vampire Weekend. After reading the feature article the New Yorker ran about Vampire Weekend a few weeks ago titled School of Rock, I was left with a lot of questions. Apparently Vampire Weekend is and has always been influenced by African music, IE Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa – Kwassa Kwassa being a dance rhythm from the republic of Congo – and the article followed this theme while detailing the band’s career. My honest and admittedly uninformed impression before reading this was…really??

From Contra, the song Diplomat’s Son marks the very first track that actually made me sit up and take notice of some Pan-African influence in their music. It’s a very relaxed song with a undeniably reggae beat. But I take some issue with those who would define the band by praising their novel mix of African beats in an indie rock context. The New Yorker article also talks about the tension that arises from the incongruity between their extreme “preppy” image and their choice in world beats. I think is probably where my – and the rest of the critics – skepticism about the band’s authenticity is rooted. I don’t doubt that their degrees from Columbia University taught them a thing or two about world cultures, but I don’t hear a strong commitment to this aesthetic in their music.

Update: I’d like to thank everyone for their insightful emails and comments and gently remind people that I hardly ever write about music on this blog that I don’t like. This review wasn’t meant to come off as negative, just to put the criticism I read about in the New Yorker out there in the context of the new album.

Vampire Weekend – Diplomat’s Son removed by request

Vampire Weekend has been showing up a lot more often in the first few days of 2010, probably in preparation of their new album, titled Contra. The album will be officially released next week on January 12 and will include this tracklist.

1. “Horchata” 3:26
2. “White Sky” 2:58
3. “Holiday” 2:18
4. “California English” 2:30
5. “Taxi Cab” 3:55
6. “Run” 3:52
7. “Cousins” 2:25
8. “Giving Up the Gun” 4:46
9. “Diplomat’s Son” 6:01
10. “I Think Ur a Contra” 4:29

There will also be two bonus iTunes tracks called Giant and California English Pt II. Look for a post next week on this album. I’m listening to it right now and let me just say that the song California English sounds like they used some auto tune effects on the vocals. A curious choice indeed. Until then here are a few new takes on an older song, The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance, the first by Montreal’s very own Chromeo and the second by the “animals” from Miike Snow.

Vampire Weekend – The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance [Chromeo Remix]

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Vampire Weekend – The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance [Miike Snow Remix]

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Tomorrow is the last day of the year 2009 and everywhere you look there is media telling you what the top 10 everything was. This song might not make any of those lists but it’s got that nice casual flow that Kid Cudi excels with. The Vampire Weekend instrumentals work really well too. Let’s hope no one’s New Year’s eve ends as abruptly as this song does.

Kid Cudi feat. Vampire Weekend – Cudderisback

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Can’t say I ever wondered about the possible discomforts that may accompany being pure at heart, but this band from New York has made a career of it. I came across them when checking out what shows might be going on in London while I’m there. I’ll be in town on the December 17th if anyone has any suggestions, leave a comment or send me and email. So far I’ve learned that Diplo is playing fabric the day before and Bombay Bicycle Club the day after. Pains are playing a show at Scala on December 8th in London. I could talk more about this band but my flight leaves tomorrow and they have a great homogeneous 80’s melodic sound and that’s all you need to know for now.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Come Saturday

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Not to be outdone by the myriad of other side projects his band mates have formed, the Julian Casablancas solo project has come upon us. Like the rest of the side projects, it’s pretty similar to The Strokes. But wait! This time there is a thinly veiled electronic twist. That being said, the pop sensibility that the 31 year old veteran of The Strokes has enthusiastically scattered throughout the album works well most of the time. Phrazes for the Young might be one of the last times Casablancas can get away with calling himself young so I’m sure he’ll make the most of it before we hear his trademark monotone voice again.

Julian Casablancas – Tourist

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The last time San Francisco based band The Dodos played a show in Montreal was a year ago for Pop Montreal. While the festival was a few weeks ago, the show this friday at Sala Rossa is a co-production between Pop Montreal and Blues Skies Turn Black. For those of us – me included – who weren’t able to see them last year, this has been a long time coming.

Although the “new” album Time to Die has only officially been out for a month, to some of us it may not be as fresh since a copy was leaked online as early as July. The production on this album definitely has a different feel than 2008’s Visiter which was produced by John Askew. Known for having a hand with bands like The Shins and Fleet Foxes Phil Ek has produced a polished and less acoustic feeling album. That being said, I got my tickets yesterday for a very reasonable 16$ at Casa del Popolo (4873 Saint-Laurent). For those of you don’t know that is the cafe/bar across the street from Sala Rossa. It appears that you can no longer get tickets online.

Joining them is New Zealand based indie pop band The Ruby Suns who have made a name for themselves in America after signing with Sub Pop records in 2007. The price at the door is the same as in advance tickets.

The Dodos – The Strums

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The Dodos – Acorn Factory

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Way back when, in the deep American south, the banjo was amalgamated from lingering concepts of other African instruments. Then it was adopted by white people became somewhat of a mainstay in Country and Bluegrass circles. In 2009 if you hear a banjo being plucked by the soft fingers of an urban youth, it is more than likely that some brand hipster indie rock is going on. Nothing wrong with the occasional dip in the skinny jeans club you might say? It is in this spirit that this little retrospective of banjo rock was assembled.

The most recent to me at least is London based folk band Mumford and Sons who just released their debut full length album Sigh No More two days ago on October 6th, 2009.

The Dodos from San Fransisco got a lot of press for their 2008 album Visiter and they also just came out with an album last month called Time to Die. Expect a post on that album coming soon.

Finally I dug up an old Sufjan Stevens track which contrasts sharply with his latest project the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

Mumford and Sons – Little Lion Man

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The Dodos – Walking

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Sufjan Stevens – All The Trees Of The Field Will Clap Their Hands

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