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Glam Chops
"Countdown To Christmas"/"Baby Jesus Was The First Glam Rocker"
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12/3/2008
As we first mentioned back in May, Art Brut front-man Eddie Argos has been moonlighting with a select bunch of musicians in London in a proper glam rock band they've christened Glam Chops. Of course, that's while he currently works on a new Art Brut album with Frank Black. Well, Glam Chops have finally released some music and it's the best kind: free and Christmas-themed. Alright, free is always the best, but as I've learned these last three days of doing Click Hear, there's plenty good in Christmas music - you've just got to go find it....
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Raveonettes
Wishing You A Rave Christmas
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12/2/2008
This summer, the Raveonettes announced a series of digital-only EPs that began with a possible look at what's to come for the future. The first was an EP of remixes, which was then followed up by two more of brand new originals featuring a strong fondness for programmed drumming. Now a fourth and final EP has recently dropped, not only putting a big ol' exclamation point on this experiment of theirs but also making it a nice addition to the annual glut of holiday music....
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Glasvegas
"Please Come Back Home"
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12/1/2008
Following in the footsteps of *NSYNC, who previously released their second album as a festive treat, Glasvegas demonstrate their love of Christmas as well. They love the holiday so much that they flew over to Transylvania and did the customary yuletide sessions in a big, old, vampiric-looking church for their second effort. The result is titled A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss), and though many suspected it would look to Phil Spector's timeless A Christmas Gift For You, it actually sounds like an extension of their debut....
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N.A.S.A.
"Spacious Thoughts" (Featuring Tom Waits and Kool Keith)
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11/28/2008
The only thing more impressive than having enough balls to challenge the patience and power of the U.S. government's intergalactic agency by actually using the moniker N.A.S.A. is assembling the guests this duo — Squeak E. Clean (Sam Spiegel) and DJ Zegon (Ze Gonzales) — have recruited for their debut album. Set for release on February 17 via Anti- and over five years in the making, The Spirit of Apollo features none other than the following: David Byrne, Kanye West, Lovefoxxx (CSS), Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), the Cool Kids, Spank Rock, John Frusciante, Chuck D., Seu Jorge, Fatlip and Slim Kid Tre (the Pharcyde), E-40, Z-Trip, M.I.A., Gift of Gab, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Scarface, Chali 2na, Amanda Blank, KRS-One, DJ Qbert, George Clinton, Seu Jorge, Santogold, Ol' Dirty Bastard and Ghostface Killah....
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Girls Aloud
"The Loving Kind"/"Untouchable"
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11/27/2008
Every year I seem to rant about how disappointing it is to see yet another album by my favourite DS-playing and dog-saving group, Girls Aloud, get passed over for North American distribution by their label, Universal. But this year I'd rather focus on the music and the fact that they've just put out their best album yet. Called Out of Control, the Girls have worked with Xenomania (Annie, Franz Ferdinand, Sugababes) once again, along with unlikelies such as Johnny Marr and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys. A number of the songs this time stand out, like the '60s girl group throwback "The Promise" or the skittering drum & bass energy of "Live in the Country," but for me it's a toss-up between two others that deserve some focus....
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Lullabies in the Dark
"Iridium"
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11/26/2008
Formed astonishingly just last year by Vito De Luca (Aeroplane) and Jim Adam, LITD is the combination of two producers with many different musical tastes. "Iridium" follows a similar path, using those ingredients once again but with a much different effect. Also incorporating a bold yet soothing orchestral track and reverberating organs, this time De Luca and Adam forgo the meek laptop-isms for a full-on house beat charged with vitalizing Balearic bongos. It's an uplifter for sure, building up to the climax, which explodes with the electric guitar finally making its cameo for one scorching psych solo....
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Legends
"Seconds Away"
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11/25/2008
If by chance you've been following the career of Johan Angergård's off and on one-man band the Legends since 2004's debut, Up Against the Legends, you'll know to leave your expectations at the door. A self-proclaimed genre wanderer, the Stockholm-based Angergård, who also moonlights in Club 8 and Acid House Kings, and is the owner of the Labrador label, is a true nomad when it comes to his music. Channelling the brotherly chaos of the Jesus & Mary Chain, it's obvious where his inspiration now lies....
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The Hives and Cyndi Lauper
"A Christmas Duel"
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11/24/2008
Sure, the glut of Christmas albums has already reared its ugly head, thanks to the (lack of) efforts by the usual sorts — Enya, Anne Murray, Aretha Franklin — but with every ten or so releases your mom would appreciate in her stocking there's the odd one cut out for you and me. An odd pairing, for sure, but former Maroon 5 tour-mates the Hives and the original girl that just wanted to have fun, Cyndi Lauper, have teamed up for a joint effort that throws it back to when Christmas music was something special — y'know, when it was all about brawling spouses....
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Hall & Oates
"Out of Touch" (Action Jackson Remix)
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11/21/2008
Because I'm interviewing John Oates this week, I felt it was necessary to throw a little Hall & Oates into Click Hear, just because, well, I've always wanted to. Proving just how darn relevant these Philly-based "blue-eyed soulmen" still are, lo and behold, it took me no time to discover a brand new remix of my favourite H&O; song: "Out of Touch."...
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Lo-Fi-Fnk
"Want U"
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11/20/2008
It's been a while since Stockholm's cream of the pop last checked in. To be exact, Lo-Fi-Fnk haven't released anything since 2006, when they dropped their rather brilliant Boylife LP and subsequent singles and remixes. Well, it looks like Leo Drougge and August Hellsing are finally up to something, as they've released a new track titled "Want U" on the new Kitsuné Maison 6 comp....
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Graham Wright
The Lakes of Alberta
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11/19/2008
Tokyo Police Club have had a pretty monumental year. Surprisingly, keyboardist Graham Wright found time to write, record and whip up a neat little EP in his spare time. Yep, the "one with the glasses," who once spent his time blogging for Exclaim! about America's toilets, has become the first member to officially release something outside of the band... and boy is it scandalicious!...
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Rolo Tomassi
"Abraxas"
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11/18/2008
Surfing around the other day, I stumbled upon Rolo Tomassi over at the always fascinating 20 Jazz Funk Greats blog. Suggesting the Sheffield, UK-based outfit are a relief for those suffering from the absence of the Blood Brothers' brand of "splattercore," it was hard not to have a taste....
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Lil Wayne
Dedication 3 (Gangsta Grillz)
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11/17/2008
It was only a matter of time before Lil Wayne dropped another mixtape on us. Selling more records than any artist in America this year (that's unconfirmed, but more than likely) doesn't even stop this cat, which means he's definitely not coasting on the success of Tha Carter III by simply blogging for ESPN and making paid appearances at whatever event wants him. A sequel to 2006's Dedication 2 (Gangsta Grillz), Dedication 3 finds Weezy back with DJ Drama for some more "gangsta" shout outs, this time with 73-percent more Auto-Tune!...
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Faunts
Faunts Remixed
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11/14/2008
It's good to hear Edmonton's Faunts again. This time, it's in a much more different capacity. As we still wait for the full-length follow-up to 2005's High Expectations/Low Results, which is titled Feel.Love.Thinking.Of. and expected in February 2009, the dream pop outfit have released the fittingly titled Faunts Remixed, a 14-track, 80-minute-plus digital-only a remix album. Faunts Remixed features a selection of tracks from High Expectations/Low Results, as well as 2006's M4 EP, remixed by a wide range of contributors, including Cadence Weapon, San Serac, Boy in Static, Saxon Shore, and Faunts themselves, to name a few....
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Gentleman Reg
"You Can't Get It Back"
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11/13/2008
"You Can't Get It Back" steps away from Reg Vermue's usual tweeness and breaks out the riffage, as he turns up the amp to about seven to drop palm-mutes and guitar leads throughout this spirited number. Reg sounds pretty confident too, like the last four years were spent pumping jugs of milk or something. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's been cruising along in a Silverado pickup to Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, but judging by this newfound rock-ability, I'd say at some point or another there's been at least some BTO blasting through his iPod while racing along Queen Street West on a Schwinn....
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BRAIDS
"Liver and Tan"
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11/12/2008
A four-piece all currently under the age of 20 from Calgary and now based out of Montreal, BRAIDS have scored possibly the most coveted opening slot in their circle, supporting Deerhunter and Times New Viking for two dates. I'll admit it, their opening stint is what introduced me to these fellow Canadians, and I'm grateful for it. They adorably classify themselves as "experimental pop" and I can't argue with that....
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Bocce
"Demonstration Sport Bronze Medalist"
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11/11/2008
Waterloo, ON isn't the first place I think of when it comes to fertile music scenes, so forgive me K-W if I'm surprised to find a band to feature in Click Hear. But from their beautifully international sporting name to the high energy they use in their music, I'm finding this particular ignorance of mine to be bliss. I regretfully missed Bocce this past Saturday (November 8) when they opened for Matt & Kim, along with Best Fwends, at the Whippersnapper space here in Toronto but judging by Matt's enthusiasm, I can imagine how they tore up the relatively close quarters of the venue with their brand of aggressive, fist-pumpin' electro pop punk....
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Born Ruffians
Daytrotter Session
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11/10/2008
I'm not sure I've ever touched on the fantastic resource that is Daytrotter.com. Every week since the end of 2006, this extremely ambitious website has featured a new band almost every day, accumulating 20 songs for readers/listeners to sample. In the two years it's been operating, the Daytrotter Sessions, as it's formally called, has built itself a massive and extraordinary library of exclusive performances from artists such as Vampire Weekend, A Place to Bury Strangers, the Walkmen, Tokyo Police Club, Okkervil River, Spoon, Times New Viking and hundreds more. I just noticed the other day that one of my favourite Canadian bands, Born Ruffians, were invited for a session where they debuted three new ones to go with a run-through of "Foxes Mate For Life," from their excellent debut LP, Red Yellow and Blue....
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Sexy Kids
"Sisters Are Forever"
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11/7/2008
Signed to the red hot Slumberland label, Sexy Kids are set to release their debut seven-inch titled Sisters Are Forever on November 18. The A-side is right up their new label's alley, with its unassuming melodies, scant instrumentation, and DIY methodology, though minus the smothering reverb that made the latest LPs by cause co-MOTION! and Crystal Stilts so irresistible....
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Fan Death
"Veronica's Veil"
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11/6/2008
Upon first listen, I'd likely bet all my marbles that London's Fan Death were the latest new thing signed to Mike Simonetti's Italians Do It Better imprint, considering they share that dreamy disco sound with the ever so cherished Glass Candy and Chromatics. But they're not. Instead, this duo (named after a a South Korean urban legend surrounding the dangers of leaving your electric fan running overnight) are the latest new thing signed to Phantasy Sounds, the label founded by "the UK's favourite DJ" and burgeoning super-producer Erol Alkan....
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Has it really been three years since we last heard a new Franz Ferdinand album? Apparently so, but thankfully there's a new one just around the corner. The flashy Scots who broke through in 2004 with their massive radio-friendly hit "Take Me Out" and their multi-platinum self-titled debut album, are set to release their third album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand on January 27, 2009. The album, which comes three years after their second album, 2005's You Could Have It So Much Better..., returns to their original M.O. of giving something to the girls to dance to, but as front-man Alex Kapranos says, "this one is in a different kind of way." Kapranos was gracious enough to chat with Exclaim! from his label Domino's HQ in NYC about the forthcoming album, why they didn't end up taking the Euro dance pop route and how much he enjoyed living in Vancouver, among other things....
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Larry LeBlanc has been a leading figure in Canadian music for four decades. Canadian bureau chief of Billboard magazine from 1991 to 2007, Larry was also the co-founder of the late Canadian music trade, The Record. He is currently publisher of The LeBlanc Newsletter. Read More
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Check out the hottest new releases this week, including: Britney Spears Circus, Burton Cummings Above the Ground, Neil Young Sugar Mountain - Live At Canterbury House 1968, Scarface Emeritus, Various Artists Cadillac Records OST...
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