I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t know how to pronounce Timber Timbre for a long while until I was corrected by a friend who said, “no no, it’s like Timber Tamber“. Gotcha. Well they just released an animated video for Swamp Magic off their LP “Creep On Creepin On” via Arts & Crafts. This track is especially spooky with the shrill of violins dragging throughout- in fact, it’s entirely instrumental. They’ve got some tour dates coming up below. Check ‘em out.

Tour dates

11/23 London, ON – Aeolian Hall
11/24 Sarnia, ON – The Story
11/25 Guelph, ON – Dublin Street United Church
11/26 Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
11/29 Buffalo, NY – The Town Ballroom
12/2 Kingston, ON – Chalmers United Church
12/3 Montreal, QC – St. Jean Baptiste Church

They Shoot Music Don’t They are similar to most other Take Away show type websites, you know, you’ve got your Blogotheque, your Yours Truly, Green Couch, Black Cab, Sleepover Shows, Southern Souls etc.. but this one is a little different. They’re Viennese! Did you know that’s what they’re called? Folks from Vienna. The advantage that they have, is that big acts who are passing through Europe might be more inclined to set something like this up due to a little more free time, and the fact that there just aren’t that many music-video projects going on over there. So they’ve managed to get acts like Blitzen Trapper, Camera Obscura, Midlake, Efterklang, Okkervil River, and so on. Really great sessions up there.

I’ve been really into The War on Drugs lately, so when they sent this one my way, I was happy to post. Check out their track, “Best Night” that they performed in a bike shed.

My friend Steffaloo just recently did an in-store at Origami Vinyl, and guess what- she’s got a vinyl sitting on them shelves herself. I’m so proud of how far she’s come! She collaborated with Gracie on a track called “Quilts”. Basically, anything that features Steffaloo’s vocals surrounded by heavy beats, I’m into. Check it out below.

Gracie x Steffaloo- Quilts

Okay, so I realize I just recently posted a track from Coeur De Pirate but I wanted to take a moment to share some of my observations from her sold-out record release last Friday at the Mod Club. Yes, I went, and yes- I still take really terrible photos with my iPhone and they’re all a total blur. Anyway, this isn’t exactly a review of her show (that would warrant some live pics, right?) More of just a total fascination with this girl. When I look at her, I see just about every other awkward young blonde girl disguised by black eye makeup and tattoos. But I also see a real tenderness to her. Now, I didn’t understand a thing besides her Weekend cover (which I’ve posted below) but I did get the sense that for how overwhelmed she was with all the attention, she truly reveled in it all- even pinching out a tear or two towards the end to express her gratitude for the (most female) screams and claps. And I just saw myself up there, as I normally do when I fantasize that I too, am French pop star. She kept repeating that she was on a cloud and wished that every day was like that. And there it was- a few really pure moments of joy, enough to bounce back at all of us in vicarious waves that illuminated us. Everyone seemed happy for her.

And while I started off resenting her for strutting around all cutesy-like with a peek-a-boo dress that revealed her midriff, I couldn’t help but warm up to her towards the end, and I too became a fan. She’s a stellar musician, and although most of her songs followed the same lullaby structure, they were catchy- and she really handled the crowd well- in fact, she’s probably the kind of confident that Lana Del Rey only wishes she could be. So I really can’t knock her. She wasn’t even trying to be all that sexed up – like whenever I watch St. Vincent on videos and she always looks like she wants to either sleep with everyone our maul everyone to death- it’s those doe eyes, I can’t tell. Anyway, long story short- Coeur De Pirate is great, and I believe, truly deserving of all her newfound success. Believe the hype! Grab her record “Blonde” here.

Coeur de Pirate- Wicked Games (The Weeknd Cover)

Mutual Benefit teamed up with Philip Seymour Hoffman for a double EP. It includes Your Loving Brother and The Cowboy’s Prayer- all on one cassette. It’ll be out, physically, in December, but it’s up on bandcamp right about, now. The track, Auburn Epitaphs includes the classic Mutual Benefit- dreamlike wonder. Jordan is basically a sonic dreamcatcher.

 Mutual Benefit- Auburn Epitaphs

Death Songs is a new project by Nick Delffs (of The Shaky Hands and The Castanets) with his brother. Their self titled EP came out, and it’s got that lo fi acoustic feel with Delffs classic quivering vocals, like he’s afraid of the words he’s singing. I just found something so mystical and serene about it- despite the morbid title, or maybe in light of it. There’s a deep sincerity to it, with songs like, “Let This Body Go”  filled with philosophical observations that sound almost Buddhist, “seek and you’ll never find”.  Ophelia has this sort of European romanticism to it, with hand claps and a perfect rhythm that produces a trance like straight- primed for a seance. My favorite track is “Water in the Eyes of Man” it’s definitely the most lively- it’s got this sweet country charm to it, I bet it’s got something to do with that harmonica.

Death Songs- Water In The Eyes of Man

Young Empires, a band who- if you happen to be within close proximity to the music department at Invisible Children late last year, would’ve been playing on repeat. We were all collectively obsessed with their track “White Doves” and invited them to play for our showcase at SXSW. The track “Enter Through the Sun” came out on 11/11/11- via Pirates Blend.The band are set to play M for Montreal’s SXSW stage on Nov. 17th at Salsa Rosa-which I believe is in Montreal, it’s been a while.

I highly suggest you check out their website because it’s gorgeous. Young Empires is like the soundtrack to a generation of young and attractive people. Ahem, Levis Campaign? Listen to the song below!

ENTER THROUGH THE SUN by YOUNG EMPIRES

Edmonton artist, Doug Hoyer sent along a track called Snow Bank that he recorded with Jessica Jalbert (a recent FWBA favorite). He told me he awaited the first snow fall in Edmonton to release it, and thankfully Toronto has been nothing but an eerie calm, mild nights that make me believe that we might just skip the whole season on this end.

He went on to describe the song, ” I wrote it in the winter of my first year of college, when I remembered that my friend in one class had also been my first kiss, fueled by adolescence and alcohol, at midnight on New Year’s Eve in Grade 10. It’s funny how little details like that can be forgotten.

I used to play this song with my old old old band with Calvin McElroy (Kuhrye-oo, Born Gold), so when we were finishing up recording this album, we thought we’d revisit this song, and brought Jessica on board to play the foil in the duet.”

It’s got this sort of sixties lounge sound set to the pace of an indie-pop song. The duet reminds me of She & Him, this cutesy back and forth playfulness. Listen below!

The Fling just put out a new video for Dogpile. They shot this in Long Beach, where I used to live and it gets me all nostalgic, except for the part when people get abducted. I don’t remember any of that. Their latest EP “What I’ve Seen” is out now via Dangerbird Records. They’re currently in the thick of a three-month long tour and are gearing up to head out with Yukon Blonde for the last leg. Dates are here.

The Fling- Dogpile

Lord Huron has been a favorite of mine since we first discovered the band last year, via Rollo & Grady. Since then, it seems they’ve exploded- with non stop touring circuits and slots at pretty much every music fest worth going to, not to mention gorgeously shot music videos that have that kind of cinematic quality that makes them so romantic. So I was delighted when they came on board for our Silver Series at this year’s SxSW joining 24 other incredible acts to play a few acoustic songs in the park for us.

People scattered along the grass, sitting cross legged- while watching Lord Huron play their unique mix of tropical meets folk, complete with an upright bass, percussive washboard, and beautiful harmonies. They performed “Into the Sun” a song that breaks midway for sweeping vocal harmonies that linger in the air, and suddenly instruments begin to pick up again as they repeated, “I wouldn’t survive one more day” which is precisely what we were thinking after four straight days of filming in Austin! I’m  so excited to co-premiere their video today- in anticipation for their upcoming show in San Diego this Saturday, at Four Day Weekend. I swear, I won’t mention Four Day Weekend anymore.. You get it. You wish you were in San Diego, too.