New Zealand’s finest, Die! Die! Die!, have recently released their eagerly awaited new record, Form, in their homeland with the Australian release coming in October. Hopefully the rest of us don’t have to wait too much longer because Form is an impressive record. It stretches out the band’s sound while still maintaining the energy and power that makes them such a live force.

Download
Die! Die! Die! – How Ye

Fingers crossed for a North American tour that includes Vancouver.

Fever Ray, Karin Dreijer Andersson’s dark electronic musical project that isn’t The Knife, is rumbling out of slumber long enough to release a new single and play a few shows. The single is a cover of Peter Gabriel’s Mercy Street but if you didn’t know better you’d think it was a Fever Ray song. So if you enjoyed the record from last year you’re going to dig this too. The NME has the song up for free download for a short period of time.

Download
Fever Ray – Mercy Street

In my time in Australia I saw The Basics live A LOT. The first time was on a rainy Homebake day inside a muddy tent while other times were in sweaty bars or fancy rooms. I can honestly say that every time I saw the band I thoroughly enjoyed myself. On stage the band were full of energy, humour, and genuine appreciation for the fans that showed up, sang along, and danced. Quite simply, The Basics are one of my very favourite live bands.

Thankfully, The Basics are on the verge of releasing a new album – simply titled The Basics – recorded live at the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne earlier this year. The band recorded the gig with the intention of capturing that quintessential Basics sound. And they’ve done it. The record features the band ripping through their set as tight as I’ve ever heard them. Wally’s vocal on Better is stunning as always while the incredible musicianship from all three (always something to behold on stage) is clearly evident here.

The album swings with some of their most memorable songs (Rattle My Chain) to some older material (What Have You Done?) to their always impressive arsenal of cover songs (Have Love, Will Travel). The live set even closes with their version of the New Kids On The Block “classic”, You Got It (The Right Stuff). I remember them performing that at World Bar years ago and I love the fact they’ve included it here.

On Friday the band will be releasing this live record for FREE from this website. If you’re new to the band, I can’t think of a better place to get into their catalogue than with this live record. If you’re an old fan like me, well it’s fantastic to finally have a live document of one of Australia’s finest live bands. (In fact, if you’re already a fan you may want to order one of the last remaining copies of the only physical release of the record [double vinyl + CD + extras] as they are only printing 300 with most of them already snapped up.)

Here’s a taster from the record.

Download
The Basics – Rattle My Chain

So, the basics:

The Basics.
Live album.
For free.
This Friday.
WIN.

I’ve also worked out the recent commenting problem. So comment away if you like.

Late last week, Exclaim (via CBC Radio 3) reported that Constantines are taking an indefinite hiatus – never something you want to hear about a band you really love. Cons lead singer Bry Webb’s exact words:

“We’re in our early 30s and we have some different priorities than we did ten years ago, personally any way. It’s time to focus on other things.”

Sad times for Cons fans. I was late to the band, only really getting into them when Tournament of Hearts came out. But from there I quickly jumped into the absolutely stellar back catalogue and haven’t looked back since.

I consider myself lucky to have seen the band once but I must say I am really regretting missing their two shows here during the Olympics earlier this year. They were an absolute force on stage and it’s a real shame that there isn’t some sort of official document of their live show for fans. Get on that Sub Pop and/or Arts & Crafts!

Download
Constantines – Arizona
Constantines – Nighttime/Anytime (It’s Alright)
Constantines – On To You
Constantines – Soon Enough
Constantines – Love In Fear
Constantines – Hard Feelings

Over the weekend Thom Yorke played a solo set at the Big Chill Festival in the UK. The performance featured a mix of material from The Eraser, some old Radiohead songs as well as one new song (Give Up The Ghost) that seems likely to feature on the new Radiohead record. The most intersting aspect of the gig though was the fact that Thom tackled both Planet Telex and The Gloaming on his own. Not the most obvious choices for a solo performance.

The performance of Planet Telex was particularly brilliant. I’ve heard that song a lot but never did I imagine I’d hear it played so beautifully on the piano.

The Gloaming was less of a departure with Thom still working the song up into a haunting climax.

And here’s the new one, Give Up The Ghost.

At Ease has some more videos. The complete setlist for the Big Chill gig…

The Eraser
The Clock
Harrowdown Hill
I Might Be Wrong
The Gloaming
Reckoner
Black Swan
Planet Telex
Give Up The Ghost
Cymbal Rush
Everything In Its Right Place
Airbag

Now finish that album, please.

Photo of Thom Yorke and Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja backstage at Big Chill courtesy @fatsimon (website).

I hate reviewing shows more than a day after the gig has happened as I never remember the details that I would have liked to note down here (UPDATE: I did remember details). I do remember this: Joanna Newsom’s show at the Vogue Theatre Thursday night was yet another mesmerizing evening in the presence of a true songwriting genius.

The nearly two-hour show drew heavily from this year’s Have One On Me – a record I have differing opinions on every time I listen to it. Luckily, most of the songs I consider unequivocally great pieces of music ended up being performed by Joanna and her five-piece band (guitar/banjo/other, violins x2, trombone, and drums/percussion). It all started with Newsom on her own, however, with ’81. One of my favourite songs of the year, the tale of an alternative Garden of Eden set the show up perfectly as Joanna then spent the rest of the evening opening up new worlds, song after song.

The biggest change in Newsom’s performances since I first saw her at Sasquatch in 2005 is the control she now wields over her voice. Songs like Easy would have sounded a lot different in the past but now Newsom ducks and weaves her voice seamlessly to fill theatres like the Vogue with a totally unique and beautiful voice.

There are other changes in her show as well…in fact, every time I’ve seen Joanna Newsom the show has been entirely different (even if many of the songs were the same). Thursday, for instance, marked the the third time I’d seen Ys songs Cosmia and Monkey & Bear performed but I have yet to see them performed the same way. When I first heard them live in January 2007, Newsom was playing a set on her own, entirely on the harp; the arrangements were unadorned but still incredibly powerful. The next time I heard them was a year later in the Sydney Opera House complete with an orchestra as Van Dyke Parks’ complex arrangements were executed beautifully live on stage. And on Thursday they were different again as they were played with the backing band and yet they still felt incredibly “complete” if totally different from what I’d heard before.

That is too many words to say: Newsom’s tours are always different which makes seeing her on each tour a truly memorable experience.

The other older songs played on Thursday were Inflammatory Writ and Peach, Plum, Pear; both live staples but, again, they’ve undergone new arrangements with her current touring band. Inflammatory Writ, which was greeted with a huge cheer from a very attentive audience, particularly benefited from a full-band as it’s bouncy optimism contrasted well with some of the other more somber material from Have One On Me.

What really surprised me was that it wasn’t just the older songs that were instantly greeted with cheers from the crowd. Many of the new songs elicited excited responses from the crowd, including Soft As Chalk, one of several songs on the night which featured Newsom at the piano rather than the harp. Go Long and Good Intentions Paving Company were also greeted warmly with the latter being stretched out into a lengthy “jam” featuring some great work on the trombone from…the trombone player whose name I forget. Andy maybe? I think Kingfisher was about the only new song which didn’t seem to work for me. It’s a bit too long with not quite enough happening in it. I don’t mind it in the context of the album but live it kind of slowed things down too much in the middle of the set.

After Peach, Plum, Pear closed the show the band returned for Baby Birch, one of Have One On Me’s highlights. Man, I don’t think I realized how sad that song is. Nonetheless, it was a very, very fitting and powerful end to the show. The build to the crescendo was filled with tension and when it was finally released…catharsis! Fabulous end to another amazing Joanna Newsom show.

Setlist
’81
Have One On Me
Easy
Cosmia
Soft As Chalk
Kingfisher
Inflammatory Writ
Go Long
Good Intentions Paving Company
Monkey & Bear
Peach, Plum, Pear
———
Baby Birch

Also, Joanna Newsom was hot. Literally. She claimed she was melting on stage as the Vogue clearly weren’t spending much money on a/c during Vancouver’s recent warm spell. A few photos from the gig here.

Added bonus of the evening was Fleet Foxes lead singer Robin Pecknold’s opening set. His voice was absolutely impeccable and was made for theatres where it can just fill every corner of the room. I’m pretty sure his set was almost entirely new material that, I assume, will be on the new Fleet Foxes record which must not be too far off. A few of the new songs, while definitely in the style of what we’ve heard before from Fleet Foxes, seemed more ambitious in scope with multiple parts and shifting keys. More than anything, Pecknold’s set was a nice reminder that Fleet Foxes are still out there.

Attempt at the setlist below…like I said, pretty sure those first seven songs were all new. If one was a cover I didn’t recognize it (I do know Pecknold is capable of spitting out many folk covers) so if you recognize any of the lyrics let me know.

Setlist
Look Up, Look Down That Lonesome Road
Montezuma
Helplessness Blues
“After all you said and done I feel the same”
“I left a penny at the shrine this morning”
Blue Spotted Tail
Lorelai
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song

Download
Fleet Foxes – Mykonos

I don’t know much about Fine Mist but there are two excellent reasons why I’m excited for their debut record, Public Domain, which will be released next month.

1. My friend Quinn is such a believer in Fine Mist that he actually helped them cover some of the costs of recording and releasing Public Domain. That is putting money where your mouth is.

2. The beat-y, synth-y Stop Or Start is an infectious piece of pop music perfect for the summer. Get on this now, folks.

Download
Fine Mist – Stop or Start

Mp3 courtesy Exclaim who also have more info on Fine Mist and the forthcoming record.