The Dears - Gang of Losers

I don't know much about this Montreal band but so far so good for my ears. Kind of sounds like a cross between Wolf Parade and Interpol. Their new album Gang of Losers will be released this Tuesday, August 29, 2006.

You can preorder here.

Download and listen (from the upcoming album):
There Goes My Outfit MP3

Cokemachineglow and Pitchfork have both reviewed their 2003 album No Cities Left with marginal impressions.

Emusic has their EP debut Protest available.

Its my day off, so please excuse the lazy post. I have company visiting.

The Dears Homepage

Sloan - Never Hear The End Of It

Not sure what the hell is going on with the photo uploading program for Blogger, but anyways here is a downloadable MP3 from the best of the Halifax bands of the 90s - Sloan.

Fading into Obscurity MP3

You can also stream:
Who Taught You To Live Like That

The band will be releasing a 30 track double LP sometime in September. The track listings are:

SIDE 1

Flying High Again
Who Taught You To Live Like That?
I've Gotta Try
Everybody Wants You
Listen To The Radio
Fading Into Obscurity
I Can't Sleep

SIDE 2

Someone That I Can Be True With
Right Or Wrong
Something's Wrong
Ana Lucia
Before The End Of The Race
Blackout
I Understand
You Know What It's About

SIDE 3

Golden Eyes
Can't You Figure It Out?
Set In Motion
Love Is All Around
Will I Belong?
Ill Placed Trust
Live The Life You're Dreaming Of

SIDE 4

Living With The Masses
HFXNSHC
People Think They Know Me
I Know You
Last Time In Love
It's Not The End Of The World
Light Years
Another Way I Could Do It

Watch a live performance of Underwhelmed.




These guys are legends up in Canada. The band more recent LPs can be downloaded from Emusic.

Sloan Homepage

Thrush Hermit on MySpace

Defunct since 1999, Thrush Hermit was part of the great Halifax Explosion that so heavily influenced today's top indie acts such as Meligrove Band and The New Pornographers.

Interestingly enough, a MySpace page popped up recently for the band. Is the band reforming? Two MP3 tracks are available for download:

Giddy With The Drugs MP3
Hung Up On Me MP3

Watch the video French Inhale (great college tune from the group).



Buy Clayton Park from Emusic.

Thrush Hermit Homepage

Meligrove Band - Planets Conspire

Anyone recall the Halifax Pop Explosion of the 1990s? East coast bands such as Sloan, Thrush Hermit, Eric's Trip and Super Friendz all greatly contributed to indie guitar pop friendly music that later became popularized by current acts such as The New Pornographers and Death Cab by Cutie.

For true indie music lovers, the east coast sound was pure heaven. And sadly, most of those bands are now defunct with the exception of the ever popular (at least in Canada) and ferociously independent Sloan.

Toronto's Meligrove Band are somewhat revivalists of the 90s east coast sound coupled with today's current popular brit-pop alt. And the results are pure gold.

The band's bio can be read here. Another interesting article detailing the influences of the band can be read here as well.

Download and listen:
Monkey Mask MP3 (2002 Let It Grow)
The Victory MP3 (2000 Stars & Guitars)

Watch Everyone's A Winner:


Read Cokemachineglow's review of Planets Conspire here. Pitchfork reviewed their sophomoric effort Let It Grow.

Buy Planets Conspire at Emusic.

The Meligrove Band Homepage

The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site

Its been awhile since these guys from Winnipeg, Manitoba have produced an album, but their 2003 effort Reconstruction Site contains brilliant song writing. The album has an 80s REMish feel to it, somewhat crossing over into the domain of The Tragically Hip.

Pitchfork gave a rather brutal review of the album which can be read here. However, more accurate reviews from listeners can be obtained from Emusic.

These are some terrific downloadable MP3s:
Last Last One MP3
Aside MP3
Plea From A Cat Named Virtute MP3

CBC also provided an acoustic session with frontman John K. Samson which is available to be streamed.

Buy Reconstruction Site from Emusic.

Hopefully, a new effort from the band will be forthcoming in the near future.

The Weakerthans Homepage