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Roderick A. Macdonald may not be a household name, but he’s changed the way thousands of Canadians live.

The McGill University law professor played a crucial role in paving the way for same-sex marriage in this country, as well as the inquiry into abuse at residential schools – and the federal government’s 2008 apology to survivors.

Macdonald has spent his career challenging the way the law is conceived and applied in this country, and giving voice to those who’ve had little representation in the operations of institutional power.

But now he’s losing his own voice: his ability to speak is greatly impaired by the fact that he’s terminally ill with throat cancer.

'A lot of people have characterized me as a bit of an enfant terrible.' - Roderick Macdonald

Three hundred leading Canadian legal minds gathered in February at a McGill symposium held in his honour. Macdonald — or "Rod" as he’s better known among friends and colleagues — couldn't take the podium. The discomfort of his throat prosthesis makes talking for more than 15 minutes both difficult and painful.

But he did agree to a series of five short interviews with Paul Kennedy, host of CBC Radio's Ideas program, in which he talked about his legacy.

“A lot of people have characterized me as a bit of an enfant terrible," he told Kennedy. "I write what I believe and it turns out that these essays make people in power angry. But that isn’t why I wrote them. I wrote them because that is what I believed.”

Influenced a generation of lawyers

Macdonald says he never wanted to be a lawyer. From his first day in law school, he wanted to teach law, and that’s what he began doing at the University of Windsor in 1975.

Since then, he’s influenced generations of lawyers, judges and legal thinkers.

Attendees at the February symposium – many of them former students -- read like a veritable Who’s Who in Canadian law: Rosalie Abella is a justice at the Supreme Court of Canada; Nicholas Kasirer is a justice on the Quebec Court of Appeal; and Kim Brooks is the dean of the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie.

Finding new and daring ways of looking at the law has been as much Macdonald's hallmark as his ever-present bowtie.

One of his seminal works is a 1990 article entitled Office Politics. It wasn’t a typically dry, jargon-filled and footnote-laden legal text, but rather a set of memos written between the dean and other members of an imagined law faculty about the allocation of office space. The subject may seem grindingly dull, but Macdonald used the subject of office space as an allegory to get at questions about the complexity of authority and the impact of an institution's internal culture on the quality of its decision-making process.

Residential school apology

Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine, wearing headdress, and Head of the Native Women's Association of Canada, Beverley Jacobs, standing to his left, were among the people in the House of Commons to hear Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially apologize for more than a century of abuse involving Indian residential schools on June 11, 2008. (Fred Chartrand/The Canadian Press)

Macdonald has a knack for drawing our attention to the seemingly obvious, and questioning it critically.

One participant at the symposium recounted a story of Macdonald asking students to explain how we know a table is actually a table. Or to think of how many ways a sign saying “Keep off the grass” could be wrong or inapplicable. (Maybe the sign is unfair to people in wheelchairs. Maybe it should be bilingual. Maybe it’s public property.)

Such questions may seem trivial, but answering them requires both epistemological rigour and imagination.

Macdonald's point is to be aware of why we think our way of looking at the world feels natural and right - or not.

“Many, many people believe that the law is a one-way projection of authority from lawmakers or law-givers to citizens, who are merely passive respondents to what the commands of the people in authority are," says Macdonald, explaining his contrarian philosophy.

But he doesn’t believe the law should be a one-way street.

“The best way to achieve a harmonious and peaceful society is to recognize that people have within themselves the capacity to do what is appropriate under the circumstances, and that the law should be designed to facilitate their agency."

Emphasis on critical thinking

His commitment to critical thinking was the impetus behind Restoring Dignity: Responding to Child Abuse in Canadian Institutions, the report he spearheaded while at the Law Commission. Its purpose was to document the decades of abuse suffered by native children in residential schools.

To Macdonald, the realities depicted in that report were a perfect example of how the law should be a two-way dialogue, not merely a top-down command.

“During the institutional abuse hearings, we met a woman who had been put away in the Grandview School, which was a training school for girls. And [she’d] been terribly abused: raped by several guards, physically abused, treated horrendously.

"And yet, here she was at age 60, full of humanity, full of optimism, working in a volunteer sector to improve the situation of training schools for youth in other situations, with just a sparkle in her eye, and no sense of anger and no sense of bitterness at her past.”

Macdonald says he was galvanized by the woman's spirit in the context of such gross violations of the law and systemic injustices towards native peoples.

“It’s unbelievable… And it just rededicates your writing and doing the absolute best you can, because in some sense, you are doing it for people like that.”

Famously unorthodox

The tendency to swim against the prevailing tide of thinking is definitive for Macdonald. When he moved in 1979 from the University of Windsor, with its relaxed dress code, to McGill, with its more formal one, he decided to make a statement by inventing his own dress code: he started wearing a bow tie, which became something of a trademark for him.

He’s also been known to pull out his guitar and play in front of students, faculty, even a roomful of judges to make a point.

“There was a meeting of all the superior and provincial court judges of Quebec in Quebec City about five years ago," Macdonald recounts.

"And the topic was the independence of the judiciary. And I thought there was a particularly moving song by [folk singer] Phil Ochs about how one lives one’s life, true to one’s values, without being influenced by inappropriate considerations.”

The song he performed was When I’m Gone. The judges’ response: a standing ovation.

The song title has a poignant resonance now, given his grim prognosis, which limits his remaining time to months – perhaps even weeks – rather than years. Yet Professor Macdonald is untouched by despair.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate," he says. "It’s been a fabulous life. You know, it sounds silly, [but] I wouldn’t have it any other way. I genuinely believe that.”

A Just Life, a documentary about the life and thoughts of Roderick A. Macdonald, airs May 14 at 9 p.m. ET (9:30 p.m. NT) on the CBC Radio One program Ideas (


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A call for the global ban on all forms of asbestos was made today by more than 150 international organizations.

The statement, released Tuesday, calling for the ban on the mining, use and export of all form of asbestos has already been approved by over 150 public health organizations and scientists from at least 20 countries.

The statement was released on the heels of last month's announcement by the Quebec government saying it would lend $58 million to help re-start the former Johns-Manville mine in Quebec, keeping the production and export of asbestos going for another 20 years.

"Continued use of asbestos will lead to a public health disaster of asbestos-related illness and premature death for decades to come, repeating the epidemic we are witnessing today in industrialized countries that used asbestos in the past," said Dr. Stanley Weiss, chair of the Joint Policy Committee of the Societies of Epidemiology, which released the statement.

The group includes a number of Canadian, U.S. and international epidemiology organizations, working together for the first time to fight the distribution of asbestos.

"The body of evidence is now so overwhelming and it was time to step up and come together as a group," Professor Colin Soskolne, past-president of the Canadian Society of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, told CBC News.

While activists argue asbestos is linked to cancer, industry proponents have insisted it can be used safely if handled properly.

"The vast majority of people who are not in the pocket of industry …we all agree that the time has come to expose the controversy as a non-controversy." Soskolne said. "There is no doubt about the harmful effects of asbestos, and there is not enough doubt to undermine the need for policy change."

Those opposed to asbestos are urging major producers — including Brazil, Kazakhstan, Russia and Canada — to put an end to mining and exports and help communities make the transition to a different industry.

"Promoting deceit is immoral and we need to take a higher ground than the one we are taking … and help the people in those mining communities to retool and develop different industries," he said.

Canada 'exporting the problem'

In the 1960s and '70s a number of asbestos miners began showing signs of respiratory diseases and as a direct result Canada began to rid homes, schools and offices of the hazardous material applied as insulation. However, Canada still mines and exports white asbestos — which is a form the Canadian government says is safe to use.

"There is a profound double standard that can't be defended on any moral basis," Soskolne said. "Giving this substance to developing countries is utterly immoral."

The epidemiologists say they hope their efforts highlight the seriousness of the health hazards.

"There is no controversy, we know it causes disease and death," Weiss told CBC News. "We are still dealing with the devastating impact of past use and we want to stop a continuing epidemic."

With files from the Canadian Press

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18827 Roscoe Blvd.
Northridge, CA 91324
CCAC Official Website

Community Christian Alliance Church

Sunday Worship Services ~ 9 AM & 10:45 AM  (818) 718-2282

Our 23rd Annual CCAC Fun Factory – Friday, October 31, 2014

The Fun Factory, a family carnival, is one of our church’s events where we are glad to give back and serve our community. It was a joyful place to be for both young and old. There were free games, rides, candy, music, magic shows, and much more! We had over 2 thousand visitors this year.

The Fun Factory was a great opportunity for visitors and us to get to know each other!


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NYE at the Indiana Roof Ballroom tickets are on sale now! Click here to get yours today https://goo.gl/5zqH9v
Yoga Home Page

Yoga League Details

CCA Sports is excited to now offer yoga classes!  Our yoga classes will gather each week for a super social, fun and healthy hour long class. Whether you are looking for basic yoga for beginners or an all levels class we've got your covered!

Intro To Yoga

New to yoga?  This is the perfect place to start!  Into to Yoga is designed to give beginners a solid foudnation in the practice of yoga.  Learn the basic poses while you breathe yourself into a more relaxing state of mind in a fun, non-judgemental environment.  This class will focus on safe and proper alignment while building body awareness to prepare you to confidently walk into any yoga class.

All Levels Yoga for Athletes

An engergetic flow consisting of basic yoga poses which which will help you build core strength and gain flexibility.  Each class will work up to an apex pose - think fun and challenging balance poses like warrior 3, tripod or headstands - while remaining focused on safe body alignment.  The apex poses will have options for those of all fitness and flexibility levels.  A great cross traning option for any athlete!

Registration Includes

  • 8 Weeks of Classes
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  • Cost Per Person: $90.00

Locations Available


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November 20, 1916

We were at church at 6pm, where they had organized a musical liturgy service. The Old Valmiera church was full to the last spot. Artists Kornets and Mediņš participated with musical presentations. These soft sounds awakened a deep religious feeling. No eye stayed dry. One could cry from the heart. Everyone was thinking of their loved ones who rest in the cold sands – about all of them. Pastor Pavasars reminded us of the fallen soldiers with an enthusiastic and moving speech. No one to tidy the sand on their graves, only the wind to move it, only the rays of the sun to greet them, I suppose also my brother’s grave, for it has been a whole year since we have heard anything from him.

WW1 Diary – November 20, 1916
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Request a Quote

Please complete the form below and we will be in touch with you within 1 business day.

*SmartaBuild is only available in Victoria. All other buildings are Australia-wide.

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Unfortunately, we're not currently able to service small builds or domestic sheds.

Unfortunately, we're not currently able to service DesinaBuild outside Victoria.

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Cost To Build A Basketball Court Cover

The average cost to build a basketball court cover is $128,600. The price ranges from $31,000 up to $270,000, which the total price depending on the total area covered by the basketball court cover.

You can get an exact quote by filling out this form.

Small Ball Court Covers

Small ball court cover

Small ball court covers span an area the exact size of a full court; 28 metres x 15 metres. The cover is engineering to avoid the use of wire cross-bracing, making it safer for users.
Cost range: $25,000 – $35,000

Medium Ball Court Covers

Medium Ball Court Cover

Medium ball court covers span an area approximately the size of two full basketball courts. A typical project of this size would be 40 metres x 36 metres.
Cost Range: $100,000 – $150,000

Large Ball Court Covers

Large Ball court cover

Large ball court covers span an area up to 60 x 40m.
Cost range: $220,000 – $300,000

Will I Need To Arrange Buildings Permits?

Ball court covers do require buildings permits, but these are usually not left to the end client to organise. A reliable builder will organise these on your behalf; we have an in-house expert who handles all permits.

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We’ve built over 80 ball court covers in the last 5 years and have built thousands of steel structures since our beginnings in 1975.

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Terms and Conditions

- We supply what we think are the best, safest and more rugged siege weapons available for the weekend warrior, however due to the inherent anisotropic nature of wood there will be slight variations in the wood grain. There can be minute flaws and deviation from the pattern. None of this compromises safety or ease of use. All engines are sold as is, and although we assure de mechanical good function of the engine we cannot be responsible for poor care that will afect the proper function of the engine.

- Our siege engines are made for all those with a keen interest in History and Physics, they are however powerfull siege engines that must be used within the material limits they were designed and intended for. We provided an exaustive manual of operation that encompasses all you'll need to know to operate and maintain you siege engine. However it is not final, and clearly cannot refer to all possible situations, therefore we urge you to use you common sense. If it feels wrong or dangerous, it probably is.

Production and Delivery

- Production Time takes between 4 to 6 weeks for unassembled models. If you require pre-assembly it will take around another week.

- Pre-assembly means the complete assembly of the "Head" including the pre-tensioning of the spring coils, also includes the assembly of the stand (in the form of the 3 permanent parts).

- Delivery takes between 5 to 10 day in the EU and up to 4 weeks outside the EU.

- Upon completion of your order, we will issue a shipping statment with a tracking number and the carrier tracking page where you can follow up you order.


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Sunday May 04, 2003

We have an adorable little flock of chickadees that come to the sunflower seed feeder on the back porch. They are so cute and tiny; they make the finches look big! They also take baths in the bird bath, sitting right in the water and ducking under and splashing and generally having a merry time.

I went out today to fill the feeder; they zipped off but not very far and they kept zipping back and forth as I was pouring in the seed. (Chickadees zip; it's the only way to describe it). As I was putting the lid back on the feeder, two of them zipped back and landed on the feeder while I was there and started pecking at seed. I stood very still, ever so slowly knotting the rope that holds the lid on (if we don't knot the rope, the raccoons lift the lid (and the sides) and spill all the seed into the yard...

Just as I had the knot almost tied, a third Chickadee came and landed on my finger and stood there for a few seconds. Ooh. Utterly fearless.

Chickadees ( in category Nature/Cats ) - posted at Sun, 04 May, 12:36 Pacific


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Knowledge, Experience, Results

Wills and Estates

A Last Will and Testament (or “Will”) names individuals or organizations who should receive your assets when you die. A Will also names a Personal Representative–the person responsible for handling the administration of the estate which includes payment of all taxes, debts and distribution to those entitled to share in the estate. Failure to have a Will means the law of the state of North Carolina will determine who receives your assets.

At Champagne & Champagne, we tailor your Last Will and Testament to address your individual circumstances and help you avoid potential problems or troublesome issues. We do this consistent with an asset review, including how your assets are titled and how you designate beneficiaries.  With all clients, we use our experience to ensure your will achieves your wishes and makes estate administration easier for your loved ones.will

Estate planning provides for the disposition or distribution of assets (e.g., homes, cars, savings, property, etc.) upon death or during life. Estate planning is necessary to ensure your accumulated wealth passes on to the individuals or organizations you choose and to minimize the effect of federal or state taxes on your estate. Estate planning also includes drafting a durable power of attorney, a health care power of attorney and a living will to address personal, healthcare, and estate issues during your lifetime.

Schedule a free consultation with us today.


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Evan Peters lands X-Men role

2013-05-24 19:47
Evan Peters
Los Angeles - Evan Peters has joined the cast of X-Men: Days of Future Past.

The American Horror Story star will play speedy mutant Quicksilver - a character who is also due to appear in Joss Whedon's The Avengers sequel - in the forthcoming superhero film, and director Bryan Singer is "thrilled" to have landed the 26-year-old actor for the role.

The filmmaker tweeted: "Before he was an #Avenger, he was just a REALLY fast kid. Thrilled to say #EvanPeters is joining #XMen #DaysOfFuturePast as #Quicksilver.(sic)"

Peters will star alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Ellen Page and Michael Fassbender in the motion picture, but his alter-ego looks unlikely to specifically mention The Avengers in the X-Men movie.

Marvel Studios' president Kevin Feige told SuperHeroHype: "They can use [the characters] as mutants and as Magneto's relatives, but cannot have anything to do with The Avengers."

While it is not known whether Peters will take on the same role in The Avengers sequel, his girlfriend Emma Roberts - who is set to star alongside him in American Horror Story - has been linked to the part of Quicksilver's twin sister Scarlet Witch.

The new X-Men instalment will see the stars of the original trilogy unite with the cast of 2011's prequel X-Men: First Class in a time-travelling plot when the future of the mutant race is jeopardised.

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North Molton Young Farmers' Club

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If you have questions about the financial information listed above please contact Charity Choice at


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The Heart of Frost Blog Tour Winners!

I want to give a big thank you to everyone who followed The Heart of Frost blog tour, dropped by the posts, sent me emails, and left comments. I appreciate you all taking the time to join in or read along. Thank you to those who joined in on the Facebook chat, and everyone who came to the release party and chatted. You’ve all been so amazing. Thank you for making this a wonderful book launch! And now, using, onto the…

1 winners will receive an eBook copy The Heart of Frost & Mending Noel: Jenf27

2 winners will receive an eBook copy of Mending Noel: Paul Berry & Penumbrareads

Congrats Jen, Paul, and Penumbra!

You will be notified via email to arrange delivery of your eBooks!  Thank you all again so much, and have a wonderful holiday season!

x Charlie x

One Comment

  1. Congrats to the winners! I loved this book and can’t wait for the next North Pole City Tale :) Too bad Christmas only comes once a year, although Charlie, I’m sure you would like some time to work on other things too ;)

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Any enquiries please do feel free to email me at:
- Open to commission/ collaboration work
- I have experience with Photoshop & Corel Painter

2014 UK Blog Awards Finalist:
My blog was shortlisted top 10 out of 100's of blogs in the first ever National UK Blog Awards 2014.
I was in the category for 'Most Innovative Blog' and it was oh so exciting to have been a finalist. Read about my night at the awards ceremony, here!

Beauty Recommended Panel, Super Savvy Me:
I was selected to join the 'Beauty Recommended Panel' over at Super Savy Me. This involved a new parcel at my doorstep every three months, full of new and exclusive products to try and test. I don't post my reviews here, instead you can find the reviews and lots more over here!

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text:
Wale Atlantic City - House of Blues - 2011-12-30 Discount Tickets

November 19, 2011
Filed under Entertainment

Performance: Wale Atlantic City
Venue: House of Blues
Description: Rapper Wale live in Atlantic City on Friday 12/30/2011 at 9:00 PM in the HOB.

Did you know Wale Victor Folarin, AKA WALE was originally Olubowale Victor Akintimehin?

Wale Atlantic City Ticket Hotline Call 1-866-881-5373.

Look for plenty of tracks from the Ambition session as well as The Eleven One Eleven Theory in AC!

Find Wale Atlantic City Tickets Click here
Start Time: 9:00 PM
Date: 2011-12-30

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The Latest:

Chicago Home Theater Festival

Curating for Radical Generosity

Using private spaces for performance & building audiences

The fest pairs performers with hosts to showcase artists in non-traditional venues where the public can discuss art.

Dancing in the Street

Legal Considerations when Performing Outside the Box

With the required licenses a performer can worry less about getting caught in the act.

Tom Camacho

The Three Types of Grants

Finding the Best Option for your Non-Profit

In a general sense, there are three overall types of grants: foundation, corporate and government.

Heather Liberman

Music Copyright

A Quick and Dirty Tutorial

Protection doesn’t prevent anyone from stealing your music; it arms you with ways to reclaim your work and penalize the offender.

Author Megan Stielstra

Singlepage: Megan Stielstra

"Channel B" from The Best American Essays 2013

How do you write about depression in a way that isn’t depressing? I decided to start small. Instead of "I need help," I wrote "I need a shower."

Pugz Atomz

Singletrack: Pugs Atomz

"Rocks and Blows" from Bama Pi

If you are familiar with my music, you know I’m about styles, patterns and double entendres.

Sheryl Kosovski

Pricing Worksheet

Sheryl Kosovski takes us through the paces to determine our rates

Almost all creative entrepreneurs under-charge their clients ... no one has looked at what it really costs to do the work.

Marie Casimir

Fiscal Sponsorship for Chicago Performers

A conversation with Links Hall's Associate Director Marie Casimir

Fiscal sponsorship “allows individual artists and collectives to access fundraising opportunities, financial services, training and mentoring expertise."

Singletrack: ATOM-r

"The Operature" at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

We discovered we could activate gallery spaces as if they were crime scenes or sites of cruising—of men interacting with men.

George Bajalia

Granted: George Bajalia

Using free-writing, this theatre artist buys time to revise.

The most appealing thing to grantors is demonstrating an ability to develop a realistic and executable plan. Get specific.

Rachel Bunting

Granted: Rachel Bunting

Writing grants like poetry, this dancer wins by wooing the funders.

Before I start dancing or hashing ideas out in the studio, I have already accumulated too many ideas. At first I don’t put any reins on these ideas. I have dreamed them up, and I give those dreams their full due.

Joel Styzens. Photo: Paul Elledge

Singletrack: Instrumentalist Joel Styzens

Soundtracking "Bicycle Notes," an animated digital short

Animator Fernanda Torres of Bogota, Colombia, approached me about composing a soundtrack for her digital short after hearing my instrumental album. We collaborated back and forth via the Internet for about one year.

Barry Cooper II

A "Passing" Fancy

The IRS is scrutinizing pass-through businesses (like artists). Use these tips to avoid audits

According to IRS statistics, small business formation and tax filings increased by 15% percent between 2007 and 2011. As a result the IRS's largest increase of audits were of flow-through entities in fiscal year 2012.

Nadia Oussenko

Singletrack: Choreographer Nadia Oussenko

On directing the dance-film "Nothing to See/Hear"

Nothing to See/Hear is a love story about two women and their unraveling relationship. As the estranged couple poses in a portrait studio, each reflects on their former intimacy. The story is set to the bittersweet track A True Story of a Story of True Love by The Books.

Raphaelle Ziemba

Singletrack: Choreographer Raphaelle Ziemba

On the participatory series, "Dance: A Moving Canvas"

"Dance: A Moving Canvas" is program that seeks to expand dance audiences in Chicago by enabling participants to deepen their understanding of the choreographic process. Three choreographers were chosen by jury to develop work for the program.

2nd Floor Rear Director Katie Waddell

So You Wanna Run an Art Festival.

Tips and tricks from the director of 2nd Floor Rear

Chicago’s art scene suffers from mid-career flight because Chicago lacks resources for financially sustaining professional artists… I wanted to find a way to re-frame these purported weaknesses as specific characteristics, and in so doing, celebrate Chicago’s DIY art scene.


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Concerns increase in Wisconsin over deal for Foxconn plant

Associated Press

Concerns are increasing among lawmakers and others in Wisconsin over what incentives the state may offer to become the first U.S. home of Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn.

Little has been revealed about what tax breaks, subsidies, free land and other financial incentives or promises Republican Gov. Scott Walker and state economic development officials may be extending to seal the deal with Foxconn, the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other devices for Apple and other brands.

Foxconn has said Wisconsin is competing with Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana and Texas for its first U.S. factory with billions in investments and thousands of new jobs. Foxconn is looking to build the country's first liquid-crystal display factory and possibly other operations in the U.S. An announcement on Foxconn's plans could come as soon as this week.

Walker has refused to even confirm that he's in negotiations with Foxconn, let alone disclose what enticements he's extending. State lawmakers have said "huge, big numbers" are being discussed, but even they don't know the details. Michigan recently approved a $200 million annual job-creation tax incentive package to sweeten its offer to Foxconn.

"I hope that cooler heads prevail when putting these incentive packages together," Steve Deller, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of agriculture and applied economics, said Tuesday. "Sometimes states get so caught up in playing the game that they lose sight of the costs these incentives incur. Wisconsin has historically not played that game."

Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, examined deals made in six other states to land large manufacturers. Based on those, if Foxconn is looking to build a plant that employs 10,000 people in Wisconsin, the state may have to offer $2 billion in incentives to be paid over a period of years, Still said.

Whether it's worth the cost is "a calculation that policymakers will have to make," Still said, but he thinks it would be a good deal "because of what a game-changer this could be for Wisconsin."

Democrats who are in the minority in the Legislature have been kept in the dark, said two members of the budget-writing committee. State Sen. Jon Erpenbach is worried that Walker may make promises that require legislative approval, then blame lawmakers if they don't go along because of the cost.

"It's a balance between making sure taxpayers are protected and we're not giving away the store for the political gain for Scott Walker," Erpenbach said. "If it's a deal for both sides, that's great."

Deller is also concerned that Walker — eager to bolster his resume as a job-creator as he heads into re-election next year — may give up too much. Walker ran in 2010 on the promise to create 250,000 jobs, but still hasn't hit the mark.

"If I was in the governor's shoes, I would be making a very sweet offer from the perspective of the company," Deller said. "A sweet offer from the perspective of Wisconsin taxpayers? Maybe not."

Deller said in addition to the cost to state taxpayers, schools and local governments could also be pinched because deals to large companies often allow them to escape paying property taxes, which pay for some local services.

There are also unanswered questions about the quality of jobs that would be created, how much they would pay and how long they would last. Foxconn has replaced at least 40,000 of its workers in China with robots.

But Democratic state Rep. Gordon Hintz said he's optimistic because of what a large factory could mean to the state.

"I just hope we get this right," he said.

Copyright © 2017, Chicago Tribune


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Editorial head at Journatic says he's leaving company

Tribune reporter

The head of editorial for the Chicago-based Journatic news service announced his resignation Saturday, following revelations from a Tribune investigation the day before that one of the group’s freelance reporters had plagiarized material and fabricated quotes for a story that appeared in TribLocal.

Mike Fourcher, whose account is disputed by Journatic, said Saturday that the Tribune’s discovery “brought a lot of things into focus for me.”

The Tribune had announced on Friday that the company would indefinitely suspend its relationship with Journatic after Chicago Tribune editors learned that portions of a sports story that appeared in the Deerfield TribLocal were fabricated.

The story, published last week, lifted a quote from a Deerfield Review article and made up another quote based on information used in an article that appeared on deerfield.patch.com, Tribune editors found.

Brian Timpone, Journatic’s Chief Executive Officer, did not return messages Saturday.

In an e-mailed statement, the company said Journatic had been moving to fire Fourcher.

“When we discovered that plagiarism had occurred this week under Mike's watch we made a decision to terminate him,” the statement read. “He resigned before we could do so.”

Last month, a report by the “This American Life” public radio program revealed that Journatic was using made-up bylines for articles appearing in TribLocal that were written by freelance workers in the Philippines who were paid as little as 35 cents per story.

The Tribune launched its investigation into Journatic in response to the radio story.

Fourcher, 39, said he pushed for a mission statement articulating Journatic’s journalistic principles.

But, Fourcher said, “They elected not to.”

On Saturday, Chicago Tribune Editor Gerould Kern called the use of false bylines, plagiarism and fabricated quotes “unethical and inexcusable.”

“These breaches of the Chicago Tribune's editorial ethics code have undermined the credibility of Journatic's offerings,” Kern said in a statement, adding that the Tribune newsroom on Saturday assumed control of TribLocal content.

Fourcher said he started at Journatic in May, when the company began supplying content for TribLocal’s 90 websites and 22 weekly publications. Tribune Co. is an investor in Journatic.

Fourcher — a former political consultant who in 2010 launched two local community news websites in Chicago — said that as part of the Tribune investigation he contacted freelance reporter Luke Campbell, who, he said, is based in Pennsylvania.

When he asked Campbell to provide his notes for the Deerfield story, Campbell responded that he threw them away, Fourcher said.

Campbell could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Copyright © 2017, Chicago Tribune


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Saturday, April 7, 2012

Call for submissions: Praxis Feature Film Screenplay Competition 2012

A call for submissions has been put out by the Praxis Centre for Screenwriters at Simon Fraser University for the Praxis 2012 Feature Film Screenplay Competition.

The competition is for screenwriters with feature-length screenplays to participate in their Fall Screenwriting Workshop in Vancouver, B.C. They will select eight applicants to work with an advisor to develop further develop the script. Aside from the application cost, there is no charge for the program.

Writers who complete the Fall Screenwriting workshops are given an invitation-only opportunity to apply for our Summer Readings, an annual event where their new screenplay drafts are professionally cast for table readings.

The program is open to all Canadian citizens or landed immigrants. Some out-of-town participants may be able to have their transportation and accomodation expenses partially covered.

The deadline for applications is June 22, 2012.

Feature Film Screenplay Competition

Each year, Praxis holds a national call for entries seeking new screenplays by Canadian writers.  Following careful jury selection, approximately eight entrants are invited to our Fall Screenwriting Workshop in Vancouver, B.C.

During the Fall Workshop, each selected script is carefully matched with an "advisor" (veteran screenwriter or story editor), in consultation with the writer. The advisors and writers meet in Vancouver for three days over a one week period. During this time they work together intensively, analyzing the writer's intentions, rewriting, rethinking, and charting a course for further development. The writer should leave these private meetings with a clear plan of how to proceed through the next draft. If others are involved with the project (producer, director or co-writers), they are invited to participate as well.

Writers who complete our Fall Screenwriting workshops are given an invitation-only opportunity to apply for our Summer Readings, an annual event where their new screenplay drafts are professionally cast for table readings.

During the Fall and Summer workshops we may schedule additional group sessions with producers and development personnel to help address practical concerns necessary to move the project toward production.

Over thirty Praxis scripts have been produced – most recently Jacob Tierney’s The Trotsky.  Our Advisors include numerous highly accomplished screenwriters and story editors.

Deadline for application - FALL 2012 FEATURE FILM WORKSHOP: June 22, 2012 (postmark date)

Praxis requires:
  1. Three bound copies of a completed first draft of a feature film script. (These must be three-hole punched with brads, and your name and address removed).
  2. Information regarding all relevant rights and option agreements if the script is not based on original material.
  3. A non-refundable application fee of $45.00 enclosed for each title.
  4. A completed application form with all relevant support material, a resume, and/or biographical information.
  5. A PDF version of the script should also be emailed to by midnight on the deadline, with the subject line clearly indicating the name of the writer and title of the script.
Send complete application package and payment to:
Praxis Centre for Screenwriters
Suite 3305, 149 W. Hastings St.
Vancouver, BC   V6B 1H4

  • Praxis will email notification of results to all those who submit.
  • Due to the number of screenplays we receive, we regret that we cannot provide any feedback on an individual submission.
  • Treatments will not be considered
  • As of 2011, we will no longer be able to return submitted screenplays to writers after the competition.  All entries will be professionally recycled.
Feature film screenplays in all genres can be submitted to the competition.  Each writer remains anonymous to the jury until a short list has been identified.

In order to attract the best scripts in the country, we cover all workshop costs. There are no fees for the workshop except an application fee of $45; in some instances, out-of-town participants' transportation and accommodation expenses are partiallycovered. Writers must be Canadian citizens or Landed Immigrants. All rights remain with the writer. Praxis has no proprietary interest in any of the projects.

1 comment:

  1. It's too bad that one still has to mail 3 copies of a script. That's around 300 pages to put in the mail.


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Finland / Kultasuklaa / 2006 / chocolate wrapper (#1181)

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Added to collection: 25.12.2006
Additional info about this wrapper: White chocolate with lakrits, handmade chocolate, 100g, 2006, Kultasuklaa Oy, Iittala, Finland
Production year: 2006
Chocolate weight: 100
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How Facebook tracks specific details about your life?

More time Facebook keeps users on the site, the more data it can collect on each of us. This data is what brings advertisers to the platform, and ultimately what puts dollars in Facebook. In order to increase our chances of interacting with ads and growing advertiser demand that keeps Facebook earning revenue; platform has a very neat system that segments us by our likes and dislikes.

You can check your ad profile here. And learn what influences the ads you see and take control over your ad experience. You can delete ad groups you don’t belong in. If you delete all of them system will display ads more random and irrelevant. 🙂


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Posts Tagged ‘Bowerbirds’

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012

This Summer

Summer is here; so says Superchunk

Photo By Jason ArthursJason ArthursWe’re still over a week out from the official Summer solstice, but Superchunk don’t need no druidic approval to declare the season of sun and fun officially here. After following up 2010’s Majesty Shredding with a series of reissues, they’ve just released a new 7″ single for the song “This Summer” and if that wasn’t enough seasonal thematicness for one release, the b-side is a cover of Bananarama’s 1983 Summer anthem.

The single is limited to an edition of 1300 pieces worldwide, pressed on white vinyl, and comes with a download code for an acoustic version of the a-side. And as a little bonus, they’ve released a video of the band recording the handclaps that appear on the tune.

“This Summer” is available to stream now. Update: Stereogum has the Bananarama cover up to stream now, as well.

Stream: Superchunk – “This Summer”

Some noteworthy concert announcements came down the pipe yesterday. Chicago’s heavy post-rock trio Russian Circles have made a date at Lee’s Palace on August 21 in support of last year’s Empros. Tickets are $14.50 in advance.

MP3: Russian Circles – “Mladek”

Chicago’s Riotfest has made a name for itself over the past few years as a festival catering to those with louder/punkier tastes, and they’ll be expanding beyond the Windy City this year, touching down at Toronto’s Garrison Commons at Fort York on September 9 with a lineup featuring The Descendents, NOFX, Fucked Up, and more. Tickets are $39.50 and go on sale Friday.

MP3: Fucked Up – “I Hate Summer”
Video: The Descendents – “I’m The One”
Video: NOFX – “Cokie The Clown”

Dinosaur Jr have announced a September 18 release for their next album I Bet On Sky; details and album art at Pitchfork. They’ll celebrate its release with a three-night stand at Lee’s Palace from September 24 to 26.

MP3: Dinosaur Jr – “Almost Ready”

Ty Segall never seems to wear out his welcome in these parts, but just to make sure you stay interested he’s teaming up with Thee Oh Sees for a Fall tour that hits The Hoxton on September 26, tickets $18.50. Segall’s follow-up to last year’s Goodbye Bread should be out by then; Thee Oh Sees’ new one Putrifiers II definitely will – it has a release date of September 11 already set.

MP3: Ty Segall – “You Make The Sun Fry”
Video: Thee Oh Sees – “I Need Seed”

Dr. Dog will be at The Opera House on October 13 in support of their latest, Be The Void. Tickets are $20 in advance.

Video: Dr. Dog – “That Old Black Hole”

Portland’s Menomena have made a date at The Horseshoe on October 17, which kind of implies they’ll have a new record out by then. Tickets to that are $15 in advance. Update: Said new record will be called Moms and be out September 18.

MP3: Menomena – “Taos”

Apparently not a man to hold a grudge, Dan Deacon has made plans to return to Toronto for a show at Lee’s Palace on November 9 – tickets $13.50 – but please, leave his skull alone. His new record America is out August 27.

MP3: Dan Deacon – “Lots”

If you were planning on seeing A Place To Bury Strangers at The El Mocambo tomorrow night for NXNE but were worried about not knowing any of the new songs from Worship, what with it not being out for another couple weeks (June 26), fear not – The Quietus has an advance stream of the album for you. But let’s be honest, it’s all going to sound like “KKKKKKCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” anyways.

MP3: A Place To Bury Strangers – “You Are The One”
Stream: A Place To Bury Strangers / Worship

Joe Pernice has offered a clue as to who will be opening up for him at The Dakota Tavern on June 22, and if you still don’t get it – and understand why you should be in line well before doors open at 6PM (there are no advance tickets) – then clearly you are on the wrong website. Good day to you.

Fang Island have made another track from their forthcoming Major available to download; the album is out July 12.

MP3: Fang Island – “Sisterly”

Cat Power talks to The Stool Pigeon about her new album The Sun, due out on September 11.

The lead single from Calexico’s new record Algiers – due out September 11 – is now available to download.

MP3: Calexico – “Para”

Pitchfork and The Fly have features on Grizzly Bear, currently trying to come up with a title for their new album before it’s released on September 18. They’re at Massey Hall on September 26.

In a Facebook post, Anna-Lynne Williams updates fans and friends about her various musical projects and notes that the Trespassers William forthcoming career-wrapping compilation has a name – Cast – and should be out in September.

The Music has two separate interviews with Mark Kozelek while Filter only has one. His October 3 date at The Great Hall still hasn’t been canceled.

Daytrotter has a session with Nada Surf, who’ve just released a new video from their latest The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy.

Video: Nada Surf – “Waiting For Something”

With the release yesterday of Class Clown Spots A UFO, Consequence Of Sound decides now is the perfect time to take an album-by-album look at the discography of Guided By Voices, though they’ll have to expand it in November when Bears For Lunch, the band’s third album of the year, is released.

School Of Seven Bells have selected a winner in their competition to make a video for their song “The Night” off of Ghostory.

Video: School Of Seven Bells – “The Night”

Bowerbirds have new video out from The Clearing.

Video: Bowerbirds – “Overcome By Light”

Rolling Stone has an excerpt from Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and The Rise of Indie Rock – the just-released book about Yo La Tengo and the rise of indie rock – and The Washington Post has an interview with author Jesse Jarnow about the volume.

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Jesus Of Cool

Nick Lowe at The Phoenix in Toronto

Photo By Frank YangFrank YangMaybe listening to Jesus Of Cool and Labour Of Lust weren’t the best warm-ups for Nick Lowe’s show at The Phoenix on Monday night. After all, he was many many years removed from being the young pub-rock firebrand who recorded those first two records, having settled comfortably into the role of professorial pop singer-songwriter – a guise that’s suited his still-potent pen quite nicely, as last year’s The Old Magic proved. But if you assumed this meant that his shows would be sedate, sit-down affairs, then you were mistaken. Somewhat.

Though the show was billed as Lowe with band, the man took the stage solo to open things up with something old and something new – “Stoplight Roses” from Magic and “Heart” from 1982’s Nick The Knife – before he took some time to chat up the crowd. He apologized if anyone was confused about the venue, since his recent shows had typically been at The Mod Club but with the positive reception that Magic has gotten and the increase in profile he got opening up for Wilco back in September, an upgrade in venue was not overreaching although what with the Phoenix floor being set up with chairs, the increase in capacity was probably only a couple hundred more at best.

Also in his opening monologue, Lowe mentioned that despite the new record being received quite favourably, it wouldn’t be one of “those” shows and that the set list had been optimized for “quality entertainment,” and the man wasn’t lying. After bringing his band out, he led them through a set that went from jazzy on the slower end of things to rollicking rockabilly at the other and both established the strength of his career’s body of work and affirmed that his recent records were as good as his old ones, in their way. After all, Lowe’s talents have always been his way with words and melodies, not in the fashions they were dressed in. I was a bit surprised how that Jesus Of Cool and Labour Of Lust didn’t get a bit more attention – besides being arguably his most famous records, they were also the ones recently reissued – but Lust was only represented by “Without Love” and “Cruel To Be Kind” and Jesus ignored completely.

No one was complaining, though. The audience was dead silent when they needed to be and whooped it up when appropriate, to say nothing of the sounds of female swooning that periodically punctuated the show; indeed, Lowe was a study in songwriting, charm and aging well. It wasn’t until the finale of the main set – “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘n’ Roll)” – that they finally got up out of their seats – well, five of them at least – to turn the space at the front of the stage into a dance floor. They were joined by many more for the encores, the first of which was highlighted by a hymnal version of “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” and the second which found Lowe, again alone onstage, performing a song by the other iconic British artist to whom he’ll be forever tied – Elvis Costello and “Alison”, and that he missed a chord change while singing “My aim is true” only made the whole thing that much more perfect.

The Toronto Sun and NOW also have reviews of the show; Interview has an interview.

Photos: Nick Lowe @ The Phoenix – April 23, 2012
Video: Nick Lowe – “Sensitive Man”
Video: Nick Lowe – “All Men Are Liars”
Video: Nick Lowe – “I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock And Roll)”
Video: Nick Lowe – “Half A Boy And Half A Man”
Video: Nick Lowe – “Cruel To Be Kind”
Video: Nick Lowe – “Crackin’ Up”

The Line Of Best Fit revisits Billy Bragg and Wilco’s Woody Guthrie-saluting Mermaid Avenue releases; Mermaid Avenue: Volume III would appear to only be available in physical form in the Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions. Alas. Maybe take it up with Billy when his North American tour brings him through the Mariposa Folk Festival in Orillia on July 8? It looks like that’s as close as he’s getting to Hogtown this time out.

Tiny Mix Tapes interviews Sleigh Bells, back in Toronto next week on April 27 and 28 at the Air Canada Centre opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers.

With Lower Dens’ new album Nootropics due out next week – May 1 – DIY has both a stream of the whole thing and song-by-song annotations from the band.

MP3: Lower Dens – “Brains”
MP3: Lower Dens – “Propagation”
Stream: Lower Dens / Nootropics

La Sera – aka Katy Goodman of Vivian Girls – brings her new record Sees The Light to The Shop Under Parts & Labour on May 13, part of a North American tour.

MP3: La Sera – “Please Be My Third Eye”

The AV Club has got a stream of Fear Fun – the debut album from Father John Misty, aka J. Tillman ex of Fleet Foxes – ahead of its May 1 release date as well as an interview with the man. He plays The Horseshoe on May 14.

MP3: Father John Misty – “Nancy From Now On”
MP3: Father John Misty – “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”
Stream: Father John Misty / Fear Fun

Billboard has a feature piece on Beach House, whose new album Bloom is out May 15.

Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips talks to Forbes about why the band has been so dedicated to making weird records/releases over the last couple of years; basically, just to see if they could. Another of the tracks from their Record Store Day Heady Fwends has just been made into a video. The Flaming Lips play a free show for NXNE at Yonge-Dundas Square on June 16.

Video: The Flaming Lips with Prefuse 73 – “The Supermoon Made Me Want To Pee”

And going on before the Lips and doubling the insane live show quotient will be Of Montreal. They’ve just released a new video from this year’s Paralytic Stalks and NPR is streaming last night’s show in Washington DC. And if you’re curious about some of the other NXNE scheduling that I’ve sussed out, last week’s post is in a constant state of update.

Video: Of Montreal – “Spiteful Intervention”

These United States – whose last attempted visit was derailed, I believe, by something we Torontonians like to call the G20 riots, will give it another go with a show at The Horseshoe on June 22. Update: okay, so they were actually here just a couple weeks ago opening for Trampled By Turtles. Fine.

MP3: These United States – “The Great Rivers”
MP3: These United States – “Water & Wheat”

Their fourth album Magic Hour due out on May 28, New York’s Scissor Sisters have set a date at the Sound Academy for June 28 – tickets are $32.50 for general admission and $42.50 for VIP.

Video: Scissor Sisters – “Only The Horses”

Andrew Bird has extended his Summer tour in support of Break It Yourself to include a July 19 date at Echo Beach in Toronto. Tickets are $35 in advance, full itinerary at Under The Radar.

MP3: Andrew Bird – “Eyeoneye”
MP3: Andrew Bird – “Give It Away”

Rolling Stone talks to Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs. She’s at The Phoenix on August 1.

To everyone reporting that Cat Power had named her new record, Sun – it’s not really news. She named announced it as the name of her next studio album following The Greatest as early as 2007, reported that the album was done in 2008 and then said that she’d shelved it in 2009. The more pertinent question is did she change her mind about those sessions and is releasing five-year old recordings or was she so attached to the album title that she’s using it for a whole new set of songs. In any case, it is news – assuming it’s true – that the record will be out on September 11. I’ll wait for Matador to chime in.

Exclaim solicits an acoustic video session with Nada Surf.

The Blue Indian chats with Bowerbirds.

The Mountain Goats play a video session for Paste and bassist Peter Hughes chats with Tone Deaf.

The Village Voice talks to Kurt Wagner of Lambchop, and if you missed last week’s guest editor run at Magnet, check it out – they discuss the origins of each song on Mr. M.

State talks to Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields.

Clash sends Crispin Glover to interview J. Mascis. Stranger things have happened, but not much.

Proxart talks to Anna-Lynne Williams of Trespassers William; on Facebook this week, she reported that the final Trespassers release – a double-disc cupboard clearing compilation – had gone off for mastering. Details on that release soon, one hopes.

The AV Club has posted their third instalment documenting the history of R.E.M..

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

Put Your Back N 2 It

Perfume Genius and Parenthetical Girls at The Drake Underground in Toronto

Photo By Frank YangFrank YangIf you thought that any combination of it being a Sunday night and Easter would result in a lightly-attended Perfume Genius show at The Drake on Sunday night, you’d have been wrong. Which is to say that I was wrong; the handful of tickets remaining were snatched up when doors opened and by the time I got there, it was officially sold out. And with good cause – Mike Hadreas’ second album under as Perfume Genius – Put Your Back N 2 It – is a stunning record, giving his emotionally stark songwriting with just enough sonic adornment to make it not just palatable, but delicious.

Perfume Genius weren’t the only draw; supporting them on this tour were fellow Pacific northwesterners Parenthetical Girls from Portland, who’ve garnered their own loyal fanbase over the past decade and added to it locally having been here for two nights in January supporting Los Campesinos. While there were enough similarities that this bill made sense in some ways, in others you couldn’t imagine a more disparate pairing. Fronted by the magnetic Zac Pennington, their set was more musical theatre than conventional concert with his flamboyant yet dry delivery leading the band through what felt like selections from a synth-rock opera, enhanced by some great audience repartee and a few forays into the crowd. Importantly though, for all the theatrics, they still had immediate and hummable tunes underneath it all and their sincerity was never obscured by camp or irony. Even if it had, it’d still have been fun but that it wasn’t was even better.

Irony wasn’t any kind of risk with Perfume Genius; Hadreas is all about raw, unvarnished honesty. Seeing him at Matador 21 in 2010, circa his debut Learning, it was impossible to not be impressed how he silenced the theatre with just two keyboards and his voice. This time, he was again accompanied by Alan Wyffels on synths but also a third player alternating on guitar and drums, and while the extra instrumentation went a long way to filling things out and pushing them forward, the live readings of the Back material still felt more immediate and stripped down than the record, yet still dramatic in their content and often abrupt in their finish – when the songs were done, they were just done.

He played for barely 45 minutes, drawing mainly from Put Your Back N 2 It, including a faux encore that Hadreas distinguished from the main set by ducking under his piano for a few seconds before re-emerging. He commented that the last time he played this room, back in the Fall of 2010, there was maybe a tenth of the people who were here this time but even so, the packed house remained dead silent and respectful throughout the set. Considering how personal and intimate Hadreas’ music is, it’s hard to imagine him having to establish the sort of connection with the audience that was so evident here on a larger scale, but considering how powerful that connection is it’s hard to imagine it not reaching and resonating with more people. What happens next is for the future to tell, I suppose, but this night was near perfect.

The Republican and NOW have interviews with Mike Hadreas while The Montreal Mirror profiles Parenthetical Girls.

Photos: Perfume Genius, Parenthetical Girls @ The Drake Underground – April 8, 2012
MP3: Perfume Genius – “Hood”
MP3: Perfume Genius – “Dark Parts”
MP3: Perfume Genius – “All Waters”
MP3: Perfume Genius – “Learning”
MP3: Parenthetical Girls – “The Pornographer”
MP3: Parenthetical Girls – “A Note To Self”
Video: Perfume Genius – “Hood”
Video: Perfume Genius – “Lookout, Lookout”
Video: Parenthetical Girls – “The Privilege”
Video: Parenthetical Girls – “Careful Who You Dance With”
Video: Parenthetical Girls – “The Pornographer”
Video: Parenthetical Girls – “The Common Touch”
Video: Parenthetical Girls – “Young Throats”
Video: Parenthetical Girls – “Evelyn McHale”
Video: Parenthetical Girls – “A Song For Ellie Greenwich”

I suppose credit where credit is due; The Dandy Warhols have somehow maintained a fanbase that allows them to continue to play a room the size of The Phoenix and collect $30 for the privilege of hearing “Bohemian Like You”; they’re there on June 3 in support of their new record This Machine, which comes out April 24.

MP3: The Dandy Warhols – “Country Leaver”
MP3: The Dandy Warhols – “Sad Vacation”

Also straight out of Portland – Blind Pilot are going to be at The Opera House on July 25, continuing to tour last Fall’s We Are The Tide. Tickets for that are $17.50 in advance.

MP3: Blind Pilot – “Keep You Right”

Straight off of announcing a July 10 release for their new record Swing Lo Magellan, Dirty Projectors have slated an extensive tour that brings them to the Music Hall on July 6 with recent 4AD-signees Purity Ring as support; their own debut album will be out on July 24.

Stream: Dirty Projectors – “Gun Has No Trigger”
Stream: Purity Ring – “Belispeak”

The Head & The Heart stops in at The AV Club to participate in their Undercover series with a Fleetwood Mac cover.

Exclaim, The Georgia Straight, and The National Post talk to Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells, who are back in town on April 27 and 28 at the Air Canada Centre warming up for Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Pitchfork talks to the boys of POP ETC – née The Morning Benders – who inaugurate their new identity on June 12 with a self-titled album. I guess the all caps is mandatory, eh? Feh.

Spin and The Daily Texan chat with Bowerbirds.

Kurt Wagner of Lambchop reviews his musical upbringing with Pitchfork.

NPR, The Line Of Best Fit, and The National Post all talk to M. Ward on the occasion of the release of his new record A Wasteland Companion.

The AV Club has posted the second part of their extensive history/salute to R.E.M..

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Canadian Musicfest 2012 Day One

Aerials Up, Old World Vulture, Squarehead and more at Canadian Musicfest

Photo By Frank YangFrank YangBack to back festivals! What a great idea. Just prior to heading out to engage with Canadian Musicfest’s 2012 edition, I took a look back at years past and noticed a couple trends – one, that I usually complain about the lineup (check!) and that as a result of not wanting to see the same old same old, I try to branch out and see new and unknown acts, usually from foreign climes, with little background and no guarantee of quality… with consistently mixed results. Would the class of ’12 fare any better? Let’s find out.

Toronto/St. Catharine’s quartet Old World Vulture didn’t really fit into the “unknown to me” category as I’ve been writing them up and recommending them since 2009 but this would actually be the first time I’d ever gotten around to seeing them live, so in that sense it was new. They were playing the upstairs of The El Mocambo, where I don’t think I’d set foot in nearly a decade – since the Blow-Up Britpop nights moved to other venues – and having undergone some renovations since then, it felt both unfamiliar and nostalgic. Not that that was either here nor there – Old World Vulture’s loud and heavy sound was about as far removed from The Wannadies as you were going to get and they were going to keep my attention firmly in the present. In a sense, it’s good that the post-rock genre is rather formulaic as it forces purveyors of it to find a unique angle; Old World Vulture set them apart with their synth leads, which were most interesting when evoking a ’70s sci-fi film vibe. Elsewhere, they were more reminiscent of mid-era Mogwai with less reliance on the loud-quiet thing and more on maintaining a steady, lumbering menace. I was glad to finally be able to tick “see Old World Vulture” off my to-do list.

Photos: Old World Vulture @ The El Mocambo – March 22, 2012
MP3: Old World Vulture – “J.R. Flood”
MP3: Old World Vulture – “Trophy Lovers”
MP3: Old World Vulture – “Bastard Engine”

It’s no short hop from the El Mo to The Drake, but I made pretty good time in hoofing it from A to B in order to catch Scottish collective Aerials Up make their Toronto debut. Looking at the band – a co-ed collective of happy young people brandishing an assortment of rock and orchestral instruments, you might think you know exactly what to expect: big, exuberant pop with multi-part harmonies and swells of strings bouncing off crunchy electric guitar… and you’d be about right. But even though they don’t add anything new to the style, they don’t make it feel any more played out thanks to their enthusiasm, charm, and likeable tunes. The turnout was decent enough for the gig though it was a bit hard to say how many were genuinely paying attention – even when exhorted by the band to stand up, some wouldn’t give up their seats. The Daily Record reports on some of the fundraising efforts the band undertook to afford to come over to Canada.

Photos: Aerials Up @ The Drake Underground – March 22, 2012
Video: Aerials Up – “I Am”
Video: Aerials Up – “Superglue”

It was then a streetcar ride down Queen to get to The Rivoli where the Irish showcase had been chugging along all night. I arrived in time to see Dublin’s Cloud Castle Lake get started, I thought their moody, ambient approach promising – vocalist Daniel McAuley certainly had a falsetto that you could build impressive things around. But within a few numbers it became clear that their songs were not going to coalesce into more coherent songs, and instead would remain sketches more interested in allowing the vocals to roam than offer a memorable listening experience, the extended breaks between songs fiddling with the laptop not helping matters either. A few pieces did possess enough structure to offer optimism about the future and there’s no question they’re in possession of some impressive instruments to work with, but they really need some melodies.

Photos: Cloud Castle Lake @ The Rivoli – March 22, 2012
Stream: Cloud Castle Lake – “A Wolf Howling”

On the other hand, Dublin’s Squarehead were pretty much as advertised: a scrappy power pop trio with garage-y and punkish tendencies It did take a few songs for the expected raucousness to kick in – they seemed to need a little time to warm up – but their acceleration was steady and by the end of their set, they were getting pretty punchy up there. A fun and tuneful set that made up somewhat for the fact that I didn’t get home till 2:30AM and all the SXSW recovery that I’d been stockpiling through the week was basically all squandered.

Photos: Squarehead @ The Rivoli – March 22, 2012
MP3: Squarehead – “Midnight Enchilada”
Video: Squarehead – “Midnight Enchilada”
Stream: Squarehead / Yeah Nothing

Nada Surf will warm up for their show at The Opera House that evening with an in-store at Sonic Boom on April 4 at 6PM. The Seattle Times has a chat with frontman Matthew Caws.

MP3: Nada Surf – “When I Was Young”

Nebulously-named buzz band the praise for their new record Open Your Heart into town for two shows – June 14 at The Garrison and June 15 at Wrongbar. And if you intuit from the timing and frequency that this’ll be for NXNE, you get a cookie.

MP3: The Men – “Ex-Dreams”
MP3: The Men – “Open Your Heart”

Pitchfork reports that Mission Of Burma will release a new album entitled Unsound on July 9; the first single is available to stream now.

Stream: Mission Of Burma – “Dust Devil”

If you didn’t download that mixtape they offered last week or just want to hear the one new song, Titus Andronicus’ contribution to a split 7″ with Diarrhea Planet is now available to stream.

Stream: Titus Andronicus – “Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape with the Flood of Detritus”

Retribution Gospel Choir have release a video from their new EP The Revolution/.

Video: Retribution Gospel Choir – “The Stone (Revolution)”

NYC Taper is sharing a recording of a Bowerbirds show in New York last week and Gapers Block an interview.

Prefix interviews M. Ward.

Paper talks to Annie Clark of St. Vincent/. She has a couple of collector-interest releases coming up – a 7″ with two new tracks for Record Store Day on April 21 and a deluxe edition of Strange Mercy called – wait for it – Stranger Mercy that comes with a DVD of her 4AD Sessions and attendant promo videos on May 8.

Magnet and The AV Club talk to James Mercer of The Shins, who will be paying a visit at The Molson Amphitheatre on August 4.

The National Post and Chart talk to Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells. Their show at The Phoenix now in the books, their next visit will come April 27 and 28 at The Air Canada Centre opening up for Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Monday, March 12th, 2012

Four Hours (Away)

Young Prisms at Sonic Boom in Toronto

Photo By Frank YangFrank YangA little time off can be nice, but as much as I was enjoying the very unusual but welcome two-week break from show leading up to SXSW this week, it was also making me a bit antsy. Thank goodness for the Young Prisms in-store at the new Kensington Market location of Sonic Boom, in advance of their show that evening at The Drake. It would give me a quick, convenient way of scratching the live music itch and also let me pick up some LP sleeves. Everybody wins.

I saw the San Francisco outfit last February opening up for The Radio Dept., and while their dream-pop tended more to the murkier side than I’d like, they were a charming crew and so young that they could have grown plenty in the elapsed time. After all, In Between – the follow-up to their 2011 debut Friends For Now – was already done and coming out in a few weeks; it seemed highly unlikely that they would still be the same band as they were a year ago.

Turns out that was true in the literal sense – they were now a five-piece with the addition of guitarist/vocalist Ashley Thomas to the mix, and while her presence didn’t totally invert their sound, it made a difference. They still sounded very much like My Blood Valentine mixed with morphine – the opiate, not the band – being loud and fuzzy yet not especially aggressive, but the tunefulness that they previously seemed to prefer buried was now being allowed to surface. The second guitar was able to pick out melodies overtop of the churning bed of glider guitar and pounding rhythm section and when Thomas and lead vocalist Steph Hodapp harmonized as they did on new song, “Four Hours (Away)”, well it was clear that Young Prisms had a potent new instrument at their disposal.

Based on a few songs, it’s hard to say too definitively how far Young Prisms have come – the new record isn’t out until March 27 – but it sounds as though they’re mixing some Slowdive romanticism into their MBV sonic stew, and that can only be a good thing. And if these reference points have no meaning or interest to you, then you’d best just move along.

NYCTaper is sharing a recording of the band’s show in New York last week.

Photos: Young Prisms @ Sonic Boom (Kensington) – March 10, 2012
MP3: Young Prisms – “Floating In Blue”
MP3: Young Prisms – “Sugar”
MP3: Young Prisms – “Weekends And Treehouses”
Video: Young Prisms – “Floating In Blue”
Video: Young Prisms – “These Daze”
Video: Young Prisms – “Breathless”
Video: Young Prisms – “Sugar”

Rot Gut, Domestic – the new album from Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s – is out March 20 and a new MP3 is available to download. They play The Garrison on April 5.

MP3: Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s – “Shannon”

NPR is streaming a complete Shins concert in New York last week while JAM and The Line Of Best Fit share interviews with James Mercer; their new record Port Of Morrow is out March 20 and they’re at The Molson Amphitheatre August 4.

eMusic talks to Bowerbirds. They play The Garrison on March 27.

Le Blogotheque has posted a Take-Away Show with Perfume Genius; he plays The Drake Underground on April 8.

Billboard and Rolling Stone talk to M. Ward about his new record A Wasteland Companion, due out April 10.

J Tillman has released a new video from Fear Fun, his debut under the Father John Misty marque. It’s out May 1 and he is at The Horseshoe on May 14.

Video: Father John Misty – “Nancy From Now On”

Ramona Falls, aka the side-project of Menomena’s Brent Knopf, will release their second album Prophet on May 1 and follow it with a show at The Drake Underground on June 8.

MP3: Ramona Falls – “Spore”

Hey, remember Garbage? They certainly hope so. They’ve got a new album called Not Your Kind Of People coming out May 15 and will be embarking on a short tour that ends at The Phoenix in Toronto on May 28.

Video: Garbage – “Vow”

Class Clown Spots A UFO – the second album of the reunited Guided By Voices era is coming in June and the first sample is available to stream. It’s gorgeous. Details on the release and Bob Pollards new solo record – of course there’s another new Bob record – are available at Pitchfork.

Stream: Guided By Voices – “Keep It In Motion”

Pitchfork reports that Bob Mould has signed to Merge records for his next solo record, due out this Fall.

Greg Dulli talks to Rolling Stone about rediscovering The Afghan Whigs – just in time for their reunion this year.

Interview has an interview and NPR a World Cafe session with Sharon Van Etten.

Billboard and Spinner talk to Jay Farrar about the New Multitudes Woody Guthrie project; the project also stopped in at Daytrotter for a session.

Patterson Hood reflects on the making of Drive-By Truckers’ 2001 masterpiece Southern Rock Opera to Boulder Weekly.


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Posts Tagged ‘Posies’

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

Please Hold On While The Train Is Moving

Old ’97s to send Old ‘48.5 to Toronto

Photo By Piper FergusonPiper FergusonJust the briefest of posts today as I decamp for the east coast. If you want something more substantial, might I suggest a burrito.

It’s been a while since Dallas’ Old 97s have been in heavy rotation hereabouts – or any kind of rotation, if I’m being honest – but there was a spell back around 2004 or so when hardly a day went by that I didn’t listen to either Fight Songs or Satellite Rides multiple times. So while I haven’t heard their new record The Grand Theatre Volume One, just released last week (Volume Two will follow next Spring), I am intrigued by the fact that rather than include Toronto on their full Winter itinerary, they are sending Rhett Miller and Murry Hammond to town for an intimate-type show that could well be cooler than the full band setup. The show takes place on November 10 at the El Mocambo, tickets are $17.50 and go on sale Friday. There’s interviews with Rhett Miller at The Houston Press, Dallas Observer and Spinner and yeah, I busted out Fight Songs while writing this up.

MP3: Old 97’s – “The Grand Theatre”

Spinner talks to Ken Stringfellow of The Posies.

Pixies are giving away a free live EP at their website. Go. Free.

Spin and Limewire ask Liz Phair what she was thinking when making Funstyle, which was released with the Girlysound Tapes yesterday. You can hear the whole thing at Spinner and take home a track courtesy of Limewire. It’s… interesting.

MP3: Liz Phair – “My My”
Stream: Liz Phair / Funstyle

The Chicago Tribune and Philadelphia Weekly talk to Isobel Campbell, in town today for an in-store at Criminal Records at 6PM on her own and then a show at Lee’s Palace later tonight with Mark Lanegan.

NME reports that Lightspeed Champion will release an EP of new material on December 13 entitled Bye Bye and that it’ll include a cover of The Beach Boys’ “Til I Die”, recorded with the aid of Beach Boys collaborator Van Dyke Parks.

NPR is streaming the video of Jonsi’s show in Los Angeles this past weekend.

Exclaim is streaming the whole of Diamond Rings’ debut Special Affections in advance of its release next Tuesday while Pitchfork has the latest single to download as well as a Guest List from John O. He plays The Garrison that same night.

MP3: Diamond Rings – “Something Else”
Stream: Diamond Rings / Special Affections

Chart talks to Murray Lightburn of The Dears.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor have added a fourth – and presumably final – show to their Toronto residency next Spring. They’ll offer up one more show at Lee’s Palace the evening of April 24, following that afternoon’s dry all-ages performance. Tickets are $20 and on sale tomorrow, but you can expect that the freaks fans who bought up tickets for the other three shows in short order will be going after these as well, so hesitate at your peril.

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

I'll Never Live Up To You

John Vanderslice gives away EP, consolidates status as swell guy

Photo By Elizabeth WeibergElizabeth WeibergA note: I’m presently barely conscious after staying up way too late the other night doing the Polaris post-game, so I’m just going to start tossing up stuff that’s been collecting in the hopper over the last few days until I pass out.

And we’ll kick off with a new batch of fully realized, produced and presented songs from the inimitable John Vanderslice, collected under the title of Green Grow The Rushes. It’s being given away for exactly zero dollars in both high-quality MP3 and uncompressed WAV format over at his website. Why? Because he’s got these songs he wants you to hear and because he’s great. But if you want to thank the ‘Slice in some monetary way, perhaps pick up a copy of his last full-length Romanian Names? It’s not quite as free but still a great record.

MP3: John Vanderslice – “Thule Fog”
MP3: John Vanderslice – “I’ll Never Live Up To You”
ZIP: John Vanderslice / Green Grow The Rushes

Exclaim has some details on the new Iron & Wine album, entitled Kiss Each Other Clean and due out in early 2011.

Michael Benjamin Lerner of Telekinesis chats with The Washington Post.

The Thermals have released a new single from Personal Life which, in the parlance of our time, means that there’s a new MP3 to download.

MP3: The Thermals – “Never Listen To Me”

The Line Of Best Fit and Spinner talk to Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer of The Posies. Their new record Blood/Candy is out September 28.

The Boston Herald talks to drummer Bob Nastanovich of Pavement. NYC Taper has also got a recording of their Williamsburg show to share.

Clash interviews Local Natives, in town at the Mod Club on October 19.

Spin declares Lissie to be “breaking out”. She’s at the El Mocambo on October 19.

Spin gets to the root of Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s name, while Filter has a track from their new record Buzzard available to download.

MP3: Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s – “Lunatic, Lunatic, Lunatic”

Spinner serves up an Interface session with Drive-By Truckers.

R.E.M. has completed work on album number 15 and are targeting a Spring 2011 release for it.

Drowned In Sound talks to Will Sheff of Okkervil River about working with Roky Erikson on this year’s True Love Casts Out All Evil.

NYC Taper is sharing a recording of Spoon’s show in the teeny tiny Cake Shop last week.

The new Deerhunter record Halcyon Digest is streaming at NPR in advance of its release next week. They’re at Lee’s Palace the Opera House on October 19.

Stream: Deerhunter / Halcyon Digest

The AV Club, American Songwriter, The Boston Herald, Pinnastorm, The Awl and NPR have interviews with Superchunk. NPR is also streaming their show in Washington DC last week and NYC Taper offering downloads of the Brooklyn show, giving you a taste of what to expect when they return to Toronto to play the Sound Academy on December 9 opening up for Broken Social Scene; you’ll just have to imagine the pogoing.

The Sydney Morning Herald talks to Interpol.

PitchforkTV has posted a POV session with The Hold Steady.

Clash declares Holly Miranda “One To Watch”.

New York Magazine talks to Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner.

Spin gets a live preview of Nicole Atkins’ new record Mondo Amore, due out on January 25 of next year, and you can download a new track from the record over at Nicole’s website.

Daytrotter has posted a session with Ra Ra Riot, who have made good on their promise to come back to town in December – they’ll be at the Mod Club on the first of that month, tickets $16.

MP3: Ra Ra Riot – “Boy”

Friday, August 6th, 2010

Basement Scene

Deerhunter hit the road; deer everywhere on notice

Photo By Barry KlippBarry KlippBradford Cox’s Deerhunter first began marketing their forthcoming album Halcyon Digest earlier this Summer via unconventional means, initiating a campaign wherein fans would download and print off old-school, xerox-styled flyers promoting the record and submit pictures of them posted up in and around their neighbourhoods in exchange for MP3 goodies, both from the new record and the Deerhunter archives. I can’t say as that I’ve seen any around my own hood, but clearly people have been participating.

As the September 28 release date for the new record draws near, the Atlanta-based band are gearing up for a more conventional but proven effective means of record promotion – touring their asses off. Pitchfork has the full itinerary, which includes a handful of northeast US dates this month before kicking off in earnest come October. Toronto welcomes them back – they were just here in March opening up for Spoon – on October 19 for a date at the Opera House, where they’ll be supported by Real Estate and Casino Vs Japan.

MP3: Deerhunter – “Revival”

A Place To Bury Strangers have released a new video from Exploding Head.

Video: A Place To Bury Strangers – “I Lived My Life To Stand In The Shadow Of Your Heart”

Antony & The Johnsons have released an MP3 for the title track from their forthcoming EP Thank You For Your Love, out August 24, as a teaser both for the short-player and the full-length it’s taken from, Swanlights, which will follow on October 12.

MP3: Antony & The Johnsons – “Thank You For Your Love”

The AV Club interviews Dean & Britta.

Nashville Scene talks to Josh Ritter. He’s at the Phoenix on October 26.

Jim James tells Rolling Stone that My Morning Jacket have been back in the studio and a new record is targeted for mid-2011.

Spin talks to Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of The Posies about their new record Blood/Candy, out September 28, and has a stream of the song “Licenses to Hide”, which features vocals from Lisa Lobsinger of Broken Social Scene and Reverie Sound Revue.

The Tripwire gets in the back of a van with The Acorn. For a video session. Get your mind out of the gutter.

The Toronto Star has a feature piece on Arcade Fire. They’re at the Toronto Islands next Saturday and last night’s MSG show is available to stream on YouTube.

As proof that their gig at the Phoenix in April actually did count as an intimate club show, Wolf Parade will be back for the finale of their Fall tour in support of Expo 86 at the Sound Academy on November 26.

MP3: Wolf Parade – “Ghost Pressure”
MP3: Wolf Parade – “What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)

The Line Of Best Fit has released a new Oh! Canada compilation of Canadian MP3s as assembled by Brits.

Dublin’s Villagers, whose Becoming A Jackal has been shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, has a date at the Drake Underground on September 27. Tickets $10 in advance.

MP3: Villagers – “Becoming A Jackal”

Spinner talks to Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite about the band’s new studio album which is targeted for a February 2011 release. Their Burning/Special Moves live set is due on August 24.

NME talks to Paul Smith of Maximo Park about releasing his first solo album Margins, due out October 11.

MP3: Paul Smith – “North Atlantic Drift”

Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers gives BBC6 some details on their forthcoming record Postcards From A Young Man, coming September 27.

Nick Cave discusses Grinderman with Rolling Stone. Grinderman 2 is out September 14 and the North American tour kicks of November 11 at the Phoenix in Toronto. I don’t think people are sufficiently excited about this show because it’s not possible to be sufficiently excited about this show.

Brooklyn Paper talks to Jack Rabid, publisher of The Big Takeover which has just celebrated 30 years of being one of the finest and most dedicated music magazines out there. Salut.

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Souls Travel

Bettie Serveert plan inspection of North American pharmacies (of love)

Photo By Phil HarderPhil HarderI was going to skip posting today entirely but a few choice bits came up on the radar that merited a quick mention – most notably, the announcement of Bettie Serveert’s Autumn North American tour that had been promised since their latest album – the surprisingly rowdy Pharmacy Of Love – was released back in march.

Amongst those dates is a September 28 appearance in Toronto at the Drake Underground, the Dutch rockers’ first visit since a barn-burner of a set at the Horseshoe back in February 2005. It’s a bit surprising that their tour routing doesn’t take them through Vegas for Matador 21 – they released three terrific college rock-defining records on the seminal label back in the ’90s and I thought for sure that their Fall visit would be timed to coincide with the anniversary festivities, but hey, I’m perfectly happy to see them closer to home.

MP3: Bettie Serveert – “Semaphore”
MP3: Bettie Serveert – “The Pharmacy”
Video: Bettie Serveert – “Deny All”

The Sadies have been added as support for Arcade Fire’s August 14 show on the Toronto Islands. It’s unclear if anyone else is being added or if that’s going to be it.

The Globe & Mail profiles Shad. He plays the Kool Haus on August 1.

Paste catches up with Tokyo Police Club.

The Deli features Fang Island.

Band Of Horses have released a new video from Infinite Arms; they’re at the Kool Haus on October 21.

Video: Band Of Horses – “Laredo”

The Los Angeles Times gets She & Him to compile a musical mixtape dedicated to California.

The Posies will release a new album entitled Blood/Candy on September 28. Blurt has details.

Tim Burgess of The Charlatans talks to NME about their forthcoming album Who We Touch, out in North America on September 14. They’re at Lee’s Palace on September 17.

Spinner continues to talk to The Joy Formidable.

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Set The Sails

Review of Dan Mangan's Nice, Nice, Very Nice

Photo By Jonathan TaggartJonathan TaggartSaying I was a bit award-ed out following last week’s Polaris Prize gala would be something of an understatement, so the ceremonies for the Verge XM Awards the following night were largely ignored around these parts. But that doesn’t mean the results weren’t of interest – okay, Alexisonfire winning album of the year was of zero interest, but the declaration of Vancouver’s Dan Mangan as artist of the year certainly drew a double-take. This response had nothing to do with Mangan or his work, simply the fact that it’s a pretty heady honour to bestow on someone who’d only released his new album Nice, Nice, Very Nice a little over a month prior, though that was preceded by the Roboteering EP in the Spring. The whys and wherefores of that do interest me, but we’ll set that aside for now and just consider the record.

And it’s a good one. On the surface, it’s a tuneful collection of roots-rock/pop, hummably melodic and understatedly orchestrated, but what’s most compelling is the narrator that Mangan inhabits in his songs. Though his likeable rasp implies a certain forthrightness of character, that he’s the sort of guy who tells is straight and like it is, lyrically he’s much slipperier. Sardonic observer of the world around him one moment, absurdist storyteller the next, but I suppose when done right the two really aren’t all that different. You’re never sure if Mangan is telling tall tales or pouring his broken heart out because he does both with a twinkle in his eye; the unreliable narrator, the court jester, or just the guy perched on a barstool, it doesn’t really matter – there’s as much cosmic truth as fiction in these songs and either is where you find it. And if you’re just looking for some great songs, they’re here too. Artist of the Year still strikes me as a bit premature, but if Mangan is still finding himself up for awards in a year’s time or so, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit.

Mangan kicks off a cross-country tour this week and will be in Toronto in a couple weeks on October 16 for an in-store at Criminal Records on October 16 at 6PM and a gig proper at the Rivoli that night. Then it’s off to the UK and Europe. Okay, maybe he’s having a really good year after all. There’s features on Mangan at The Georgia Straight.

MP3: Dan Mangan – “Road Regrets”
MP3: Dan Mangan – “Robots”
Video: Dan Mangan – “The Indie Queens Are Waiting”
Stream: Dan Mangan / Roboteering
Stream: Dan Mangan / Nice, Nice, Very Nice
MySpace: Dan Mangan

As promised, Sloan are giving away a new song. “Take It Upon Yourself” is a Chris song that sounds like a Jay song (it’s the piano) and is available for frees in exchange for your email address.

Note that the Rural Alberta Advantage show originally scheduled for November 4 at Lee’s Palace has been moved to November 20 – tickets for the former date are still good. There’s an interview with frontman Nils Edenloff at The Maneater.

Forest City Lovers have completed their first 7″ single, available to pre-order now in advance of its November 10 release. Something to hold you over until they release album number three next year.

Portions of the Caribou Vibration Ensemble performance at All Tomorrow’s Parties NY have been made available to stream or download at the Free Music Archive, with word that a full live album may be forthcoming. The Toronto show was amazing – I expect this was nothing less.

MP3: The Caribou Vibration Ensemble – “Skunks”
MP3: The Caribou Vibration Ensemble – “Barnowl”
MP3: The Caribou Vibration Ensemble – “Brahminy Kite”
MP3: The Caribou Vibration Ensemble – “A Final Warning”

Handsome Furs have set a date for Lee’s Palace on December 5, tickets $15. No occasion, just bringing some rock.

MP3: Handsome Furs – “I’m Confused”

NPR has a World Cafe session with The Jayhawks.

Spinner has another video taken from the forthcoming live R.E.M. album Live At The Olympia, out October 27.

Video: R.E.M. – “Man-Sized Wreath” (live)

Long-time R.E.M. sideman and once-and-future Posie Ken Stringfellow has a new band of Norwegians called The Disciplines. It’s got a garage-ish bent, but there’s no suppressing Stringfellow’s canny pop sensibilities. They’re heading out for a North American tour next month, including a stop at the Velvet Underground in Toronto on October 22 ($8 in advance), and are also looking for places to crash in many of the cities on the itinerary and a Vox AC30 amp to borrow.

Video: The Disciplines – “Best Mistake”
Video: The Disciplines – “Yours For The Taking (Smoking Kills)”

AZCentral talks to the other principal in the Posies, Jon Auer.

City Pages Q&A’s Built To Spill, whose new record There Is No Enemy is out next week and who have Lee’s Palace reserved for two nights, October 6 and 7.

Epigram Music talks to Sufjan Stevens about his BQE project, out October 20. He plays Lee’s Palace on Thursday night, October 1.

St Vincent’s Annice clark talks to Radar Online about her contribution to the soundtrack to New Moon, which I’m content to know nothing about save for one of the protagonists sparkles. Clark also gives an interview to The Vanguard.

There’s a new video for the Taken By Trees cover of Animal Collective’s “My Girls”, from her new album East Of Eden.

Video: Taken By Trees – “My Boys”

Blurt has a feature on Monsters Of Folk, who will be at Massey Hall on November 2.