Music, musings and miscellanea

Laura Stevenson and the Cans join the most excellent Lemuria on a growing list of indie rock leaning bands putting out records on punk and hardcore labels. Sit Resist, their second disc is out now on Don Giovani Records but is availalbe as a free download all month via their Souncloud (see below). The band will be swinging through Toronto this weekend – you can check them out at the El Mo May 7 with Fake Problems and Into It, Over It.

Laura Stevenson & the Cans “Sit Resist” by Riot Act

Prior to NXNE this past week, I had the chance to speak with Andy McLean, the Managing Director and co-founder of the fest here in Toronto,  Canada. We talked festival history as well as what they look for when choosing bands from the thousands of entries they get each year. You can listen to the interview in the grand context of the New Wax Show here, or on its lonesome below.

NXNE – Andy McLean

This post originally appeared at Chartattack.com

Hannah Georgas could be the next breakout Canadian star, or she could just as easily flame out in a ball of obscurity. So is the roll of the popular culture dice.

The point is that the title of the Vancouver singer’s This Is Good debut is actually a bit of an undersell — the record is actually quite fantastic. Georgas artfully straddles the indie/pop line like Feist and Emily Haines before her, but her personality should win over any detractors bothered by the artistic overlap. And if that doesn’t, the songs themselves should.

It’s easy to imagine opener “Chit Chat” blaring out of Starbucks speakers, or climbing up the MuchMusic Countdown; the rare bastion of “well, this is actually quite good” amongst the sea of sensitive singer-songwriters and oversexed pop-tarts. Essentially, there’s something for everyone to latch onto here.

If Georgas does hit the big-time, she’ll quickly be cast off by the indie crowd as too calculated and commercial. And if she never makes it, This Is Good will be held up as a great “should have been huge” cult album.

Either way, you should check it out now so you can say “I told you so.”

Hannah Georgas – Chit Chat

“Thick Skin”

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca

A year-and-a-half after it was originally due, and four years after their last LP, 2006′s Pet Grief, Sweden’s the Radio Dept. are finally unleashing this long-gestating record upon the world. While this doesn’t match Pet Grief‘s massive sonic shift, Clinging to a Scheme does see a continued evolution in the band’s sound, honing their pop chops.

Nowhere is this more apparent than on “Heaven’s On Fire,” propelled by a bouncy beat and filled with shimmering guitars. Intro-ed by a clip of Thurston Moore calling for a take down of the “bogus capitalist process” that co-ops youth culture, it’s the best thing the band have ever done. And while the rest of the album doesn’t quite live up to this early highlight, tracks like “David” and “Never Follow Suit” come dangerously close.

Johan Duncanson’s vocals continue to float above the music, which works well with these tracks. But the lackadaisical delivery contributes to making lesser tunes that much more forgettable. Although Clinging to a Scheme might not be fully worth the four-year gap, it still makes a strong argument for the wait.

The Radio Dept. – Heaven’s On Fire

Sackville, New Brunswick’s very own Shotgun Jimmie, in town for a show at the Cameron House, swung by CHRY 105.5 this week to chat and play some tunes. Despite pitching up a tad late, Shotgun Jimmie aka Jim Killpatrick was a hilarious guest and a great performer. The former Shotgun and Jaybird member played a number of tunes from both this spring’s Still Jimmie and his tour only EP Paint it Pink on a banjo that was strung like a guitar that a friend gave him as he was leaving the house. It’s good listening kids…

Listen to Shotgun Jimmie live at CHRY 105.5 here.