Vegan Toothache

Like the sound of a dental drill chipping teeth and bleeding gums; AIDS WOLF has a new single. Titled ‘Teaching To Suffer’, the song is taken from their latest LP March To The Sea, again being released by one the world’s most potent noise labels, Skin Graft Records. Since forming in 2003, AIDS WOLF has always been at the forefront of the North American post-no wave, noise scene, pulling writhing rhythms and cretin-like vocals into a heavily distorted but perfectly sensible mess. Their songs are driven by destruction; awkward during the birthing stage with shredding guitars and chaotic drum rolls sounding like a live abortion, and then bleeding internally through to the end with flames smoldering in the amplifiers creating the sound of a million masturbating embers.

‘Teaching To Suffer’ starts with swirling guitars and devilish female vocals before digressing into clattering drums and razor sharp shreds of warped noise. By the end everything sounds dead, splattered across the pavement like a wanted criminal shot at point blank range. Only Grace from Foot Village can fake death like Chloe Lum, whose squelchy vocals are at the heart of AIDS WOLF’s catastrophic sound.

March To The Sea will be available this coming Spring (US Fall), check Skin Graft Records‘ website for more details. AIDS WOLF is touring the US in September/October, more details can be found on the band’s Myspace page.

 AIDS WOLF- Teaching To Suffer: MP3

AIDS WOLF- Myspace

Posted by Nick Fulton under Canada, Montreal
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Hell Is Other People

Canadian duo Tegan and Sara have announced the beginning of pre-orders for their new album Sainthood today and the first single is ‘Hell’. Fans can now place their orders from iTunes for the twin sisters’ sixth album and get two bonus iTunes songs, ‘Wrists’ and ‘Light Up’. The pre-order also comes with ‘It Was Midnight’.

The girls have kept busy since the release of their acclaimed 2007 album The Con, and are releasing their publishing debut alongside the new album. ON, IN, AT is a three-book set which chronicles different periods of their lives (their 2008 US tour, 2009 Australian tour and a joint writing session in New Orleans for Sainthood) in writing and photos.

The third track from the new album, ‘Hell’ is a fast-paced, almost punk song for T&S, with driving guitar and harmonic singing. It’s an interesting departure from their previous quieter, somber fare, apparently written about a newspaper article in the Vancouver Sun about Tegan’s new neighbourhood being deemed “Vancouver’s four blocks of hell”.

There are special celebratory shows in New York and California at the end of the month for Sainthood, after which T&S will tour Europe, Canada and the US.

Tegan and Sara- Hell: MP3

Tegan and Sara- Myspace

Tegan and Sara- Website

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Canada, Montreal, Vancouver
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Fun and Laughter Returns

Returning for the first time since front woman Lizzie Powell suffered some quite serious vocal ailments in 2008, Land Of Talk has made a storming comeback with their new single ‘May You Never’ and bring with it news of a new EP titled Fun and Laughter, out via Saddle Creek Records on October 13.

It’s also the band’s first release since touring in support of their critically acclaimed debut album Some Are Lakes, recorded in early 2008 with help from Justin Vernon (Bon Iver, Volcano Choir) and released in October last year. During the tour, Powell announced that the band would be going on hiatus, but the differences within the band sorted themselves quickly avoiding any long term breakup. Guitarist Chris McCarron left to join The Dears and was replaced by current guitarist Joe Yarmush.

Fun and Laughter is a unique package, containing four new tracks, three videos and comes with limited edition screen-printed art (CD version only) designed by the band. Pre-orders can be made now from Saddle Creek’s website.

The new single, ‘May You Never’, shuffles sideways slightly, away from Land Of Talk’s previously succinct jaunty garage rock, leaning more towards the eternal indie rock spectrum. Touring with Broken Social Scene may have had an influence but fans have little to worry about as Powell’s beautiful female croon is still the driving influence behind the band. She adds some pretty swishy guitar licks as well, they’re just a bit more tailored to Death Cab than we’re all used to.

 Land Of Talk- May You Never: MP3

 Land Of Talk- Myspace

Posted by Nick Fulton under Canada, Montreal
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 Heidi and Lauren xoxox

This post has nothing to do with Heidi Montag from MTV’s reality TV show The Hills, although you were probably searching for her on google when you ended up here. The Montag we care about is Canadian musician Antoine Bedard, whose EP Hibernation caught our attention when we were on the AW Music blog today. Going by the name Montag, Bedard makes smooth, down beat electro-pop, tossing together a range of analog  synths and acoustic instruments.

His style is reminiscent of M83 or Animal Collective, weaving images of lush landscapes and bitter cold nights cooped up around the fire. It keeps you close, almost delaying time, pondering life as if choosing weather to speak to you or not. Raised in the icy Alps of Quebec, Canada, French speaking Bedard is highly respected as one of Canada’s most eclectic electronic artists.  His debut album Going Places featured collaborations with Victoria Legrand of Beach House, Anthony Gonzales of M83 and Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy. On the title track ‘Going Places’, Bedard collaborated with 70 different musicians from 15 countries capturing a unique international sound.

On Hibernation, Montag’s new EP which was released in February, he speaks only once, singing in French on ‘La Symetrie Du Coeur’; the other six tracks are entirely instrumental. They have a dark, cold feel about them, perhaps inspired by the Canadian winter and they relate very well to our current climate here in New Zealand. Brushed with those icy cold shades of winter, Montag will suit fans of beautifully layered instrumental pop, or even fans of folk singers like Bon Iver.

Both Hibernation and Going Places were released on the Carpark Records label and can be purchased from the label’s website.

Montag- La Symetrie Du Coeur: MP3

 Montag- Myspace

Posted by Nick Fulton under Montreal
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