Chipped Hip

Said the Whale – “Heavy Ceiling”

January 27, 2012

I was at Said the Whale’s very first show almost five years ago, so it has been pretty exciting to follow the band’s rise. Its latest single is a Tyler Bancroft-sung number that’s one of the band’s most straight-up rockers to date.

Die-hards may remember that this is actually a rewritten version of a prior non-LP track, although this version is a little heavier on the guitars and lighter on the synth.

This comes from the band’s excellent forthcoming LP Little Mountain.

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Lana Del Rey – “Born to Die”

January 26, 2012

Lana Del Rey just might end up having one of the shortest career arcs in recent memory. Everyone loved her just a few months ago, but then she bombed on Saturday Night Live and everyone seems to hate Born to Die (the title of which seems to sum up Lana’s career). All good things must pass. I just didn’t know it would pass quite so quickly.

Below is the title track from “Born to Die,” which really is a pretty awesome song. Let’s remember Lana like this! With hooky choruses, dead-eyed melancholy and fucking tigers sitting next to her fucking throne.

I’ve written a few Exclaim! stories about Lana in the past few months.

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Lower Dens – “Brains”

January 24, 2012

Lower Dens put out one of my favourite albums of 2010, so I’m excited about the prospect of a new album from the dream pop outfit. Go to Exclaim! to read my story about the forthcoming release of Nootropics.

Below is “Brains,” which is a little slow getting going but turns into a lovely, expansive tune.

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La Sera – “Please Be My Third Eye”

January 19, 2012

These days, there seems to be a trend of indie pop musicians toning down the reverb and girl group influences in favour a slightly cleaner, more straightforward sound.

La Sera’s “Please Be My Third Eye” (from her forthcoming Sees the Light LP, due March 27 through Hardly Art) reflects that shift. It’s an upbeat stomper that is hardly clean, but there’s not the same level of swampy reverb as we used to hear from Vivian Girls-related projects. Nicely played, Kickball Katy.

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The Weeknd – “Montreal”

January 18, 2012

For the current issue of the Georgia Straight (up until tomorrow, that is), I wrote an article about the Weeknd, who is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing newcomers to arrive on the pop landscape in some time.

Below is the steamy R&B noir number “Montreal,” which comes from his recent Echoes of Silence mixtape and is currently making my girlfriend do one of the funniest dances I’ve ever seen. It ends a bit abruptly since it’s meant to lead directly into the next track, “XO/The Host.”

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The Evaporators & Andrew W.K. – “I Hate Being Late (When I’m Early)”

January 17, 2012

When I first started writing about music, I reviewed albums for Discorder, and consequently spent a bunch of time hanging around the CiTR 101.9 FM station at UBC. That’s why it gives me a bit of a thrill to see that the Evaporators and Andrew W.K. filmed a music video in the station. A couple of years ago I could have theoretically been one of those kids (is that the singer of Thee AHs?) dancing around in the lounge.

It’s pretty amazing to see a music video when you’re so familiar with the surroundings, especially one as fun as this bubblegum punk party.

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Young Liars – “Colours”

January 15, 2012

In addition to being the best thing TV on the Radio has ever done, Young Liars is also the name of dance rock band from Vancouver. I reviewed the outfit’s Homesick Future EP for the Georgia Straight.

Below you can hear the catchy single “Colours,” which brings to mind Cut Copy, Phoenix, and the Killers before they got insufferably lame.

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Drake – “Headlines”

January 13, 2012

Drake has so many feelings! Yes, the lyrics of Take Care are littered with alcohol and strip clubs, but these are all just distractions from the fact that he spends most of the hour-plus runtime rapping and singing about how he just wants a lady who will love him as much as his crew does. Life is hard.

Hey, but the production is rad and the album is great, so long as you’re in the mood for pining over unrequiteds.

Below is the uncharacteristically hedonistic (but still tear-in-beer sensitive).

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Guided by Voices – “The Unsinkable Fats Domino”

January 10, 2012

Do I really need to hear another Guided by Voices album? I mean, Bee Thousand is a masterpiece, but reunion records have a nasty habit of sucking the big one.

Then again, “The Unsinkable Fats Domino” suggests that maybe I should give Let’s Go Eat the Factory a listen after all. This is a hard-hitting pop rock tune with the same kind of slapdash, tossed-off charm that the band made its signature back in the day. Maybe I’ll get around to this album after all.

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Mac DeMarco – “Babys Wearin Blue Jeans”

January 8, 2012

It was quite a surprise to learn that Mac DeMarco has now signed to Captured Tracks for a solo EP. What happened to Makeout Videotape?

In any case, I’m pretty excited for March 20, when his Rock and Roll Night Club comes out. The sexy, breathy single “Babys Wearin Blue Jeans” is below, courtesy of Pitchfork. This isn’t my favourite work of his, but it’s still pretty damn good (although that title could really use some apostrophes).

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