Following a six-year run and three acclaimed LPs, Montreal-based husband-and-wife duo Handsome Furs have called it quits. News broke this evening (May 17) through the band's website, where the pair issued a short statement confirming the breakup. "With a heavy heart the time has come to let all of you know that Handsome Furs are no more," the band posted. Neither Dan Boeckner nor Alexei Perry went into detail as to why the project is being put to rest, but last month they cancelled a string of European tour dates over an "urgent health issue." "The most important thing that needs to...Read More
Donna Summer, one of the disco era's most widely recognized icons, reportedly died today (May 17) after losing a battle with cancer. She was 63. According to TMZ, the singer was in Florida at the time of her death. The Boston-born Summer was a multiple Grammy winner whose performing career dates back to the 1960s. She found success during the disco explosion of the 1970s and scored several massive hits, starting with 1975's "Love to Love You." This song sparked Summer's collaboration with pioneering disco producers Giorgio Moroder and Bellotte, who helped her to create...Read More
Sexed-driven R&B producer/singer The-Dream was supposed to drop his The Love IV: Diary of a Madman way back in September, but after a series of delays, the man born Terius Nash has announced the LP will finally arrive August 14. It looks as if the disc has got a name change, though, and shall now be dubbed Love IV MMXII. The musician took to his Twitter account yesterday (May 16) to deliver the news, explaining "LOVE IV is the BEST Album I've made. I don't care what the sales will be. I will do my best to Challenge your Taste And Knowledge." The generally smoothed-out...Read More
While Van Halen are currently out on the road promoting their A Different Kind of Truth album, the classic rock troupe have unexpectedly pulled out of more than 30 upcoming concerts running from July to September. The news came via the group's website, which has now scrubbed the shows in question off their schedule. An explanation hasn't been given by the band, but after wrapping up some dates in June, Van Halen are apparently taking a sabbatical. While the bulk of the dates take place in the U.S., Canadian fans hoping to catch the group at London, ON's John Labatt Centre on July 21...Read More
If you're one of the many people who find Odd Future unbearably annoying and/or offensive, the thought of a prank and sketch comedy show starring the controversial hip-hop group probably keeps you up at night. But Loiter Squad, their Adult Swim-broadcasted comedy show, apparently did well enough in its first season to warrant another go. According to Pitchfork, Adult Swim confirmed that Loiter Squad will return for a second season. While the broadcaster hasn't set a premiere date just yet, it's more proof that Odd Future's pop cultural reign won't likley deflate any...Read More
Newfoundland's the Novaks proclaimed we live in a "Big World" on their 2010 EP of the same name, and the trio will cover a portion of the globe on their upcoming Canadian tour. The act will head out on their first cross-Canada trek in several years this month to celebrate their tenth anniversary. The core trio of Mick Davis (vocals, guitar), Mark Neary (vocals, bass) and Elliot Dicks (drums) will beef up their sound on stages countrywide with the addition of live guitarist Brad Power. The Novaks kick off the trip on the opposite coast with an opening slot for Philadelphia's Deer Tick at...Read More
Soul Control last left us with 2011's Get Out Now mini-release, which Exclaim! lauded as "a sleeper that will embed itself in your mind," and the Providence, RI post-hardcore crew will keep things equally bite-sized on their upcoming Bore Core EP. The collection arrives July 31 via Bridge 9. Produced by Trevor Vaughan, Bore Core will feature five songs, with a as-yet-unrevealed sixth song available on the digital edition. You hear this all the time from bands, but Soul Control feel this fresh batch of '90s-referencing hardcore tunes are their best yet. "One...Read More
Back in 2010, forward-thinking Canadian imprint Constellation Records revealed the first edition of Musique Fragile, a limited-edition box set that included three albums bundled together with exclusive artwork. Clearly a success, the label has revealed details for the sophomore set in the series. Musique Fragile Volume 2 will feature three albums: Vamp Ire by Kanada 70, Affaires Étrangères by Pacha, and Transit of Venus, which is a collaborative effort between Hangedup and Tony Conrad. The albums will be available on 180-gram vinyl and as a...Read More
It's been two years since UK indie rockers Foals released their sophomore set Total Life Forever. In that time, they've remained relatively quiet aside from some touring. Now, however, they've announced plans to return this summer, not with a new album but with a mixtape. The group revealed the news via their Twitter, writing, "THIS IS TO SAY we're releasing a mix cd on k7 this july! it's going to be rad. and here's the cover. by tinhead... It's called TAPES. cos it's like a tape. only it's a cd. que?" According to the tracklisting, which is available below, the release...Read More
Montreal is developing a reputation for high-profile electronic music festivals, but what about the city's folk fans? Lovers of all things rootsy and acoustic will be catered to with fifth instalment of the annual Folk Festival on the Canal, which will take place from June 14 to 17 of this year. Among the artists who have signed on to perform at the event are Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary), Plants and Animals, Carolyn Mark, Dala, Jim Kweskin (joined by members of the Ever Lovin' Jug Band/Lake of Stew), Kevin Parent, Les Soeurs Boulay, Notre Dame de Grass, Rob Lutes, Bent by...Read More
The last we heard from the estate of late hip-hop hero J Dilla, his mother Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey had launched a new label called Ruff Draft Records. The label is gearing up to release Dilla's Rebirth of Detroit on June 12, but that's not the only posthumous Dilla material coming our way, as another release has just been announced. The album is called Dillatroit and will be released on the Mahogani label later this month. The release is being billed as an EP, but it features 12 cuts. Mahogani will drop Dillatroit on May 25 as a limited vinyl release. The...Read More
Luscious Baltimore dream pop duo Beach House delivered their fourth full-length LP Bloom earlier this week, an album Exclaim! called "hugely effective, affecting and ultimately beautiful." Out-there California beatsmith Flying Lotus has weighed in on the effort, too, but the producer is ultimately shrugging his shoulders on this one. Taking to his Twitter account, Flying Lotus delivered a backhanded compliment to Beach House, admitting that the record was decent, but not entirely original. "This new beach house record is coo. Just makes me wonder how so many bands are totally...Read More
Following Blue Rodeo's recent induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the long-running Toronto alt-country band will be celebrating the honour in their usual fashion: with plenty shows in their home and native land. The band's live schedule doesn't include a full-blown tour, but rather a steady smattering of gigs throughout the coming weeks and months. This includes shows with fellow roots music enthusiasts New Country Rehab and Great Lake Swimmers. See the schedule below. As for singer-guitarist Jim Cuddy, he is coming off a recent solo album, Skyscraper Soul, and...Read More
Despite delivering a series of album reissues a couple of years back, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion haven't really been dropping new tunes since they got back together. The band are resuscitating their Explosion Juke Box Series, however, to issue new tune "Gadzooks." In the Red Records will deliver the sixth instalment of the series on May 29. This will be the first Juke Box Series release since 2002's "Ghetto Mom" / "Do Ya Wanna Get It." The aforementioned "Gadzooks" is a new tune described in a press release as "an original that captures them at their fractured,...Read More
Jack White recently argued that the White Stripes deserved recognition from Guinness World Records for performing the shortest show ever when they played a single note in St. John's in 2007. Well, apparently his complaints didn't fall on deaf ears, as Guinness has responded to his criticisms. The company told NME that, for a short time, the White Stripes were indeed awarded the dubious honour of the shortest-ever gig. "The White Stripes were in fact recognized in the 2009 edition of the Guinness World Records book for the shortest music concert ever when, on July 16 2007,...Read More
Lo-fi electro-pop auteur John Maus may know his way around a solid synth and bass groove, but when it comes to album titles, sometimes the dude's not as visionary. His follow-up to 2011's creatively named We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves will be called A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material, and, well, you can guess what kind of material will pop up on the release. The collection arrives July 17 through Ribbon Music and will place previously heard material alongside some newly unearthed gems. New jams include "Angel of the Night" and...Read More
Austra were one of Canada's most buzzed-about bands in 2011, and the Toronto-based goth-pop act are looking to keep on spreading the word. In the coming months, they will be embarking on a busy tour schedule that finds them playing shows all over the world, and includes a number of shows here in their home and native land. This month, the band will be travelling across continental Europe before playing a number of UK shows in June. Then, after a smattering of dates in August, including appearances at HARD Toronto and Montreal's Osheaga, the North American leg will begin in earnest in...Read More
Is it just us, or does the number of Canadian music festivals just keep on growing? One stellar festival that's been running for close to four decades is London, ON's Home County Folk Festival, which will be returning for its 39th annual instalment from July 20 to 22. Among the artists who have signed on to play at the by-donation event are Joel Plaskett, Kathleen Edwards, Bahamas, Cuff the Duke, Jim Bryson, Olenka & the Autumn Lovers, Kinnie Starr, Peter Katz and more. These folk-oriented performances will take place at London's Victoria Park, with a suggested donation of just five...Read More
Another weekend of live music is coming up, and Exclaim! has once again selected some of the most interesting and highly anticipated events happening across the country. With so much to choose from, read this week's Can't Miss Concerts for your guide to the best shows in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. ...Read More
It addition to releasing mind-bending ambient/experimental music with the trio Emeralds, John Elliott drops music with a variety of other projects. This includes his pseudonym Outer Space; it's under this moniker that he will release the new album Akashic Record (Events: 1986-1990) on July 10 via his own Spectrum Spools imprint. An announcement from the label notes that this LP "sees the project move on from the stripped down, primitive nature of the old into a more urgent, fractured and aggressive set of reality based compositions." As the title suggests, "The work was created...Read More
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