Metric rules
Nov. 21 has been announced as the new date for the “physical retail release” of Metric's remix album, Fantasies Flashbacks (proceeds donated to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health). According to an announcement on the band's website, the album was supposed to be released a couple weeks back, but has to be pushed back due to the fire at the Sony/PIAS Distribution warehouse in London following the recent riots. That's the bad news.
The good news is that the band has signed on to work with acclaimed film composer and Toronto native Howard Shore to score David Cronenberg's latest flick, Cosmopolis. And it doesn't end there. The band also announced a new album is currently in the works, and it should be released early next year. That is huge news, my friends. What, no rumoured break-up or anything? Weird but wonderful.
Check out this cool surf guitar remix of “Satellite Mind” from Fantasies Flashbacks, complete with theremin.
The six-string incident
It’s looking like the Sleepwalk Guitar Festival, Nov. 4-6 at The Great Hall, could be one of the more exciting and enjoyable musical outings in Toronto this weekend. Sleepwalk is the brainchild of musician Luke Doucet, who is acting as the festival's curator.
The event brings together some of the finest guitar players across the land who are getting together to put on concerts, give some workshops and generally worship the six-string. For an inaugural year, Doucet has managed to amass an impressive and diverse group of musicians including J Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr. fame) in concert on Friday night, as well as The Sadies, Ian Blurton, the Richard Lloyd Trio, Colin Cripps and many more.
Mau5-keteers
Toronto's dance music phenom, Grammy Award-nominated Deadmau5, hits the Rogers Centre for a sweat-bath of a show on Saturday night, Nov. 5, as tens of thousands of people will fill the facility to the rafters for a non-stop move-a-thon. Joel Zimmerman, the 30-year-old originally from Niagara Falls, is a global musical powerhouse known for his progressive house and electronic music as well as the giant, electronic mouse head he wears during performances. He is considered one of the top DJs in the world, although he doesn't consider himself a DJ, preferring to produce and play his own music. For social media watchers, his Facebook page has more than 4 million likes and over 627,000 people follow him on Twitter (Leslie Feist has around 18,000, for those keeping score).
When he performs in his hometown, it is an event. An event you should consider attending. Here's a taste:
The Darcys — free music
Top-drawer local shoe-gazing band The Darcys have offered up their latest self-titled album (Arts & Crafts) via their website, and a seriously good album it is. Go to the band's website, plunk in your email address and get it quickly, before they change their minds. The moody quartet of Jason Couse, Wes Marskell, Mike le Riche and Dave Hurlow, are in fine form with their unique brand of plush atmospherics draped over inventive harmonies. They even rock out on a few tunes. Highlights include the churning “The Mountains Make Way” and the gorgeous “I Will Be Light.” The band officially releases the album at their show at the Horseshoe Tavern on Nov.18.
Did anyone notice?
In the “completely missed it” department, did anyone notice that the Barenaked Ladies released a greatest hits album last month? Yeah, me neither. Ah well. When the press material bills the album as a new “mid-price hits collection” you know their hearts probably aren't in it.
