Every week (usually Mondays), we round up the most exciting music news happening in Toronto. In this edition, both Yukon Blonde and Said The Whale are headed to the Danforth Music Hall (albeit separately), Patti Smith plays a doubleheader at AGO, Young Galaxy announces a new LP and more.
This might be the best Canadian coupling since Chad Kroeger and Avril Lavigne (just kidding): West Coast power-pop rockers Yukon Blonde recently announced a bunch of Canadian tour dates with Zeus, Toronto’s (amplified) answer to The Sheepdogs. The two bands will join forces in Thunder Bay on April 2, but before that, Yukon Blonde will be joined on tour with bands such as Lucy Rose, Stars and Monster Truck. The tour kicks off with Stars on Mar. 20 at Danforth Music Hall. A brand new Yukon Blonde tour-only vinyl will be available at the shows, but more details on the new material have yet to be released. In the meantime, you can listen to their new single, “Six Dead Tigers,” below.
Punk poet Patti Smith is coming to town. The legendary singer-songwriter will be playing a doubleheader gig on Mar. 7 in support of her photography exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Titled Camera Solo, Smith’s exhibition will feature more than 75 works, including around 70 photographs shot with a vintage Polaroid camera. Smith told Reuteurs in an interview that “Polaroid, by its nature, makes you frugal. You walk around with maybe two packs of film in your pocket. You have 20 shots, so each shot is a world.” Jesse Paris Smith (her daughter) and Tony Shanahan will support the live set. Tickets for Camera Solo and for Smith’s live performances are likely to go quick, so we suggest getting them shortly after they become available on Feb. 8.
Last week, B.C.-based group Young Galaxy announced the release of their fourth LP, Ultramarine, whose cover bears the same colour as its title. The new album will be put out by Paper Bag Records on Apr. 23, and it holds true to the synth-heavy electro groove we’ve come to expect. Not surprisingly, the band enlisted Dan Lissvik to produce again. But this time, according to the press release, Young Galaxy recorded in a studio in Sweden, which allowed for more experimentation. “In being away from home we felt like we could risk more,” explains co-founder and lead singer Catherine McCandless. “Take bigger chances. Things we didn’t think would work, we tried anyway.”
Another West Coast outfit, Said The Whale, will be hitting the road again. Though Little Mountain was released back in March 2012, the indie-chamber-pop band has garnered some serious cred, including a Juno award for best new group of the year. They’ll be touring with Stars for a couple of shows, including a stop in Toronto on March 21 at Danforth Music Hall and a spot in SXSW. Rumour also has it that Said The Whale will drop a new album this fall.
P.S., Vampire Weekend just updated their Facebook status. Apparently, the new LP is officially complete, and it’s coming out on May 7. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! debut of the new track, “Unbelievers,” might tide you over until then.