Our friends over at Kitsilano’s Zulu Records once again present their weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, staff from the West 4th music store provide The Track, the song that is on heavy rotation that week; The Playlist, which is pretty self-explanatory; The Gig, the must see show of the week; and The Glance, a view ahead to music on the horizon. From their ears to yours, enjoy…

The Track

BASIA BULAT | The Shore from Heart of My Own

Montreal’s Basia Bulat is a name within Canadian music circles that has been constantly bubbling over and steadily gaining critical praise. Her enigmatic compositions of voice and autoharp have enchanted both refined and rabid fans giving her a unique crossover appeal that hits with the hardcore crusty old folks club and a hipster boutique music fanbase. Blessed with an abundance of talent, a cannon of a voice, and a network of amazing musicians with which to collaborate, Basia now seems poised to take the next step both nationally and abroad. Here at Zulu, we loved her debut release Oh, My Darling, which slotted in nicely with the ladies of the canyon meets Vashti Bunyan and Joanna Newsom sonic niche. Naturally, we were blown away with this, her sophomore effort. It broods with a compelling craft and confidence while delicately capturing in song a rare sense of beauty and innocence. Bulat can do it all, Heart of My Own is gorgeous.

The Playlist

Click the links for some audible flavour…

YEASAYER Odd Blood (Secretly Canadian)
When you open your eyes you will be at the house party in your mind. Can you say Yeasayer?

MASSIVE ATTACK Heligoland (EMI)
Banging! Banging! Banging! Ten tracks and four remixes! Nice guest vocals too.

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS Realism (Nonesuch)
Stephen Merritt is a musical genius – this is his take on classic folk records…you have to love The Dada Polka.

HAWKSLEY WORKMAN Meat (Warner)
Seriously…Hawksley lives a charmed life penning sublime tunes in his rural Ontario farmhouse.

WATSON TWINS Talking To You (Capitol)
I loved their work with Jenny Lewis! This is like the second coming of Twin Peaks crooning songs!

WOODHANDS Remorsecadape (Paper Bag)
Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt are Canada’s best electronic pop psychedelic duo going.

EELS End Times (Vagrant)
Heavenly pop music sure to suck the poison out of your blood. Seriously, if this guy gets weird on us he will be the next Brian Wilson…

THE WOODEN SKY If I Don’t Come Home… (Black Box)
Toronto’s indie rock kingpins are awesome and make even me consider moving to the big smoke.

NOUVELLE VAGUE 3 (Peacefrog)
If you’re planning a dinner party with plenty of bubbly, delicious dumplings and lively conversation, well..you can invite us and this is what we’ll bring.

FANSHAW Dark Eyes (Mint Records)
Hometown hero Fanshaw is now out on the east coast selling her magnificent songs to the NYC elite – so it’s ok to drive around East Van and blast this.

The Gig

The coolest local shows on the immediate horizon…

Chain and The Gang + Strange Boys | MEDIA CLUB on Friday March 5th

Church organs, thumbing basslines, hot trapkit pitter-pat, and some scorching leads all provide a hypnotic spectacle for a night of real charisma and revolution! “Progress is a big word”… so tells us cultural critic/chain gang frontman extraordinaire Ian Svenonius a.k.a. Chain! Having given us Nation of Ulysses and the Make Up, Ian now returns with perhaps his best trash-talking, capitalist critiquing, JB’s inspired outfit to date. Anyone who saw him destroy minds at Little Mountain Studios last summer should know that this is the prefect antidote to every other night of mind-numbing music. Drag your significant other to this. Chain is going to shake you up!

The Glance

Fine local shows on the immediate horizon…

Tue FEB 23

K’NAAN & TINARIWEN – ORPHEUM

Wed FEB 24

FOUR TET – BILTMORE
MARK FARINA – GINGER 62

Thu FEB 25

DIESELBOY – SHINE

Thu FEB 25

CALVIN HARRIS – GOSSIP
BRUTAL TRUTH + INFERNAL MAJESTY – RED ROOM

Fri FEB 26

SHAKLETON – BILTMORE

Sat FEB 27

CRYSTAL CASTLES – GOSSIP
EL PERRO DEL MAR & TAKEN BY TREES – BILTMORE
ACORN PROJECT w/ BLVD. – FAIRVIEW PUB
FOREIGN BORN – FORTUNE
APOCA-LYMPIAD – WISE HALL

Sun FEB 28

HOWELLS & BURRIDGE – SHINE
HEADLIGHTS – RAILWAY

Mon MAR 01

WE WERE PROMISED- BILTMORE –

Tue MAR 02

AGAINST ME – RICKSHAW –

Thu MAR 04

THE GRAND MOTHERS – BILTMORE

Fri MAR 05

BASIA BULAT – ST. JAMES
CHAIN AND THE GANG & STRANGE BOYS – MEDIA CLUB
ZULU RECORDS