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

WOODS xxxx (Woodsist)

Digging the newest from Brooklyn’s fine young gentlemen known as Woods. Jeremy Earl’s voice has been hard to get used to for me, but over the albums it’s really grown on me. Or maybe he’s just nailing the sound down better with each record. Anyway, it’s a very specific (and concordantly) recognizable voice that complements the band’s sound quite appropriately. There’s a kraut rock song on this album. Seems like that kraut thing is getting kinda trendy in lo-fi/indie these days, but the Woods-ers prove themselves capable of weaving those references into their folk palette seamlessly; something I can’t say for some of their contemporaries. I’m going to listen to this record a lot over the coming weeks.

The Playlist

EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints (Southern Transmissions)

My friend has been bugging me about this gal for weeks and when it arrived in the store I finally took the pointer and gave it a spin. Glad I did – reminds me of early, better Karen O type stuff. I think she was in a band called Gowns that I never heard of. Does that help at all?

LADY GAGA Born This Way (Interscope)

Just the spectacle of it all…

SHEARING PINX Night Danger [LP] (Divorce/Isolated Now Waves)

As the sticker suggests, we got the Pinx’ last LP recorded with the original lineup on the Zulu shelves! It also says it’s the “sister record to 2008’s ‘Weaponry’.” What’s a sister record???

CAKE Showroom of Compassion (Upbeat)

Whenever I listen to Cake I think of my family. My brother and I used to listen to Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol 2 a lot, which featured the song “Never There” and would later go on to cover “The Distance” in a high school cover band. Plus our mom used to love the video (as the rest of us did) for “Short Skirt, Long Jacket”. Cake makes me happy. Also notable: this is the lowest selling Billboard #1 album of all time. Huh.

BORIS Heavy Rocks (Sargent House)

This is a pretty sweet deal. New Boris full-length. Recycled title. New color. Same badassery. (Gonna go ahead and ignore the cover sticker that claims they “redefine their signature heavy sound”. C’mon guys.)

MATTHEW COOPER Some Days Are Better Than Others OST (Temporary Residence)

Haven’t seen the flick yet but it looks great. Surefire way to get me into a cinema? Put Carrie Brownstein in your movie. Anyway, Matthew Cooper, aka Coop, aka Elevium, aka Best Drone in PDX, did the score and it’s beautiful. Pretty excellent intro to his music if you’re a newbie, actually.

THE DONKEYS Born With Stripes (Dead Oceans)

Born With Stripes? Trying to decipher this title. Usually you’re supposed to EARN your stripes. Is that what they’re referring to? If these jerks think they can skip the line, I’m going to get their manager on the horn and sort this mess out. Great slow indie rock band though.

EARTH – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light (Southern Lord)

Oh yeah. Definitely. For some reason I slept on the task of exploring Earth’s entire catalogue, but I really should – every time I hear a new one I’m totally entranced. AODDOL is no different. Love this record.

RISE AGAINST Endgame (Interscope)

Another band that has a hold on my heart’s soft spot. Siren Song of the Counter Culture was big for me in high school. If you were into this kind of thing, this new, foreboding album is great fun!

WEEKEND End Times [7” EP] (Slumberland)

Slumberland picks another gem from the rough of the indie rock dredges of California. Awesome ‘lil 7” just came in this week – worth checking out!

The Gig

Thursday June 9 – WORLD CLUB / WOOLWORM – Cobalt

The band I really want to write about is Woolworm. Can’t give enough praise to this young group of East Vanners. In my eyes they are unjustly under the radar, by the time this goes to press I will assume you saw their free Music Waste set at Red Cat. Just fantastic live; I’m pretty sure all these dudes have roots in the Vancouver hardcore scene. So it’s heavy and maybe a little cheesy for some but it’s super up my alley. Also – what’s up with every new band in Vancouver having a “W” name?

The Glance

Thu Jun 9 SKISM- FORTUNE

Fri Jun 10 PAUL OAKENFOLD – FORTUNE

Sun Jun 12 MIAMI HORROR – FORTUNE

Mon Jun 13 BRETT DENNEN – VOGUE

Mon Jun 13 JASON ISBELL – BILTMORE

Mon JUN 13 FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – RICKSHAW

Tue Jun 14 HANNIBAL BURESS – BILTMORE

Tue Jun 14 FORBIDDEN – RICKSHAW

Wed Jun 15 BLACK LIPS – COMMODORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Thu JUN 16 THE HOOKERS + BLACK WIZARD – BILTMORE

Thu JUN 16 KID CUDI – DEER LAKE PARK

Thu JUN 16 PETE ROCK – BAR NONE

Thu/Fri JUN 16 -17 KULTH MUSIC FEST PASS – COOMBS RODEO

Sat JUN 18 KEREN ANN – BILTMORE

Mon JUN 20 OKKERVIL RIVER – VOGUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Tue JUN 21 AN HORSE – BILTMORE

Tue JUN 21 PLANETARIUM FUNDRRAISER – MCMILLAN SPACE CENTRE

Wed JUN 22 SUB FOCUS – VENUE

Wed JUN 22 BELLRAYS – BILTMORE

Thu JUN 23 ANDY C & MC GQ – TOUCH LOUNGE (VICTORIA)

Thu JUN 23 BORGORE – FORTUNE

Fri JUN 24 BIG FREEDIA – POST MODERN

Fri JUN 24 HEAD OF THE HERD – MEDIA

Fri JUN 24 SONDRE LERCHE – BILTMORE

Fri JUN 24 FEED ME – CELEBRITIES

Sat JUN 25 HATE ETERNAL / ORIGIN – RICKSHAW

Sat JUN 25 JENN GRANT – BILTMORE

Sat JUN 25 MARK FARINA – FORTUNE

Sun JUN 26 DIRT NASTY – FORTUNE

Mon JUN 27 THE DONKEYS – BILTMORE

Mon JUN 27 BLACK KEYS – DEER LAKE PARK – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Tue JUN 28 QUINTRON + MISSY PUSSYCAT – BILTMORE – CANCELED (Refunds @ Point of Purchase)

Tue JUN 28 DIRTY SOUTH – CAPRICE

Wed JUN 29 SADIES – BILTMORE

Wed JUN 29 DIGABLE PLANETS – BAR NONE

Thu JUN 30 PAT JORDACHE – ZULU RECORDS 7PM – FREE!

Thu JUN 30 THREE 6 MAFIA – FORTUNE

Thu JUN 30 NU TONE & SHIMON – 560

JULY

Fri JULY 1 PRETTY LIGHTS – CELEBRITIES

Tue JULY 5 OMAR SOULEYMAN – BAR NONE

Tue JULY 5 TOOTS & THE MAYTALLS – COMMODORE