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

SISKIYOU Where Does that Leave Me

There’s very good reason why Vancouver’s enigmatic Siskiyou rarely perform around town – they are simply just too busy! Chief songwriter Colin Huebert is currently prepping for his residency up in the Yukon and the Dawson City Music Festival. Then when he returns, they plan a pretty jet-set lifestyle and are penciled in on some of 2012’s best festivals including All Tomorrow’s Parties (by invitation of Mogwai) as well as a show at Barcelona’s prestigious Primavera Pop. Actually, maybe they are just not really into playing clubs, after all this video shot a couple weeks ago captures them tucked away down a cobble lane near London’s Bishopsgate station. Yes, the natural reverb and ambience of the field recording creates a very cool feel to the performance… Hmmn, perhaps when they get back we can coax Colin and co. into Blood Alley for a few songs in front of Judas Goat!

THE PLAYLIST

THE WAR ON DRUGS Brothers

Having just jammed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with help from Questlove on drums, my favourite dream rockers from Philadelphia are on a serious good time roll. This creepy new video is a pleasant surprise, and one that perfectly captures the brooding energy of the muchachos in the band. Spoiler Alert: they shoot out the lights at the Biltmore in March!

HOODED FANG Vacationation

Three months ago these guys were playing Saturday afternoons in public libraries in Toronto. Now they are on the eve of four shows in Jolly Olde London’s ultra swank rock clubs! Somewhere in the CBC Radio a red light is flashing announcing that the next ultimate awesome Canadian indie band has been found.

KATE BUSH Eider Falls At Lake Tahoe

As the season of desultory weather is on us, we suggest a trip with the kids to Urban Source on Main Street. Find as much recycled scrap gems as you can, grab a crisp white sheet, your camera, and indulge the creative imagination of the next generation. Or simply just watch this gorgeous Kate Bush shadow animation!

GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS Easy Come Easy Go

Any video with this degree of direction over one long continuous shot is already a winner by default. Also, I applaud Tony Dekker’s goal to riff on Brecht’s ‘breaking down the fourth wall’ – exposing the performance for the construction that it actually is. And I’ve always been curious about how Canadian’s would approach fake snow. Great song, my man!

WILCO Dawned on Me

Eat your greens with Wilco and your life will instantly be better. I imagine this video is in high rotation right now and it is great to see the classic Elzie Crisler Segar character back in action! Did you know that psychologists speak about people reaching their ‘the popeye point’ – the instant at which a person (you, me, we) decides to break out of an imprisoning life situation and asserts his or her own interests. 99% superhero!

BEIRUT Santa Fe

I guess it really is a perfect day for a Bananafish… Or is it? Of course I am alluding to the famous J.D. Salinger short story of a day at the beach that goes wrong for the Glass family. The protagonist of this video from Zach Condon a.k.a. Beirut ponders the same outcome in the face of grief and loss… I see a PhD coming!

ARCTIC MONKEYS You And I (Featuring Richard Hawley)

Who are the current British bad boy rockers out there? The Oasis brothers have pretty much covered all the brooding ground. You don’t hear much about Pete Doughty anymore and new faces The Maccabees haven’t got much bite yet. Richard Hawley is an underrated old school bad-boy not to be trusted with the keys to the liquor cabinet, and no, the E-type is not a rental.

THE GIG

SECRET CHIEFS 3 & DENGUE FEVER – RICKSHAW THEATRE Friday February 10th

How familiar are you with Cambodian psychedelic rock from the 1960’s? What about music that fuses traditional Persian elements with Death Metal? Expand your horizons on this epic night at the Rickshaw with two bands that have not only an immense sonic palate but an almost cult-like following of loyal fans! Secret Chiefs 3 is the banner under which multi-instrumentalist Trey Spruance has explored a wide range of musical styles including “suprasensory surf”, Turkish electro-folk, horror film inspired soundscapes, dark metal funeral dirges. Performing in cloaks, the Chiefs are the headliners and a spectacle that will blow your mind and your ears. On the undercard, L.A.’s Dengue Fever bring an equally dazzling sound to the stage – imagine fuzzed out pop songs sung in Khmer featuring drones coming from an amplified Mastadong! Hopefully they will dig deep into the songs from their classic Escape From Dragon House release which explores a bit of the Cambodian dance house sound and has enough deep bass groove that even the most composed ethnomusicology students in attendance should cut loose!

The Glance

Thu Feb 02 DOLDRUMS – WALDORF
Thu Feb 02 THEE SILVER MT ZION – RICKSHAW –
Fri Feb 03 NO SINNER – BILTMORE
Fri Feb 03 LOS CAMPESINOS! – ELECTRIC OWL –
Fri Feb 03 THE TOASTERS – IRON ROAD STUDIOS
Fri Feb 03 DIRTYLOUD – ELECTRIC OWL
Fri Feb 03 BRODINSKI – CELEBRITIES
Sat Feb 04 JOACHIM GARRAUD – GINGER 62
Sat Feb 04 CHARLIE WINSTON – COMMODORE
Sat Feb 04 JEREMY SOLE – REDROOM
Sun Feb 05 KAI SKY WALKER – ELECTRIC OWL
Sun Feb 05 WILCO – ORPHEUM –
Wed Feb 08 TWIN SISTER – MEDIA CLUB –
Thu Feb 09 LMFAO (DJ SET) – GOSSIP
Fri Feb 10 SECRET CHIEFS 3 & DENGUE FEVER – RICKSHAW –
Fri Feb 10 JAYHAWKS – COMMODORE
Fri Feb 10 ALESSO – CELEBRITIES –
Fri Feb 10 3D – SHARK CLUB
Fri Feb 10 TANYA STEPHENS – HUNGARIAN CULTURAL CENTRE
Fri Feb 10 YACHT – MEDIA
Fri Feb 10 HEY OCEAN! – VENUE
Sat Feb 11 D-BRIDGE – W2
Sat Feb 11 COLD CAVE – ELECTRIC OWL
Sat Feb 11 KO – VENUE
Sat Feb 11 MIDNIGHT CITY / OMAR S – WALDORF
Sat Feb 11 DOGGIE WOGGIEZ! POOCHIE WOOCHIEZ! – BILTMORE
Sat Feb 11 BENNY BENASSI – CONVENTION CENTRE –
Sat Feb 11 THE BE GOOD TANYAS – VOGUE
Sat Feb 11 D-BRIDGE – W2
Sat Feb 11 DJ HEATHER – FORTUNE