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ZULU REPORT: All The Awesome Sounds That You Should Be Listening To This Week

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by Nic Bragg | From Kitsilano’s Zulu Records, we once again present our weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, we provide The Track – the song that is on heavy rotation in the shop this week; The Playlist – which is pretty self-explanatory; The Gig – the ‘must see’ show of the week; and The Glance – which details the best live acts that are on the immediate horizon. From our ears to yours, enjoy…

THE TRACK

THE NATIONAL Graceless

America’s most respected ‘Adult-Alternative’ rock band, The National, are anything but ‘graceless’. On the contrary, these five well-tailored gents are the very model of sonic substance, cool style, and mature confidence. But enough smoke up their asses… Have you ever wondered what a day off might look like for The National as they vacate the tour bus in an effort to have some lighthearted fun? It turns out these guys are no different than anyone else – playing 500 with cans of beer and a baseball bat, shooting modified air weapons in the woods, and diving into the pool in your best threads. Admit it, it looks pretty fun. Well, they’ve earned it, and days off are rare for Matt, Aaron, Bryce, Scott and Bryan, who have been on the road constantly for the last 10 years, and will bring their ‘Trouble Will Find Me’ tour to the PNE on September 22nd. Shake up a beer and shake up your life!

THE PLAYLIST

YUCK Age Of Consent

The fact that young bands are still riffing on New Order songs tells you something about their overall influence in the big picture. No one can play guitar like Bernard, but bonus points for the dual Fender Jaguars!

CRYSTAL STILTS Star Crawl

Sacred Bones is a record label that pulls no punches. No one can walk on Crystal Stilts. Everything on the internet lasts forever. Never surf in water with alligators. The owls are not what they seem. Nature is a trip.

MOBY The Perfect Life

Moby is back. Ok, so he never really went away. Maybe we should just stop and think about electronic music in the 90s. Compact discs were everywhere and the party was, too. The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy…how will it all be remembered? Here, Moby jams with Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips.

WILLIS EARL BEAL Memphis

Yes, this is a trailer for a film. It’s also the acting debut of Willis Earl Beal, who will be releasing a new record next week. Willis is a major talent, both on screen and on record. He thrilled Vancouverites with a sold out show at The Biltmore last year. Do everything that you can to discover him.

HOLOGRAMS Meditations

I’ve never really understood why punk culture continues to flourish in Stockholm. Always interesting and super stylized, it somehow meshes perfectly with the beat of the city. Swedish rockers Holograms are about to make more noise over here in North America – they just signed with Captured Tracks.

YOUNG BRAISED Murakami

We wanted to shine a light on this Strawberry Jacuzzi produced vid for Vancouver’s own YB (endorsed by Zulu’s own Wolfman). All the food carts are blazing this track. Too bad he got rained out at Sled Island, but I guess he can still throw down at Pop Montreal.

DANIEL ROMANO There is Hardship

Good news, folks. Romano is actually coming back to Vancouver to play a real show – instead of a house party above Eugene Choo. This kid is an old soul. The kind of guy who probably mumbles horrible scenes in his sleep. True grit. Mark your calendars and go see one of Canada’s most unknown legends on October 10th at the St. James Community Centre!

THE GIG

DIRTY BEACHES Thursday Sep 26th BILTMORE CABARET

Alex and his gang will return to The Biltmore later this month and we suggest getting a ticket early. Once all the hype blogs get their teeth into him and further the myth-making campaign, this show will sell out. I guess Alex calls Montreal home right now, but when you look at his schedule over in Europe, his home has been a suitcase for the last few years! The Vancouver show will be the last in a North American tour supporting Drifters/Love Is The Devil. Alex’s journey in the darkness will be over. Like this video – shot on Hamburg’s Reeperbahn – there is a dreamy nocturnal soundscape quality to the music of Dirty Beaches. You are not sure what happens in the shadows of what you see. How much is real and how much is paranoia? And what is in the suitcase Alex holds by the river?

The Glance

Mon Sep 09 THE DODOS – BILTMORE
Tue Sep 10 WHY? – BILTMORE
Wed Sep 11 PRAIRIE CAT EP RELEASE w/ HOT PANDA – MEDIA
Thu Sep 12 EASY STAR ALL-STARS – COMMODORE
Thu Sep 12 CHALI 2NA – RIO
Thu Sep 12 LIMBLIFTER – BILTMORE
Thu Sep 12 NOSTALGHIA w/ Murder Dove and Black Magique- MEDIA
Fri Sep 13 CASHMERI CAT – SHINE
Fri Sep 13 JAMES MURPHY DJ SET – CELEBRITIES
Sat Sep 14 THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS – RICKSHAW
Sat Sep 14 NO AND AROARA – ELECTRIC OWL
Sat Sep 14 BOSNIAN RAINBOWS – BILTMORE
Mon Sep 16 WOODS & FRESH AND ONLYS – ELECTRIC OWL
Mon Sep 16 JULIA HOLTER w/ Nedelle Torrisi and Hannah Epperson- BILTMORE
Mon Sep 16 WOODS & FRESH N ONLYS – ELECTRIC OWL
Wed Sep 18 DAVID MYLES – ELECTRIC OWL
Wed Sep 18 OVERWERK – FORTUNE
Thu Sep 19 BURGERMANIA – THE GROWLERS – ELECTRIC OWL
Fri Sep 20 PORCELAIN RAFT – ELECTRIC OWL
Fri Sep 20 NEKO CASE – ORPHEUM – WE’RE SOLD OUT
Fri Sep 20 THE SONICS – RICKSHAW
Fri Sep 20 DAWN PENN – HUNGARIAN HALL
Sat Sep 21 FRENCH MONTANA – VENUE
Sat Sep 21 CJSF 10 ACTS FOR 10 YEARS – ASTORIA
Sat Sep 21 KIRKO BANGZ – FORTUNE
Sat Sep 21 MIAMI DEVICE – RICKSHAW
Sat Sep 21 MR C – ELECTRIC OWL
Sat Sep 21 JORDAN KLASEN – BILTMORE
Sat Sep 21 ISLANDS w/ Bear Mountain – MEDIA – EARLY SHOW
Sun Sep 22 WILD BELLE – FORTUNE
Mon Sep 23 PETER HOOK and THE LIGHT – VENUE – WE’RE SOLD OUT
Mon Sep 23 THE FEATURES – ELECTRIC OWL
Mon Sep 23 TODD BARRY – BILTMORE
Tue Sep 24 SAVAGES – BILTMORE
Tue Sep 24 CHOCLAIR – VENUE
Tue Sep 24 LAPALUX – SHINE
Wed Sep 25 K-MAN and THE 45s – UKRANIAN HALL
Wed Sep 25 OLAFUR ARNALDS – FORTUNE
Wed Sep 25 THE ORB – VENUE
Wed Sep 25 THE QUEERS/TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET – BILTMORE
Thu Sep 26 YOUNG GALAXY w/ Human Human – ELECTRIC OWL
Thu Sep 26 WAX TAILOR – RICKSHAW
Thu Sep 26 KONGOS – MEDIA
Thu Sep 26 DIRTY BEACHES w/ SISU and CHASMS – BILTMORE
Fri Sep 27 JAKE BUGG w/ HONEYHONEY – VOGUE – NEW VENUE / OLD TIX HONORED
Fri Sep 27 GOLD PANDA w/ LUKE ABBOTT & SLOW MAGIC – ELECTRIC OWL
Sat Sep 28 GUTTERMOUTH & AGENT ORANGE – BILTMORE
Sat Sep 28 LITTLE BOOTS W/ MNDR – FORTUNE – EARLY SHOW
Sat Sep 28 SHIGETO, PHAELEH & BEACON and NITEMOVES – ELECTRIC OWL
Sat Sep 28 NOAH AND THE WHALE W/ LP – VOGUE
Sat Sep 28 MOUNT KIMBIE – VENUE – EARLY SHOW