by Nic Bragg | From Kitsilano’s Zulu Records, we once again present our weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, you’ll find The Track – the song on heavy rotation in the shop this week; The Playlist – which is self-explanatory; The Gig – or 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

OLD MAN CANYON Wiser

In 15 years this little guy is going to look back on this video and remember the big adventure he had in Vancouver. Local folk outfit Old Man Canyon give us this report’s highlighted track – an old timey campfire charmer loaded with vocal harmonies and rich acoustic instrumentation. Wiser recalls the mellow glow of fellow north-west beardos Fleet Foxes, as well as a little band called Bon Iver, making Old Man Canyon a local band to watch. As for the video – well, it’s a pretty romantic adventure for a tiny tot in Vancouver while his folks are asleep. Check it!

The Playlist

BESTiE Foolish Hearts

This the way to do this. Act fast. Make things cheap. Move quick. Don’t think about it too much. Vancouver’s BESTiE have taken that mantra to everything that they have produced and as a result are always busy forwarding their sonic vision.

WYE OAK Glory

Baltimore’s Merge Records-endorsed Wye Oak have moved on from the confines of being a guitar and drums duo to create a more ethereal synth-based pop sound. Their new album Shriek is getting tons of praise and Andy and Jenn are planning a pretty extensive North American tour to support it. This lead-off single is pretty sugary…

CLOUD BOAT Carmine

There are a lot of Laundromat videos out there. I think it must be a pretty cheap location for scouts – especially at night when only the members of London’s Cloud Boat are washing their clothes. If you are looking for a new dreamy UK band that pushes the 80’s trajectory to chilling effects then you should give this one a turn.

NENEH CHERRY Everything

One long shot. One long location. One legendary reclusive performer vamping to her first new recording in way too long. Add it up, Neneh Cherry is back and posed to push her charismatic presence even further. Shot in stark black and white by acclaimed French fashion photographer, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, this video works well on so many levels…

NEIL YOUNG Needle of Death

Neil covering classic British folk troubadour Bert Jansch is already something worth checking into. Add to this the fact that it is the debut of Jack White’s instant video-o-graph booth – a live video booth poised to feature intimate acoustic shows direct to the internet – and Young’s fans will certainly be delighted. Consider this an echo to Neil’s ‘Needle and The Damage Done’…gotta love the scratchy vocal vibe.

OWEN PALLETT Song For Five and Six

Owen P. has always had a penchant for big ideas. After scoring all the strings for early Arcade Fire albums he pretty much wrote his ticket – programming theatre, large European festivals, and massive concertos of his own Final Fantasy music. Throughout this he’s always managed to keep things arty and keep us guessing. Here he collaborates on some gorgeous new work for the National Ballet School. Cool!

DIANA Strange Attraction

Toronto’s synth-pop DIANA are heading back in the studio to craft their follow up to Perpetual Surrender. Before doing so they banged out another video for Strange Attraction and one that features the acting skills of Carmen Elle! Blissed out beats and freaky masks make the morning after pretty surreal.

REAL ESTATE Crime

Funny or Die’s Tom Scharpling directs the latest meta heavy video to support Real Estate’s massive new normcore pop release Atlas. This video is getting tons of attention…

THE GIG

WAXAHATCHEE – BILTMORE CABARET Friday May 23rd

On tour to support their second record Cerulean Salt, Alabama’s enigmatic art-folk rockers Waxahatchee have scheduled a stop at the Biltmore! Fronted by Katie Crutchfield, Waxahatchee are a band that has roots in the punk houses and DIY spirit of Birmingham’s indie scene. Previous to Waxahatchee, Katie and her twin sister Allison originally performed as a duo under the name P.S. Elliot, self-releasing their records, booking their tours, as well as contributing to fanzines such as International Girl Gang Underground. Today, their songs garner comparisons to the early careers of Cat Power, Elliot Smith, and a whole host of singer songwriters who have shaped lo-fi acoustic bedroom rock. This will be an early show – Friday night at the Biltmore. Be sure to check out one of America’s budding indie names!

A deeper look at Vancouver’s gigscape for the rest of May is after the jump…

THE GLANCE

Wed May 07 ICED EARTH – VENUE
Wed May 07 YANCEY BOYS – SHINE
Wed May 07 KOAN SOUND & MINNESOTA – CELEBRITIES
Thu May 08 MONO – BILTMORE
Thu May 08 DEVIN THE DUDE – FORTUNE
Fri May 09 SULTAN NEDSHEPARD – CELEBRITIES
Fri May 09 BROODS – MEDIA
Fri May 09 PACIFIKA – FORTUNE
Fri May 09 EVAN DANDO – BILTMORE
Fri May 09 DELROY EDWARDS – SHINE
Sat May 10 CLAUDE VONSTROKE – CELEBRITIES
Sat May 10 ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE w/ PERHAPS – MEDIA
Sat May 10 LOS FURIOS – ASTORINOS
Sat May 10 LAPALUX – FORTUNE
Sat May 10 HOLLY GOLIGHTLY – ELECTRIC OWL
Sat May 10 JACK BEATS – IMPERIAL
Mon May 12 PRISCILLA AHN – BILTMORE
Mon May 12 CONNAN MOCKASIN – BILTMORE
Tues May 13 JACCO GARDNER – BILTMORE
Wed May 14 GARDENS & VILLA – FORTUNE – NEW DATE!!
Wed May 14 MILO & OTIS – CELEBRITIES
Wed May 14 LOOP – BILTMORE CABARET
Thu May 15 KING LOUIE (LIVE) – KILLJOY
Thu May 15 THE HORDE + THE HAAREM + THE RUFFLED FEATHERS – COBALT
Thu May 15 BATHS w/ YOUNG FATHERS – FORTUNE
Thu May 15 NATHANIEL RATELIFF – MEDIA
Thu May 15 CLOUD CULT – VENUE
Thu May 15 THE HORDE AND THE HAREM – COBALT
Fri May 16 SPOONS – RICKSHAW
Fri May 16 PIGEON PARK w/ THE POST WAR… – IMPERIAL
Fri May 16 FUNKY BEACH PARTY: VALUABLES, THE MANEUVER… – ANZA
Fri May 16 ATISH – STUDIO EAST
Fri May 16 KAPSLAP – VENUE
Fri May 16 ADRIAN LUX – CELEBRITIES
Fri May 16 TONE OF ARC – SHINE
Sat May 17 FAILURE – RICKSHAW
Sat May 17 WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS – BILTMORE
Sat May 17 MATTHEW KOMA – CELEBRITIES
Sat May 17 JESSY LANZA – MEDIA
Sun May 18 THE GASLAMP KILLER – FORTUNE
Sun May 18 HUMANS – CELEBRITIES
Sun May 18 MARK FARINA – IMPERIAL
Mon May 20 CHASE and STATUS – VENUE
Wed May 21 DANNIC – VENUE
Wed May 21 RUDIMENTAL DJ SET – CELEBRITIES
Wed May 21 NEXT MUSIC FROM TOKYO VOL 6 – BILTMORE
Wed May 21 KISHI BASHI – FORTUNE
Thu May 22 PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS – FORTUNE
Thu May 22 DANIEL WESLEY – IMPERIAL
Fri May 23 WAXAHATCHEE – BILTMORE
Fri May 23 QUINTINO – CELEBRITIES
Fri May 23 FIRST AID KIT – VOGUE – NEW VENUE!!
Fri May 23 CHET FAKER – FORTUNE – WE’RE SOLD OUT
Fri May 23 SHADED – SHINE
Fri May 24 PARQUET COURTS – BILTMORE
Fri May 24 PARIS & SIMO – CELEBRITIES
Fri May 24 PETUNIA and THE VIPERS – IMPERIAL
Fri May 24 SANGO – FORTUNE
Sun May 25 MOGWAI – VOGUE
Tue May 27 TYLER WARD – FORTUNE
Wed May 28 BORGORE – CELEBRITIES
Thu May 29 KYGO – FORTUNE – WE’RE SOLD OUT
Thu May 29 JACQUES GREENE & EVIAN CHRIST – SHINE
Fri May 30 BESTIE – FORTUNE
Fri May 30 SUNNERY JAMES RYAN MARCIANO – CELEBRITIES
Fri May 30 HOBO – SHINE
Sat May 31 MØ – FORTUNE
Sat May 31 MERCER – CELEBRITIES