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
Thur JUN 9 BRENDAN PERRY & ROBIN GUTHRIE – VENUE