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

!!!’s AM/FM video, directed by Black Dice, from the new album Strange Weather Isn’t It? (Warp)

On !!!’s fourth outing the band pulls out one of the classic rock moves by recording Strange Weather Isn’t It? in Berlin.  Does this album sound particularly like a Bowie, Iggy or Lou album? No not really, but that’s OK because Strange Weather is full of dense, rhythmic party bangers designed to carry from the late night right into the early morning, as this first single AM/FM makes clear. The colourful, psychadelic video was directed by NY art pranksters Black Dice, which makes brings !!! back to their roots as Williamsburg loft project. It’s a great late summer video, guaranteed to make you feel like somebody slipped something into your drink. Enjoy.

The Playlist

click the links for a listen and look-see…

THE FRESH AND ONLYS August In My Mind (Captured Tracks)
These SF garagey poppers have gained steady acclaim over the last several years (especially among Zulu staff) for their fun take on home recorded jangle-tastic tunes.

SLOWDIVE – Souvlaki, Just For A Day, Pygmalion – Reissues (Cherry Red)
Slowdive’s classic moody, shoegaze, triptych gets reissued so that we can again enjoy their smeared melodies. My fave is Pygmalion.

TIM COHEN Laugh Tracks (Captured Tracks)
And on a related note, Fresh n Onlys front man Tim Cohen issues his second solo LP of genius level bedroom pop.

EMBRYO Embryo’s Rache LP reissue (Get Back)
And for the prog-minded set, I know you’re out there and I know that you need Embryo’s Rache because it slays. Hard.

BRIAN JONESTONE MASSACRE Take It From The Man 2LP reissue (a Recordings).
Here it is: Anton Newcombes piece de resistance, lovingly re-mastered for vinyl release. This is a high point from a band known for many high points. Dig it.

SPIRITUALIZED Ladies And Gentleman We Are Floating In Space 2LP Reissue (Plain)
Praise Jesus, Jason Peirce’s masterpiece is finally brought back on vinyl, the record by which this band will forever be known and judged. Ladies And Gentleman is a stone cold classic.

SUPERCHUNK On The Mouth LP Reissue (Merge)
Superchunks’ fine On The Mouth established so much of the template for indie rock that persists to this day and for that reason we should be grateful for its reappearance in LP form.

ARCADE FIRE The Suburbs (Merge)
Their masterpiece continues to dominate our little record store. The Suburbs is gangbusters with songs that can only be considered modern classics.

BEST COAST Crazy For You (Mexican Summer)
From a couch of an Eagle Rock California bungalow comes the fuzzed out Best Coast, and fourteen tracks of teen anguish and heartache.

LOCAL NATIVES Gorilla Manor (Frenchkiss)
This raucous five piece blew our minds when they played town a few months back, and the album continues to offer one golden nugget after another.

The Gig

RATATAT plays The Commodore this Wednesday, September 15th

The Glance

Fri SEP 10
THE NATIONAL w/ The Walkmen – MALKIN BOWL – WE ARE SOLD OUT
ENGLISH BEAT – COMMODORE
LEE MORTIMER – POP OPERA
THE ZEROES – VENUE
TITUS ANDRONICUS w/ Free Energy – BILTMORE
LEE MORTIMER – POP OPERA

Sat SEP 11
COLD CAVE – BILTMORE – CANCELLED
AA BONDY w/ JBM – MEDIA CLUB
GASLIGHT ANTHEM – COMMODORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
MODERN ENGLISH – FORTUNE

Mon SEP 13
CROOKED FINGERS – BILTMORE

Wed SEP 15
CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE (last show in Vancouver) + NO KIDS – BILTMORE
RATATAT – COMMODORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Thu SEP 16
HELMET w/ Bison BC – VENUE
EFTERKLANG – THE MEDIA CLUB
SCISSOR SISTERS – MALKIN BOWL
CUFF THE DUKE – BILTMORE

Fri SEP 17
DOCTOR P – POP OPERA
THE Dø – THE BILTMORE
PENNYWISE – COMMODORE

Sat SEP 18
DANNY MICHEL – BILTMORE

Mon SEP 20
TRUTH + SALVAGE Co. – MEDIA CLUB

Tue SEP 21
BLITZEN TRAPPER – RICKSHAW
PANTHA DU PRINCE w/ The Sight Below – BILTMORE

Wed SEP 22
DEAKIN – COBALT
FLYING LOTUS – COMMODORE