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

Brave Irene – No Fun by Slumberland Records

This week I’m gonna highlight a few releases from the first six months of the year that you might have missed. This one in particular I think might be my sleeper hit of Jan-Jun 2011. Rose Melberg’s latest project brings us an album of shoegazy pop rock that strikes all the right chords. When I pretend to have a girlfriend I dance with her in my bedroom while I spin this record. It’s cool…

The Playlist

OFF! – First Four EPs (Vice)

This ain’t your big brother’s punk band. Oh wait, yeah it is. Members of Black Flag, Circle Jerks, etc. Throw it down big man. Throw it down one time.

DEERHOOF Deerhoof Vs. Evil (Polyvinyl)

I have to admit that I’ve never made a year-end list without that year’s Deerhoof LP. This year’ll be no different. What can I say? I never get sick of it! I remember reading something about how they “threw out all expectations about what a Deerhoof album should sound like” but I’ll be blunt: it still sounds a heck of a lot like Deerhoof. Cool!

KANYE WEST My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Def Jam/Roc-a-Fella)

When that infamous 10.0 dropped on the world I spent the day bellyaching to my roommate about how flawed this record was. You don’t know my roommate but if you knew how smug his smirk looked when I spent the next 3 weeks listening to “Monster” and “Dark Fantasy” and “All Of The Lights” and OK every song nonstop, you’d totally stop cleaning the toilet too.

THE BEETS Stay Home (Captured Tracks)

I actually didn’t listen to this record until this week. Managed to catch their set in Seattle with Eternal Summers (also great). I didn’t want to like The Beets. With the sunglasses and the clever artwork and the New York shtick. Unfortunately, I loved them. And yes, the artwork is clever. Don’t miss this band next time they’re around.

PJ HARVEY Let England Shake (Vagrant/Island Def Jam)

Excited to hear this album in the summer. Obviously some records are great in the fall and some are great in the spring and whatnot – this was my late winter jam, and it did indeed keep me warm, but I feel like a of these tunes will be good for a lazy morning/sun comin thru the window/newspaper/bed in breakfast mixtape.

JAMES BLAKE James Blake (A&M/ATLAS)

Still incredible. Speaking of sexy hot summer night sweat music :JUST ANNOUNCED VANCOUVER SHOW SEPTEMBER 25. Do not sleep on this ticket.

DODOS No Color (Frenchkiss)

Strummin’. Drummin’. Chugglin’. Strappin’. I feel like you have to describe this band only with verbs ending in “ing” but you also have to drop the “g”.

TORO Y MOI – Underneath The Pine (Carpark)

Homie did what I didn’t think needed to be done (I was wrong): repurposed disco. Great show with Braids at the Biltmore back in the spring.

DESTROYER Kaputt (Merge)

Bejar and Co. out-soft rock the best of them with a gorgeous, sweeping record about girls, up to a point.

BILL CALLAHAN Apocalypse (Drag City)

Something weird: If a rookie asked me “What’s a good starting point for Bill Callahan?” (or “Smog” or whatever), couldn’t I literally name ANY of his records? They will all make you feel like you can’t get out of bed for a few days. Anyway – start with this one and work your way backwards.

The Gig

Wednesday JUNE 1 thru SUNDAY JUNE 5 – MUSIC WASTE – Various Venues

HEADS UP: Best thing in Vancouver! When I first moved to town in 2007 I didn’t have any friends and spent my time working as a lowly record store clerk. Someone tipped me off to this Music Waste thing and gave me one of their passes. Summer saver! If you snagged a pass, use it to its fullest extent. I recommend venue hopping on bike and catching as many bands as possible. It’s hard for me to remember having as much fun at a live music event. Not to mention you get access to comedy and art shows too. C’mon. This is insane!

The Glance

JUN 1-5 MUSIC WASTE – VARIOUS VENUES
Wed JUN 1 TIMBER TIMBRE – VOGUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
Fri Jun 3 GUILTY ABOUT GIRLS – VENUE
Fri Jun 3 SLOAN – COMMODORE
JUN 3-5 SYNC MUSIC FESTIVAL – BEAVERFOOT LODGE
Sat JUN 4 DOA & KNUCKLEHEAD – RICKSHAW
Sat Jun 4 FRIENDLY FIRES – VENUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
Sat Jun 4 GRUFF RHYS – BILTMORE
Sun Jun 5 ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI – VENUE
Mon Jun 6 TC + SIGMA – FORTUNE
Mon Jun 6 ANTHONY DAVID – BILTMORE
Mon Jun 6 SANDER KLEINBERG – GINGER 62
Tue Jun 7 AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT – COMMODORE – NEW VENUE
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