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

currently on heavy rotation in the store…

Slow by Twin Shadow, from their debut long player Forget (Terrible Records).

For the most part I think it’s fair to say that 80s revivalism has been done to death. No one wants to hear another band ape Duran Duran or the Cure without adding some kind of new spices to the pot. Having said that, there are those few artists that are able to forge something new from the tired tropes of a genre, and Twin Shadow AKA George Lewis Jr. seems to be one of those guys. Lewis Jr. has the Morrissey croon down, and his music is mostly composed on synths and drum machines from the era. But beyond those signifiers, this dreamy music investigates the trials of love in a way that’s timeless. It’s a delight when something comes on the stereo that sounds both familiar and new, and Forget strikes just that balance.

The Playlist

The records we can’t get enough of this week…

JULIAN LYNCH Orange You Glad (Olde English Spelling Bee)

A charming collection of four track bedroom paisley psychedelia from this sometime Ducktails member.

CHRIS AND COSEY Trance (Rough Trade)

First time on LP in two decades! The second release from this post-Gristle outfit. Dark imaginings from two genius minds of outsider culture. Sleazy R.I.P.

GROUP DOUEH Beatte Harab (Sublime Frequencies)

From the ever-reliable, ever-fascinating world of Sublime Frequencies comes a collection of trance guitar tracks that teleport me to the deserts of Morocco every time.

WEEKEND Sports (Slumberland)

From San Fran’s hot bed of garage/psych/punk bands comes Weekend, who nail the kind of hazy, paisley pop that makes Zulu-ers go gaga.

MODEST MOUSE Fruit That Ate Itself (Glacial Pace)

Back on vinyl for the first time in, oh, ten years? Fruit…is Modest Mouse’s first release and show the nascent charm of a group that existed in a garage somewhere in the hinterland of Washington State. No one could’ve ever predicted where this would go.

ROCKY ERICKSON The Holiday Inn Tapes (Vinyl Lovers)

An intriguing piece of vinyl to hit our bins: a ten song set recorded at a Texas Holiday Inn while Roky was living in the hotel?! Features Rocky slaying two Buddy Holly tracks.

NO JOY Ghost Blonde (Mexican Summer)

Man, Mexican Summer has had a powerhouse year, with many releases sure to hit the top ten lists come year’s end. No Joy is a Montreal/Los Angeles lady duo who specialize in the kind of blown out shoegazing pop that we cannot get enough of around here.

MOUNT EERIE Song Islands Vol. 11 (P.W. Elverum And Sons)

Elverum, indie rock’s happy hippie forest creature, presents his second collection of rarities and demos, beautifully packaged in a gatefold sleeve. Stunning. (ed. note: holy Twin Peaks action!)

TWIN SHADOW Forget (Terrible Records)

Primo cuts from the Darkness…sessions, a time capsule from a killer era of the Boss.

The Gig

The upcoming show that we’re really looking forward to…

BISON BC plays the Biltmore on Friday December 10

I’m shocked that this Bison BC hasn’t sold out already. They haven’t played town in many a moon, and this will probably be the last chance to see them for a while. Let your hair down and enjoy some thrashy metal during the Christmas season. Hey why not?

The Glance

Fri DEC 10
THE POSIES + BRENDAN BENSON- VENUE
BISON BC – BILTMORE
GIFT RAP – CENTURY HOUSE
JOHN O’CALLAGHAN – CELEBRITIES
THE GREENHORNES – MEDIA CLUB

Sat DEC 11
WEHEARTDAFTPUNK – BILTMORE
MARK KNIGHT – GINGER 62

Sun DEC 12
DICK DALE – THE YALE

Tue DEC 14
KILLING JOKE – VENUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Thu DEC 16
NORDIC TRAX- DJ HEATHER – XMAS PARTY – CAPRICE
GROOVE CRUISE PARTY – GINGER 62

Fri DEC 17
EDWARD MAYA – FABRIC

Sat DEC 18
WINTERHARP – ST.ANDREWS

Sun DEC 19
JOHN GRANT – MEDIA

Mon DEC 20
LMFAO – GOSSIP
STEVE AOKI – GARFINKLES (WHISTLER)
KID KOALA – BILTMORE

Tue DEC 21
KID KOALA – BILTMORE

Mon DEC 27
AVICII – GARFINKLES (WHISTLER)

Tue DEC 28
CALVIN HARRIS DJ SET – VENUE

Wed DEC 29
LISSIE – BILTMORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT